New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-11
WIND SHIELD RECORDS.
Sentiment Is That Freak MarES
OUGHT To Be ThrOICp Out.

The recent action OF the congress or the Ma
tional Trotting Association in passing a RUE
forbidding the use Of the wind or dirt snlelo
In future record making attempts has aroused
considerable discussion and difference or opin-
ion among horsemen. Followers OF light mar
ness racing are also greatly puzzled as to what
to do with the present wind and dirt shield
records, in which are included Dan Patch's
worlds pacing mark of 1:55A and Lou Dill
Ions worlds trottlng mark OF 1851
NJ w. Savage. the owner OF Dan Patch and
Cresceus has coma out with a statement in
which he deplOres the new ruling, because he
fears the public will infer that the owners OF
Dan Patch and Lou Dillon want to build
fence around the dirt shield records OF the
present champions and prevent by legislation
the beating of these marks by future cham
pionship aspirant5- James Y. GatcoTnb. the
owner OF Audubon Boy. 1904, a pacing cham
pionship possibility, strongly commends the ruI-
ing
There can be no doubt that wind shield per-
formances have tended to cheaper the light
harness horse in the estimation Of the general
public No thinking person puts the same
value on the records made with wind or dirt
shield as on those obtained when the horse went
out in the open. single handed. so to speak, as
did Star Pointer. when he set the worlds pac-
ing mark at 1891 years ago at the Readville
track.
One of the greatest troubles which the wind
shield records have caused is this: Except in
the official trotting and pacing records, which
the general public never delves into, attempt
is ever made to distinguish between the diff
ferent kinds of records. Dan Patch Is always
credited with a mark Of 1854, when the fastest
time the son Of Joe Patchen ever made without
a wind or dirt shield is 1:5SA. So the record
of Lou Dillon is generally known as 1:5S1s.
whereas the fastest time the mare ever made
"in the open is POI.
The suggestion has been made that these wind
shield records be dropped altogether from the
year Book" and that in the future Lou Dillon
be simply credited with the legitimate mark of
POI, and Dan Patch, Prince Alert, Cresceus and
Major Delmar be treated likewise. Such action
would still leave Lou Dillon the champion trotter
and Dan Patch the champion PAGER but the other
championship aspirants would have fair chance
to get after them
AS long these freak records are allowed to
stand in the Year Book" where 1t is under
stood they will be printed this year and marked
with a double star ('') just so long other horses
will be sent after the marks in spite of the ruI
ing that the figures made are not officially
recognized by the light harness authorities One
radical objection to allowing these records to
stand, even with deprecatOry. qualifying apol-
o
fast horses cannot command the appliances
necessary to make these freak trials against
time.
Mr.. Savage argues that these dirt shield
wind break performances are designated nv q
mark in the Year Book but the trouble is that
1t is not convenient for turf papers or the daily,
press to designate them so when writing tbs
names OF the horses which obtained reCordS
thus. Therefore the public is misled freouantiy,
and gains the impression that the records y,are /
made IN the ordinary way" He would .ur tba /
records IN separate class, but would not aboIis6
them altogether. NV O4'SA
These wind shield records possess n cartat, !
amount OF interest, but little or no value Tbstt
are, indeed quite similar TO the bicvclo rccNr, /
maze Dy cycilst, who rode at nearly 81 D,Uea
minute clip on specially prepared pathway in [
the wake or a train of cars. The incident v-as
interesting but was the record of value To m /
sport of wheeling? ''' W 'he /
In case such action is taken by the trotttns, /
authorities and the freak records are throvvn ,,9
the twO-minute trotter will still be a drear,, - |
the future There would however be far sIaaV -
err incentive To breeders to go after Lon DIiIC,s
legitimate mark of 2:O1 than to attaT,nt 20
lower by necessarily laborous ,netbO5S ~ /
freak mark OF LOSE. In the pacins dI,-,siHI
100 there would be far keener rivalry A., 49, /
attempt TO lower Dan Patch's real T,ari1 -
! oStA than there is at present in the Fo-ioe,, /
nope or going after the hybrid figures cr I 49,
made under conditions which were fer S -,
natural ~ -'oih