The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-03
SHORTER RACES
ON U. 5. TRACKS
Abandonment Of Four-MiIe Event
In America Permanent

At last even Kentucky, the home OF
the American thoroughbred horse, has
been compelled to abandon the trials
OF speed over the four-mile course
which the breeder has always held to
be the supreme test OF horse
During the past three years the En-
durance Race, as it is called, was a
feature Of the October meeting at
Churchill Downs, the famous race
course just outside OF Louisville. Ky.
This fall the race has been given up
for revival Of the Kentucky st. Leger
at two miles and a quarter. Even at
this distance the race will be over the
longest course a horse will be asked
To negotiate in 1914. The original st.
Leser was run at the Louisville track
in 1879, but was abandoned a number
Of years ago.
Od-school breeders OF the thorough
bred held that horse that could not
run four mile heat races was not ut to
breed from. and even 80 recently as
the days OF the original Monmouth
Park track, just outside Long Branch,
heat races at that distance were run,
and dashes OF three and four miles con-
sttutcd regular features OF the meet
ings in which the best horses OF the
East were pitted against the best OF
the West and even OF the Pacific Coast.
California kept Up races at this dis
lance until comparatively recently but
the Monmouth Park management
abandoned them in response to the de-
mand Of the speculative racegoers, who
wanted quick action for their money"
Betting Men Want Action.
The last races at this distance run
on Eastern tracks were those staged
at the Sheepshead lay track OF the
Coney Island Jockey Club. Horse
breeders admired those races, but the
betting element preferred. the sprints.
"Billy'' Lakeland" Johnny" Campbell,
both now dead-"Matt" Allen. and
John Higgins. all OF whom had had
experience with trotting horses. were
about the only trainers left who then
knew how TO prepare q horse for races
at that distance. and the only ones who
Knew the trick OF cooling out" n
racer for heat race. SO the modern
trainer was at a disadvantage, and as
lie could not 1T horse for these SUI
premo tests. they were reluctantly
abandoned by the elder August Bel
mont, w. X. Vanderbilt j. G. X. Law
renee, and j. G. Bradford, then the
active managers OF the Coney Island
Jockey club.
Kentucky and California have both
revived four mile races at intervals
since but found few horses III to run
The distance. and now Kentucky has
becn forced to give up its attempt to
roster races that should test both the
stamina and speed OF the thorough
pred The distance horse has given
place to the sprinter. certainly, when
kentucky can, find no horsemen who
VIII race their horses at distance |
ABOVE two miles and "A quarter.
This apparently ends a battle that
mas lasted for half century between
'he horse breeder and the horse racer.
with victory, for. the racing man. The
iatier wishes a wonderful turn OF speed |
over short distance; the former
wanted speed combined with stamina
ana ability to carry weight. This latter
qualIty he held was the only one that |
would improve the breed of horses
winch racing is theoretically supposed |
70 40 II was n contest between the
Morse and the gambling machine, In
"hich the latter has been victorious,
ana at time when the breeder should |
have won.
WIN the war In E."ope wiping out
"I The high-class horses there was in
S'sht' and still Is, for that matter, an
opportunity for the American breeder
such as he has not had in years. II is
n"in t!ils country that the supply OF
VI h-class horses OF the future must
come.
Must Supply World.
All the world, which has heretofore
'ooNed to the stud farms of Great Brit
an and France for foundation stock
,or both government and individual
breeding farms. will have To come to
u"e united States and Canada for both
t'd'llons and brood mares To renew
supply the war will have wiped out
"' those buyers will want stamina
INSTEAD Of extreme speed. With the