Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-17
.HORSEMEN LIKE THE
CHANGES IN RULES
Decisions by National Trot.
ting Congress Give Great
Satisfaction to Breeders.

The changes adopted in harness turf
rules at the biennial congress of the Ma
tional Trotting Association last Wednes-
day In New York will form the chief topic
of conversation around the hot stove"
circuit until horsemen get busy with their
training work. While these changes were
few and simple, yet they are now being
discussed with much interest and the
genera opinion appears to be that they
will serve to benefit the sport.
OF course the Observation-Disclosures change
adopted is the resembling of the rule
same to two. three and four year olds
when raced in special events for age only.
That this change in the so-called cru
sade against the use of the straps is uni
versally approved was evidenced by the
nance Of the rule was overwhelmingly
large. or almost five to one.
The discussions at the congress over
this important question showed that a
majority Of those who advocated the old
rule had no other argument in their ia
vor except the antiquated delusion-senti-
ment-something which indicates abso-
lutely nothing beyond the qualification of
a few wealthy men to own high-class
trotters and race them for merely what
sentiment there is in it, whatever tnat
might be. which, in a majority of cases.
is nothing more than an excuse for own
ing and racing fast trotter
The hobble rule should have been fully
abolished without the substitute of for
bidding its use on two, three and four
year olds even, as in that case the pub
lie would have chance to see better
contests In the three-year-old division of
the pacing futurities than the fakes we
see season after season, with two, or at
the most four, youngsters hippodroming
around the tracks under the disguise of
racing in q colt stake.
Leaving the so-called sentiment out
Of the racing question. the more extern
sive use Of the hobbies, with the
''spinikers" Tfverton bars and all kinds
Of boots and paddings from chest to
hoof, the better to the future improve
dustry. as the only way to prevent the
increase Of these breeding freaks. is to do
every thing to lessen their market value
and thus reach the point where this
ing but the pure-gaited, real American
trotter.
The great majority of men who de-
vote their time and put up their money
for the conduct of trotting meetings. and
those who pay the training, feeding and
shipping bills and the entrance fees.
were willing to use the hobbies, and car
ried the day with a great victory,
and will no doubt do SO in Chicago
next week, consequently the substitution
to the rule appears to be superfiuous.
Another change, by which horses from
the mile tracks can be entered in races
over half-mile tracks in classes three
seconds slower than former records, has
been objected to by managers Of mile
tracks for the reason that they get MOTH
ing in return. Yet this is not by any
means general, for while many mile
track horses will naturally shift to
smaller tracks, an even number that
show good prospects In the so-called
bushes will very frequently take g. shy
over the big ovals. In this matter the
benefit looks so evenly divided and mu-
tual, as to leave no question for dispute.