New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-19
READVILLE RACE PLAN.
Three Heats for Grand Circuit Meet
ing at Boston TraCE.

Tba oarIv closing nurses for the annual Grahd
Circuit meeting, at the ReadviIle track. near
Boston. on August 20 to "a. inclusive nave
just been announced. and horsemen are sur
prised and delighted the conditions me an
nouncement is large with significance IN "''7
ways than
IAN classes at this meeting" says the off,
cial circular will be events of three races u
one mile" This means that not only the stakes
but the class races. too. which close just be-
fore the opening of the meeting. will be OF 'he
generally q, owed short type In other woroS'
Readville has the example to the other
Grand Circuit tracks by abolishing altogether
the tedious three in five heat PLAN
That the Readville stakes have been an
nounced at this time and with such radical
changes seems without doubt to be for the pur-
pose of influencing the other track managers
In past years the Readville programme OF early
closing purses has never come out until late
in March.
The system adopted by Readville this year
is the three heat. every heat race" plan.
which introduced by A. ]. WEIGH at Hart
ford and Cincinnati several years ago and used
in the Charter Oak and Ohio stakes with much
success. 1t has never before been applied TO
straight class racing. The nearest thing 70 1t
seen the local trotting tracks was the nov
city" race introduced by Charles A. McCully
at Brighton Beach four years ago.
The Readville plan provides that every race
at the meeting be decided I'm three heats. Each
one of these heats will be considered a separate
race. All the purses will be divided into three
parts, and each OF these parts will be divided
into first. second and third moneys for each
heat or race. There will be no fourth moneys
whatever.
Take. for example the classic Massachusetts,
81 tha
most famous stake decided annually the
Grand Circuit Its purse this year is $4,000
instead of $4,000, heretofore. II is divided
into three equal parts Of $1,000 each. To the
winner Of each heat goes 81, 100. to the second
IN each heat 5000 and to the third In each heat
$500
Many horse,nen' have objected to this plan
because 1t frequently leaves the winner Of the
race undecided. /. e.. when a different horse
wins each heat When the same horse wins two
or three heats. the result, of course is evident.
The plan provides. however, fair and equal
division of the purse. and 1t is sure to do away
absolutely with the nefarious practice Of lay
ing up" heats. which made almost neces-
sary by the three in five heat method.
The working out Of the plan shown
by the Readville announcement. Is interesting.
The positions of contending horses will be drawn
for the first race or heat of every event. but IN
the second race or heat the horses will start
they finished in the first and in the third as
they finished in the second. Horses not finishing
within hundred yards Of the winner IN any
heat will be barred from further COM
petition in the event The entrance fee in every
race will be per cent of the purse. and moth
ing Will be deducted from the winners OF any
part Of the purse. Hobbies will not be barred
The advantages which will accrue from the
there will be laying up" Of heats. for to
LAY up heat in such a race would be Of
absolutely no advantage. The other fellow"
would simply go and win the money It
also means that three four events be
scheduled for afternoons racing with the
assurance that nine twelve heats only will
be required. Under this method there will be no
more trotting until shutdown with the resultant
getting homo late for dinner
John NJ. Johnson. who was elected a steward
Of the Grand Circuit last week, to succeed How
land Russell, Is the president Of the Readvills
track. and Charles NJ Jewett is secretary
Messrs Johnson and Jewett are to be greatly
commended for taking the bull by the horns
and abolishins the antique methods which have
so long disgraced light harness racing II is
to be hoped that every Grand Circuit track WILL
follow the lead Of Readvine
There is another point of interest In connec-
ton with the announcement OF the ReadviIle
stake programme. Last year. 1t will be recalled
the authorities prohibited pool selling at the
Readville track, with the result that the meet
Ing was curtailed TO two days. and only the
stake events were decided. There was some
doubt as to whether there would be a Grand
Circuit meeting this year at Readville or not
The announcement Of the early closing purses
seems to indicate that the management ex-
poets to come to some satisfactory arrange
ment with the authorities over the pool SELL
ing question.
The stakes announced for this year are as
follows: The Blue Hill (2:3O class. trotting).
$1,000; the Massachusetts OLA class. trotting).
$4,000; the Ponkapog (2:1O class. trottfngl 81
800; the Readville cos class. trottine, So Ooo
the Norfolk COS class. pacing) $4,000. the
Neponset COG class. pacing). $1,000 Entries
do not close until Tuesday, April 10