Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
GETTING TRACK
READY FOR MEETING

After a long summers rest the quiet OF
the Benning race track has been broken,
and active preparations will begin this week
to put it and the grounds in shape 10 re-
ceive the first contingent Of horses winch
will shortly arrive from the north and west
to take part in the regular fan meetlhs'
which opens at the local race course in
November.
A Star reporter visited the track yester-
day. Supt. Strahan already has two gangs
Of men at work, and they will be kept busy
from now on. The inield is being closely
moved, and the long weeds and small sum-
mer brush along the fences around the
course will be cut out. The Columbia
course, of which most Of the straightaway
portion lies through a former truck garden,
where the soil is very rich, overgrows each
year with grass and weeds. dozen men
started on this fine level stretch of track
yesterday, and it will resume its normal
appearance after a few days work.
About fifty yearlings have been stabbed
in the track stalls this summer, but these.
which belong to various owners. will be
shortly shipped away. Billy Garth had a
string of sixteen horses at the track, but
they were shipped away last week. The
problem at both the local spring and fall
meetings is stable room, and the stalls
within the Enclosure have never been suff1-
cient to accommodate the full number of
horses which have been placed In training
and raced
1t was expected that the Washington
Jockey Club would largely increase the sta
BILE accommodations when it acquired the
tract Of land upon which the Columbia
course is built, not having the necessary
room in the old grounds, but none of i'm
portance have been built. There is, how
ever, stall room for $50 horses within the
grounds, and about 300 can be accommo-
s-lI IL
Mr.. Keane of Benning has built stable room
for about 100 horses, and this will tend to
relieve the situation
Successful Meeting Indicated.
The Star man. however, has often been
informed by owners and trainers that they
would have augmented their strings con-
siderably were 1t not for this recognized
lack of stable accommodations at the track
side. They do not like to walk their thor
oughbreds over the country roads to and
from the track daily for exercising and
racing purposes for many reasons which
are at once apparent to horsemen. The
hoof of a thoroughbred, and particularly
when In active training, Is the main part of
the valuable assets of the animal, though
very small portion of his physical anat-
omy. Most Of the outside stables lie on
the other side Of the railroad track or ad-
jacent thereto, and good scare" from
locomotive WOulQ nave pad erect upon
some of the more nervous animals-some-
thing to be avoided upon the eve of race
The rough country roads and the stones
often infict serious injury upon the feet
of the lightly plated sprinters.
Nevertheless, the accommodations both
within and without the Enclosure are al
ways filled, but many owners and trainers
familiar with the local situation would
bring still more and higher class of horses
to the meetings were there an abundance
Of stable room at the track. The attend
ance of horses at the meetings will average
from 750 to 900.
Supt Strahan believes that there will be
more horses here this fall than at any of
the previous meetings. and 1t Is believed
that the fall term will be the most success
full in many years IL only the weather will
contribute its share. In former years many
of the larger stables went into winter quar-
tiers at the close of the Aqueduct fall meet
ing. Now, however, many OF these send
representatives down to Benning, even IL
August Belmont having set the example
in this respect.
The Jumps to Be Rebuilt.
II Mr.. Brady could be induced to send
Accountant. and Mr.. Hitchcock Salvidere,
and one or two owners of the higher class
would prove a very strong drawing card to
the patrons OF the turf. In this connection
the surprise OF the year, the great reuter-,
&c Between, who developed this summer
from a selling platter into one Of the best
stake and handicap horses in training, Is
well known to us locally, for he achieved
his greatest victories before this summer