The sun., 1910-06-10
CURRENT SPORTING GOSSIP
FLAT FOOTED STARTING DE-
MANDED BY RACEGOERS.
Mars CassidSs Fine WOrk with mat
Method sh0uld Net Ne spoiled by
WAN CD system, u Is Argued
sweeps Advantage an Illustration.

When Sweep beat the barrier ct Graves
end on Wednesday many persons cried ont
In protest Il looked like a clear case OF
carelesaness on the part OF Starter Mars
Casstdy and naturally there was much
astoni-hment. Ever since the opening Of
the local season Mr. Cassidy has seen NJ
now and then 10 make use Of the moving
start OF the walk up system although
there Is no Official record Of a permit issued
by the Jockey club stewards. Mr. Cassidy
employed this method In JuAre1 last winter
ana had some success, which IA probably
me reason why he has been trying 10 intro
duce the system here by degrees But In
view Of the fact that Mr. Cassidy has used
the Hat footed or standing start with
great success for half a dozen years on the
New York tracks reasons for change are
no, IN evidence. RaceROers have always
commended the hat footed style OF starting
horses Il u the only safe and sane way
and Mr. Cassidy has clearly demonstrated
Us worth. In the years that he has handled
the gate on the Jockey club tracks he has
had very little fault found with his work
IN fact good starts have been a matter Of
course and In that respect the track pro-
mOters have been COnRratulatlnR them
selves
Then Why doe. Mr. Cassidy suddenly
try moving starts, That is the query
asked by raceROers who cannot understand
why there should be- a shit n the plans
when the walk up system wac first used
th's season there was a general expression
Of surprise because the Oppo-l ion Of the
stewards 70 this system has alEays been
vigorous. Vet nothing could lave heen
said to the starter. with the result that he
did pretty much as he plea5ed vii hom eS
cuing comment until the other da-. when
In several races one horse broke aW.y run.
ning while everything else va. virtually
loft. The climax was reached when Sueep
u as allowed To run az tho barrier while the
other horses were huddled together n no
iair position to gei square sendOn. There
was plenty NJ lime tn effect a good start,
30 that Mr. 'assidy's hurry In pressing the
on't0n while sweep alone was In mOtiOn
seemed "a he an unfortunate error.
The J"rkey club stewards decided when
Mt lassidv vas first engaged that the
standing start vas the only proper WRy
70 send horses away from the post In
lhat Nay each horse. " vas shown had
an equal chance 10 break when the word
oi command was uttered, No long A. all
Nl"aF NNAlANNNANeAlAlN no IMiIf
could he found. and such proved 20 hs
ne as a. the system was perfected
PERSONS who went to Gravesend on
"Wednesday for the sobe purpose Of seeing
sweep. Prince Imperial. The Turk and
i'almatian give true line on the three. /
Near-old championship we're deprived of ]
thht pleasure simply because Mr. cassidy /
SLOWED sweep To heat the gate While the /
othefa we're IN -uch = tangls that Prince /
imperial vas knOked to his knees, 20 he /
leit ~ the post. NJ Mr. cassidy had taken I
his time and had compelled al fhe horsas /
=" stand stu IN front OF the webbing a real /
test oi their reAp~, tive racing qualities /
would have folloNed
" & BedWell VIII ship his stable 10 Ia /
tohla tO-morroW and viii not race IN the EAsf I
aEain Tor some time 10 come He has .
strengthened hts stable hy securing Rarke- 4
ley, Pennyroyal, l.Ochel and others. and .
" IN kiEhteAsy Madman and Prince Ahmed 4
-easoned campatgners he is bound to ,ui |
an important figure on the Western and /
tanadian circuits