The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-09-15

Rain IL the great bugbear OF all sec
retnries OF trotting horse associations.
After going TO an expense OF many
hundreds or dollars they are always
uncertain as 10 whether they will be
able 10 hold their meeting until the
very afternoon OF the day OF the races.
a thunder shower at 1 o'clock ssner-
ally means postponement until the
next day. while morning showers, con-
tinued over period OF the race meet
ms, means that there are no races and
no gate money, and that the nssocia-
tion has TO stand the total loss. Not
only IL II hard on the secretaries and
the associations. but AZ Is hard on the
horsemen. for they have been under
great expense To ship their stables 10
the place OF meeting, ONLY TO be disap-
pointed.
Bad weather has put more than one
association 20 the bad. even when the
afternoons have been pleasant enough
TO allow almost any other Kind OF sport
TO go uninterruptedly. Patrons OF the
runners do not have to hgure on the
,ns they know inc @nSSy tfus s
OF dry. In Europe the same condition
holds good with the light harness
horse. for the tracks there are so con-
structed that racing Is possible even
while the rain Is descending In heavy
showers. Some OF the European tracks
are constructed OF brick and this sur
face Is covered with cushion OF SAND.
While IL would seem TO the average
American trainer that this kind OF
track would sore the horses, those who
have had experience In Europe say
small sand cushion effectually prevents
all soreness and that lameness IL not
more common than I'm this country
In discussing this subject recently
Henry NJ. Jones. OF lexington, KY,
OF the roads inside of the Kentucky
Trotting Horse Breeders association
ground at Lexington Is an oiled stretch
covered with light cushion or elm,
ders and that IL has been possible all
winter past TO train the horses over IL,
and TO step them for their lives
This recalled TO the mind OF Frank
Fitzpatrick who comes from San Fran
cisco that one OF the roads leading out
of the city runs along the ocean. and,
as II customary In that state, the road
has been oiled portion OF IL runs
near the sand dunes where the wind
has covered with slight layer OF
eand IL Is this section OF the road
that II most patrontzed by road driv-
ers. and II 10 on this part that many
road In always I'm condition regardless
OF weather. and II Is always possible
20 step the horses at top speed without
any injury TO them,
Prohting by the experience OF the
European track managers and by the
instances just mentioned In this coun-
try. II would seem as though some as.
ISOLATION having much at stake could
well AFFORD TO go TO the expense or
oiling the track and covering " with
n cushion OF sand, Once oiled. the
constant everyday expense OF water
ing the track would be done away with
and II would take but comparatively
small attention as compared with the
ordinary tracks 20 keep II In condition.
while the first cost would be consider
able. the subsequent cost OF mainte-
nance would more than OFFSET IL. and
IN the end II would really be cheap
investment for the association II IL
should prove that horses could race
over such a track REGARDLESS OF wealth
er conditions. then indeed IL would De
n very cheap investment for any asso-
citation. Many OF the associations hsv-
ing mile tracks also have half-mile