The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-17
THE TIMERS
BY W. III. Gocher.

by W. H. IOCucr.
or all racing officials the timers
receive the most unfavorahie COM
ment Three are required at each
meeting, two OF them being expected
to time the leading horse and the
third the second, so that in the event
of the winner being disqualified, they
Will have the time of the second horse
TO announce and place in the record.
But even with his event no time IL
announced or recorded. as unofficial
time Is first heat of n meeting at Glen
Falls. y. Y, in 1909. when II was
claimed that a horse named Henry S.
won heat below 2:fo hut the timers
failed to start their watches and no
time was given out.
The timers are required 10 take the
time of each heat They start their
watches when the pole horse or the
horse selected 20 score by passes the
starting point. two of them stopping
when the leader finishes and the third
when the second horse passes the wire
or winning post. The time so taken is
entered on n timers certificate. signed
ny the timers and handed to the
judges to be announced and entered in
the official record. which each of them
is required to sign before the close of
the meeting. This is all that the rae
poets but II one-half OF the tales that
are told are true there are race meet
inEs at which they fail to do this. In
other words, after timing a heat. II is
alleged that they add several seconds
and by so doing keep the winning
horse from taking up the penalty that
goes with the victory.
This is also one of the most incom-
prehensihle situations in the racing
world, as ii must require more than
ordinary assurance for three men, all
OF whom are as rule well known in
the community, to sit in the timers
or judges stand each afternoon dur
ing race meeting and give out time
several seconds slower than their
watches register. Also when doing
this they are aware OF the fact that
there are hundreds of people With ac-
curate watches on the grounds and In
the grand stand. who know that theiI
announcements are false The public
loses confidence in men who do this
kind of work.
Whenever case OF this kind comes
up--and fortunately It Is almost un-
known on the milo tracks and very
rare on the eastern half-mile tracks
the memory Of an instance related by
David Bonner comes TO mind. One day
1 Whlle ne was OtHCiatilk rs u tiHlSf'
New York merchant. who owned "A
horse that had won fast heat, came
| to tho stand and requested Mr.. Bon
tncr to keep him In class that was
several seconds slower than tho time
made As soon as MIR. Bonner under
stood the situation. he said to the
owner. My dear sir. II have anything
that you want and can give 1t to you,
take It. but II you expect me to be a
| party to giving out false time and
signing my name to a falsehood In tbs
Judges book. you nre not the kind Of
a man took you for" The owner
apoiog!.cd and afterward said that M
never considered II such serioue
matter until no had an opportunity ia
look At II from tho standpoint Of q
timer.
Each season there are races report
| ed In tho Year Book In which tho time
/ for each heat Of tho winner is the
Same, Also several horses can be
found that won all OF their races IN
tho Same time. regardless OF the
weather or track conditions, There
were three timers at each ct these
races. and each OF them certified that
the time was correct. while anyone
with grain OF racing experience
knows that It Is almost impossible
that they had done a good days work
What must they think OF 1t the mex
/ day when they pick up q morning pa
per and read the report Of tho races
and what would they ray II they heard
what the owners. drivers, who did no
Twin. and spectators said about ihana
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