The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
POLOISTS AWAIT
CLEAR SKIES
FOR PLAY

Owing TO the thorough manner IN
which the details of the polo and pony
racing fiesta to be held at San Mateo
late In this month have been gone over
nothing stands In the way Of the sue
cess Of the ambitious affair planned By
Charles w. Clark exoept unfavoFabii "A
weather. AS the date Of the meetfn e
is still some three weeks or the sports
men interested in its success feel that
they will be favored with cloudless
skies and balmy weather. as there
must come an end to the long con-
unued rainy season.
The official records Of the California
Polo and Pony Racing Association were
destroyed IN the fire. Among other
data which were lost TO the officials was
the measurements of all the ponies
owned in this district. The promoters
of the meet IN the south which will
follow the racing at San Mateo had in
serted clause in their programme
that all ponies must be remeasured
this year. This will bar a number OF
the fieetest northern ponies. for while
they could be brought under the
standard by severe methods. their
owners will not care to submit them to
the necessary treatment. Tt was sug-
gested to the southern officials that all
the ponies involved were within the
required standard of fourteen hands
two inches last year and that their
entries be received during the present
season. 1t was further suggested that
there could be a general remeasurtng
of the ponies next year.
Tho southern men did not see At to
recede from the stand they had taken,
so at least five ponies will be placed
out of the running. Two of these are
the property OF Rudolph Spreckels. A
like number Of Charles W. C1ark's are
made Ineligible. while Francis j.
Carolan Will lose the services Of one
of his ponies.
Four racing ponies and some seven
teen polo ponies. the property Of
quartered at Tanforan racetrack. Thet
rain left Spreckels, private track at his
country home in Sonoma County In
such a condition that IL was found i'm
possible to give his ponies fast work.
so they were taken to the jockey club
track to have the finishing touches
placed upon their condition. The rae
ing ponies include Wonderful which
ran successfully In the Spreckels colors
last season; Ulctma, the diminutive
Salvador mare. which has earned
brackets in some warm competitions:
Sweet Sigh. a bay hlly by CSerolstein-
Silica, which was bred by James B.
Haggin at Rancho del Paso. and Sans
Nomen. The latter Is a pony by Jim
chased in the Northwest last year.
The grass is so thick on the inner
track at Tanforan that 1t resembles an
English turf course. The outer track
is also well covered with grass. This
makes IT somewhat slow, but IL Is safe
and will not have a tendency to injure
the legs Of the ponies
George P. Messervy. an Eastern polo
ist, who spends. his winters in River
side, has been added to the list Of
players who will come north for the
tournament He has arranged to bring
q string Of strong ponies and Is ex-
pected TO prove a factor In the game.
II there is no vacancy on the Riverside
team he will be available for one OF
the scratch fours which IL is intended
to form when all the players ara on
the ground.
DR.. ]. A. Edmonds. the Official meas
urer OF the Southern California Polo
and Pony Racing Association. has been
invited to act as starter for the races
at San Matee. He filed the bill ac-
ceptably at the Coronado meeting last
March, getting the fields away In
clever style.