Evening journal., 1918-11-20
HARNESS RACING IN
NEED OF CHANGES
More Use Should be Made
of Colts, Especially
3-Year-Olds
PROPOSED SYSTEM
is OUTLINED

Now that the selling race idea for
two and three-year-old trotters has
been scrapped, owners refusing to name
their horses in them, the time has ar
rived for a few suggestions in. connec-
tlon with colt racing and especially
three-year-olds to show how more use
can be made Of than at race meetings
and at the same time arrange the con-
ditions OF the events so that three or
four top liners cannot get all Of the
premiums, or at least the big end OF
them.
Each season nearly all OF the futuri-
ties as well as the colt events that close
the year in which they are contested
roll into the hands OF three or four
owners. This is caused by colt being
eligible to all OF them except when
barred by a restriction as at Hartford,
where the Acorn Purse is for the ? 20
class, a condition that bars practically
all of the twO-year-Old stake winners.
A change can be made by giving a
series OF three-year-old events at each
five or six day meeting. Columbus and
Lexington are the only ones that run
ONtL tlAuk AuAAADNAs AAtA - 40 NN@NN
but what they would prove as brilliant
contests as the early closing class races.
When the winners are trotting in 2.Oo
or 206 II a competitor Is shy second
or ever half a second in speed, or II
he does not get away well, he is soon
riding on the expense account, while on
the other hand II the two or three
leaders were in the barn that same
youngster would be heralded as a won
der.
This has been demonstrated several
times this year by Selka. she has
show her ability TO trot In 2.05, but
has as yet failed to win a heat. still
with Chestnut Peter, Hollywood Bob and
David Guy out OF the way this hlly
would be the talk Of the country on ac-
count Of her perfect racing manners and
the speed which she allowed in her
races at North Randall and Columbus.
As three-year-O OF this character
are becoming more numerous each sea-
son, the managers Of race meetings
should adjust their programme so that
they should be given an earning ca
pacity commensurate with their speed
and In events where they would not
meet all OF what might be called the
free for alters OF the three-year-old d.
vision. This can be accomplished by
giving several events and placing them
on the program so that the two starts
can be made during the week II deemed
advisable. The following are seven sug-
gestions for three-iyear-old events:
The Derby, for three-year-old trot-
ters.
and geldings.
The oaks, for three-year-old flllies.
The Debutante, for green three-year-
The Acorn. for 22O three-year-olds.
The Spinaway, for three-years-old
maidens.
Free for all, for three-year-old trot-
ters.
The Derby is what is now known
"a a fidility. and would be an open |
event for e-year-olds, regardless OF
sex or winrace, the dam being named |
before they were foaled. The Eagle |
would be limited to colts or geldlngs, |
and the oaks TO flllies, all Of them be-
ing named as yearlings. The Debutante |
and the Acorn could be closed the spring
of the year In which they would be con- |
tested, although the latter could De
placed with the late closing events and
any class could be selected instead OF
the 900. that figure being used as an /
illustration. The Spinaway would also
be a late closer, as the winner would
be Ineligible TO events Of that character |
closing on or after the date OF WIN
ming performance. The free Tor all /
would also be a late closer. In fact' |
there was one on the card at Pough-
keepsie this year.
In the event Of two or three races OF
This kind being given by each member |
OF the larger circuits trainers would be
Justified in carrying a number Of colts
with them just as they do aged horses |
at present while It would also result in
more three-year-olds being trained and
raced Some OF them would also be |
started in class races Just as Murphy |
did Dave Guy when he sampled him |
for the Matron Stake al Philadelphia by |
winning the PIG trot at North Randall |
in 2Os Ia Also at the Poughkeepsie |
meeting a trio OF three-years-olds took |
the word in the 2.25 trot, Mcdonald |
winning IL with Miss Dewey Watts in |
2iO ia while Murphy also won a heat
in 9. .Os ia with Petrex, and Cox was sec
ond in the first heat in 2iO 3-i with
Truxton.
The day has arrived when a good
three-year-old is almost at his top form |
and not very apt to show much inn
movement in his forts or fifth year.
Neither is there very much reason to |
expect it, as when a colt wins between |
2O3 and 205 ne has landed in the free
for all lust as Miss Bertha Dillon did /
when she won the Matron Stake at At
lanta last year in 203. Also as this flow
OF extreme speed will continue from
wear TO year on account Of the competi-
lion in the futurities the public In. The
near future will have the pleasure OF
seeing a series OF free for all trots with /
large fields programmed regularly by all
OF the progressive associations.
Next year there IS very aut TO be
POS class all the way down the line,
and II the leaders in the colt races keep
on winning heats near that figure
few of them are very apt TO be ineligi-
BILE TO It before the flags are lowered at
Atlanta in October. Miss Bertha Dillon
is only the leader Of flood Of free for
all material to take the place of st.
Frisco and Mabel Trask, the flying pair
which has entertained the public so
successfully for three seasons, as well
as I.u Princeton. who has chance to
urove the niblest Roman Of them all.