The Washington herald., 1913-11-09
Trotter and PAGER
By l.. ID. SALE.

rotter and PAGER
By l.. ID. SALE.
By Wednesday night next. when tho
moon enters its second quarter. and the
stars are in the right coniunction- and
tie almanac goat stands on its left ear
In latitude 81 north. The Washington
sunday Herald two-year-oId trottiDg
stake. with five entries. and the Washs<
lnston Post three-year-oId trotting stake.
with three entries. will have been ern-
balmed In local turf history-weather
permitting.
At precisely l p. m. Wednesday next.
the last payment. S5 for each entry.
falls due. Then will the beribbonsd
candidates for turf hOnors be summoned
to the post by the starters bell and
parade before the assembled multitude.
and. after more or less scoring. the con-
test for supremacy will begin. As ju-
venile stakes go. the number that will
hear the word go from the starters
lips Wednesday next. are admirable
specimens of the American trottins
breed, ard. from all reports, are trained
to the hour.
10 DC ulNlQeO IN stakes
next Wednesday at Rockville among the
money-winning colts amounts to upward
Of S.00o, a sum worth racing for, even
on the part OF high-class aged horses.
The average of purses on half-mile rings
Is not over 500, so il will be seen that
II $500 Is divided among the four monSy-
winning two-year-olds and 500 Is divided
among the three three-year-olds. the
sum that viii be awarded to each money
winning colt Is worth going after
But a higher motive than pecuuiary
gain has actuated the men who have en- ,
tered into this compact Fride of owner
ship has played its part and the other
fact that. in most cases. the colts ard
their dams are the property of the men
personally interested in the events
Down deeper than all. however, lies q
far nobler motive-a desire to promote
the breeding interests of this particular
section Of country. We are one of those
optimists who hold that, IL the stake
events to be raced or next Wednesday
in Rockville are properly conducted.
there will follow in due time a newer
and brighter era in the light harness
horse interests Of the District Of Co.
lumbia, Southern Maryland. and that
portion Of Virginia that lies contiguous
to the District
We can think of but one thing that is
liable to mar the harmony and success
OF the events 10 be raced of "wednesday
next and that is n personal wrangle over
the question as to whether the flag shall
be waived or not a decided majority.
with but one vote in the negative. has
decided to waive the flag. We are among
those who hold that the amendment re-
Gently made in the original conditions,
wherein the flag is waived. is morally
and legally binding upon all members.
That by a majority vote those personally
interested have right To say on wilat
terms they win race for their own money.
Ours is government in which the will
OF the majority prevails.
II should be borne in mind also in
this connection that the Montgomery
County Fair Association is not giving
the races to be held at Rockville We'd
nesday next. but the eight owners of
the colts that have been listed in the
stakes-the prize being the aggregate
colt owner The Montgomery County
Fair Association track and grounds
have been rented for a given sum for
the racing OF OF the events scheduled
for the occasion. The fair associa-
ton. therefore. has no control over
the events of the day, except to see
to IL that its membership in the "
T. A. is not endangered by a viola
ton of the rules governing the track
on the part of the men who have leased
the grounds for that one day.
The animals, colts and aged horses
engaged in the several events, and
their drivers. are in the hands Of the
duly appointed judges from on and
after Z D. IN. the day previous to the
meeting in regular purse events. we
are not so sure about the rule where
one or more men hire an association
track and race over II under specially
named conditions. and who are only
to themselves. provided
hey fracture no rule of the associa-
lion of which the track is memoe1
4 is fair to presume, however. that
when one or more persons contract
20 race over an association track they
also consent TO race under associa-
ion rules.
A few extracts from the book Of kes
II the National Trotting Association may
lend to clarity the minds OF persons whc
lre In doubt on certain points. Section
!. page 50. says; "A stake Is race oper
10 all complying with its conditions. for
" nlCn Lut DTlLC - NAc AOAoi -
money contributed by the nominators-
all of which belongs to the winner pr
winners. unless otherwise provided IN
he published conditions"
Rule 36 section /. page n. says: a
horse must win majority Of the heats
which are required by the conditions Of
he purse or stake; but II a horse shall
have distanced all competitors in one
heat. the race viii then be conceded. and
such horse shall receive the entire purse
,r stakes eontended for. unless otherwise
provided for the published conditions"
Rule 81. section 2. page 73 says: IAN
horses whose heads have not reached
he distance stand, as soon as the lead
ng horse arrives at the wining post shall
be declared distanced. except In eases
otherwise provided for" Section 3 same
rule. says: "A distanced horse Is out of
he race and not entitled to any portion
,f the premium" Section says: aIn
my heat or race distance may be waived
BY the consent Of the members and the.
-tartera"