Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
STARTING SYSTEM
IS UNPOPULAR
Public Demands Return to Nov
ing Starts-Long Shots
Successful at Sleeps
head Bay.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 29.-Sheephead's sec
ond week has shown dminution in the
attendance, which averages very heavy,
day in and day out. Racegoers regard the
meetings here as among the most at
tractive in the metropolitan racing circuit.
This is not to be wondered at considering
that the governors of the Coney Island
Jockey Club are quick to realize and, if
possible, anticipate the public wishes.
Just now, one of the greatest drawbacks
to the sport is the present system of start
ing, by which the horses are compelled to
come to a halt before being sent away on
their journey, system that is decidedly
against an equal chance for all, many
horses, particularly two-year-olds, cannot
be educated to stand still for a break, no
matter how long they are schooled at the
barrier.
The consequence is that day after day
some of the starts are almost a farce as far
as certain horses are concerned AS these
unlucky ones just as often as not happen
to be the favorites, public criticism on this
"flat-footed'' system justly stamps it as a
menace to the continued popularity of the
sport.
The metropolitan sporting writers to a
unit condemn the present system of start
ing, and are seconding in no halfway
manner the public demand for change
back to the moving start, which for a
generation proved satisfactory, long before
the present system was forced on all hands,
whether it was satisfactory or not.
In this agitation to do away with the
standing starts, and return to first princi-
pies the Coney Island Jockey Club execu-
tive, headed by ]. H. Bradford, Cornelius
Fellowes and other. practical men, have
placed themselves on the side of the public
and horsemen, in their demand for a
change James r. l,eene and other Jockey
Club men being also in favor of doing
away with the present unsatisfactory syS-
TEN. while horsemen and jockeys, except a
few that are protiting by the ability OF Mil
Ter. Radtke and Dugan to outbreak their
fellows, are unanimous in requesting a
change back to the usual method of start
ing.
Long Shots in Front.
reconciliation of the many instances of
late in which the best horses have had no
chance at the start will demonstrate beyond
all cavil or argument that the present sys-
TEN is not feasible. And as public opinion
will cause it's withdrawal sooner or later,
the racing powers that be will do well to
abolish it before irreparable harm results
in the loss Of public Endorsement OF the
sport.
While the two-year-old championship thus
far seems to have simmered down to Colin,
Cehort and Notasulga, the question of SUI
periority among the threeyear- olds, out
side of the great colt Peter Pan, received a
severe jolt when the Whitney colt Baby
Wolf won the Swift stakes day before yes
terday
So little was thought of the colt by his
owner and trainer that he was offered at
public auction last fall without obtaining
bid, in spite of his being son Of the
great Hamburg and that good race mare
Geisha. Trainer Rogers therefore took the
colt back into his barn again and gave
him time to develop.
In the Whitney stable is another three
year-old Wolf son Of Meddler and Sea
Nymph, which his owner calls Sea Wolf.
This colt was thought more Of by both own
and trainer prior to Wednesday than
his stable mate, Baby Wolf But now the
latter's unlooked-for success at 100 to
over such three-year-olds as Charles Ed
ward. Ethen, ]. c. Core, Veil, Altuda, Mini
ota and Prince Hampton gives him the call
as the stable Wolf for fair.
So also has another three-year-old, Lord
Loyat come to the front in impressive fash
ion, with little previous form to indicate
that he could defeat Yankee Girl, Tony
Bonero, Banker, Zethus and other tried and
seasoned winners of the season.
Bred in New Jersey at the Pequot farm OF
McCarter Potter, Lord Lovat, by Knight of
the Thistle-Florodora gave the advocates
of blue grass Kentuckybred stock a severe
jolt. The colts future races will be noted
converted fast track into of sloppy
mud in a few minutes, helped Baby Wolf
and Lord Lovat to their success. But both
colts would probably have won in any
event.
Yearlings Bring High Prices.
= With Baby Wolf, Prince Hamburg and
Adriana the Whitney stable made a record
of three wins in one day, for the first time
in it's history. AS all three horses are by
the great sire Hamburg, the triple success
is all the more noteworthy. The stable has
not had the best of luck this season, but
with these three, as well Dinna
Ken and Paumonok, the Whitney colors
should be much in evidence from now on.
The Bay is crowded with western men
thus far, and Kentucky "cOlonelS'' are very
plentiful at the daily sales of yearlings at
the sales paddocks, where William Easton
auctions off the embryo racers to the high
est bidders
Judged by the high prices paid for the
youngsters, the future of the sport in the
east at all events. looks bright to pur
chasers. For as much of the value of these
colts and fillies of aristocratic breeding lies
in the valuable two and three-year- old
events for which they can be nominated the
outlook of racing always has more or less
influence on these sales.
John Madden's two-year-old, King James,
just now promising candidate for many
rich stakes, was priced for $1,000 prior to
his recent stake success. But since then
colt is engaged In the English Derby of
1908, and here Is chance for some en-
terprising American to emulate the success
of Richard Croker with Orby.
Col Jack Chnn Is here with a score of
his Leonatus stud yearlings. The father
of the bill which created the Kentucky
state racing commission says he had rather
sell yearlings in the east than in the west.
Here he knows just what he is getting, but
in the blue grass regions many buyers O.
collateral consists simply. of a blank note,
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mountain dew. G.. G. p.