The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-06
BY l.. ID. SALES.

Here We are In the month of April, and
inquiry brings forth the fact that horse;
designed for racing purposes are furthel
advanced than at any time during tn,
past year.
Corbin was in town during the week
and stated that he was already giving al
of his horses some fast work. A new
horse that he thinks highly of is the sor-
rel gelding Alto Bell, jr., by Alto Bell
t3lI73), the property of that sterling sor
OF old Scotia, James Lumsden, who has
for many years been located on the Forc
q Son farm, near Garrett Park, Mont
gomefy County, Md. Those who have seer
Alto Bell, jr., race on our local tracks are
not surprised at the good things said
about him. Corbin thinks him a 2:20 trot-
ter right now, and also thinks that he will
be able to lower that mark by the time
the racing season is well advanced.
4
Given opportunities, no good reason can
be advanced why Alto Bell. sire of Alto
Bell. jr., should not become a sire OF
speed. He Is by Adbell, son Of Palo Alto,
2:0S%, the first stallion to trot to so slow a
record, and Adbell's dam was the famous
matron of speed. Beautiful Belle. 2:291s.
by The Moor. Alto Bells dam, May D.,
was a daughter of Alcantara, 2:2S, one of
George Wilkes greatest speed producing
sons, and Alcantara's dam was the cele-
brated Alma Mater, by Mambrino Patch
en-, 2:5S. Palo Altos dam was the cele-
brated Dame Winnie, by Planet, and
Dame Winnie is the only strictly thor
oughbred mare that has as many as five
In the 2:S0 or better list.
Very few mares have been mated with
Alto Bell that were strictly trotting bred.
His advantages in this respect were
greater when he was in the hands of
the late William Denny than they have
ever been since. Mr.. Denny's sudden
death changed the entire career of the
stallion. Had Mr.. Denny lived Alto Bell
would now have a low record. for early
in the spring of the year Mr.. Denny
died. Thomas Cannon says he drove Alto
Bell a mile over one of the Baltimore
tracks I'm 2:23 to cart. Cannon also re-
lates that if he had known how fast
he was going he could have driven the
mile in 2:20 These facts give one a
line on Alto Bells possibilities in the
way of speed.
Mr.. Lumsden works with his hands
for a living, is kept closely at home, and
has never been able to give Alto Bell
the opportunities a horse of his royal
breeding deserves. Again, the mares are
breed to a horse of Alto Bells blood
lines In 9S per cent of them are coarse
farm mares, and one cannot expect speed
results from that kind of mating. One
very important thing connected with Alto
Bell as sire is his unusual size for a
horse that carries as much thoroughbred
blood as he does. He is fully sixteen
hands. and weighs in flesh upward OF
! 100 pounds. He is very richly colored
bay. with little white, and his coat is
like a piece of velvet. Alto Bell 10 an
type. and should be exhibited in the
stallion class at May horse show. His
season for 1919 is now on.
Asked, while in town, as to racing
prospects in Baltimore County during the
season of 1913. Corbin expressed the be-
lief that meetings would be held as usual.
in spite of the decision OF the racing
commission of the county that book
making should be abolished and the pari-
mutuel system substituted in its stead.
Corbin admits that as far as the public
is concerned. the pari-mutuel form Of
speculation on racing results is by far
the fairest and gives the bettor better
chance to realize something for invest
ment There can be little doubt that
when those who are in the habit OF
specializing on racing results grow more
familiar with the pari-mutuel system,
they will favor it. Maryland is very slow
in the adoption of reforms. but we an
ticipate that before two years have
passed the only form of betting on racing
results in the State will be under the
pari-mutuel system, or not at ali. or
course the bookmakers are opposed to
it, for il puts them out of business. Track
associations now oppose il because it
lessons their individual profits. which We
admit are small enough already.
On the other hand, public sentiment is
strongly against the bookmaker and all
his works, and he must go. We are not
SO certain but that racing can be re-
vived in the District of Columbia, if
committee Of representative horsemep
were to present the matter to Congress
in the proper light and explain to that
body the workings OF the pari-mutuel
system of laying odds on races. Running
racing is popular in the District. There
is nothing offensive to the public eye in
the pari-n0tuel system OF laying odds.
1t is conducted in a quiet way, and the
does not have the best OF it.
The temptation to defraud is also less
under the pari-mutuel form OF specula-
ton. Everything is open to the public
and all forms of betting are genteelly
conducted. The only way in which run
ming racing can be revived IN all parts
of the United States Is for those who
are interested lin 1t to conform to public
sentiment and not attempt to defy 1t by
evading the laws OF the several States.
as running racing associations have been
doing for a dozen or more years past.
The second payment Of The Washing
ton Herald Pink Sheet Trotting Stake
fell due April ], and there is every rea-
son to feel gratified over the promptness
displayed by those interested in paying
the amount due ST. The third payment
will fall due July /. BY that time We
shall begin to get a line on some Of
the youngsters engaged and interest will
increase to a white heat until the hour
of the final result. The colts engaged
in the stake are all well bred. Some Of
them have already been put in harness
and a few of them already are making
speed. Within the next thirty days the
better part of them will be getting track
where it is not yet settled.
Javins brothers have a fairly good half
mile track on their farm near Coles
vile, Montgomery County, and their
two-year-old stake prospect by Kushan
probably will receive it's preliminary
work at that point. 1t is said to be a
very promising youngster, and Trainer
Hanson. who has it in hand. thinks
well of II. Mr.. Hanson has the reputa-
ton Of being an excellent developer Of
young material.
D. J. Mccarthy has not decided over
xrIinb oL he will Hovalan the snaod