The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-11-11
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BALTIMORE, Nov. IL. --iTh'
B Bahr starting gate looks like thu
solution Of the starting problem
On our race courses. The success
Of the gate during the past few
days of the Pimlico meeting ha!
: convinced horsemen it is the bes
device offered to date.
So satisfied is the Maryland
Jockey Club that General Man
Eager M. l.. Dagger has issued or
ders to install runways at the va
!. rious starting points for the ust
OF the steel constructed appa
ratuS. ...-.E
Starting his been the weak spot
of racing for many years. 4
: glance through the history of thu
!. sport discloses that starters from
the very first day of racing have
been the target for much criticism
This department of the sport has
been the weakest link. Much
trouble has resulted from bae
starting. However, it must be
!. said in justice to those. who have
done the starting that rarely, il
!. ever, has the charge Of corruption
been made. '-....' .,,.s
No starter on the big tracks
!, has ever been charged with be-
ing crooked or allowing thor
Oughbred to get an undue ad.
vantage at the barrier.
i. Because of this rugged honesty
In starters the talent has passed
/ over many Of their shortcomings
/ No one is 1nfallible. Every human
. being is liable to make mistakes
! The fact that they are honest is
] Just cause to excuse the slip-ups
That has been the case with oul
starters. No matter how bad the
starting might have been, it is for
given because Of the fact it was
1 considered an honest mistake
h The late Mars Cassidy was
. without question the greatest
starter in the history OF the
sport The popular racing Off
cia1 invented the barrier EN-
+ ployed on most of our race
tracks. In his younger days he
gave the starting end Of the
]. sport much intense study. It was
] only when the sikness which
finally cut his life short had
/ made inroads into his health that
his starting was not up to his
usual high standard.
I George Cassidy, who acted as
his fathers assistant on the
Jockey Club tracks, has shown
beyond all doubt he has the quail
fications to make great starter
His brother, Marshall, who starts
over the Canadian circuit and out
along the Pacific Coast. is an
other first-class man with a start.
ing barrier. Both we're taught
the rudiments of starting by
their devoted father. Each has
handled the barrier in a way
which has gained the unanimous
support of the racing community
in all parts Of the turf world.
They have the same rugged hon
est characteristics of their much
respected parent.
Jim Milton. who has been
doing the starting on the
Maryland circuiU@ for some
years, is another popular
4 starter.
4 Milton is formed from the
same honest clay as Mars Cassidy.
He is a great pal to all of the
horSernen. Each knows he can
not hope for any favors from Jim
Milton. Nor can the Maryland
starter be scared by any threats
Those who have watched him
for the past number of years in
Maryland are Of the firm opinion
no better starter lives. They
back UP their argument with
many concrete examples of some
wonderful starting by Milton. The
Pinlico Futurity each year draws
"a record field. The Preakness in
! the spring does likewise. His ex-
cellent work has received the
support of all interested in rae
ing in this section Of the country.
4 If a consensus was taken jim
Milton would unquestionably re-
ceiVe great vote. Such devotion
can only be had through honest
methods, Every one who knows
Z Milton appreciates the fact he is
honest to the core.
HorSen1en have during the past
few years complained of their
stars being cut down and kicked
at the starting poles so badly
that they were of little use there
after. The case of a high-priced
thoroughbred owned by a rich
man is not quite the same as the
bread winner of some poor owner.
The feeling has bacpu1e so in.
tense that boycotts Of cert$sn
meetings was threatened during
the season because stall gates
were not employed.
In each case cocl heads con.
trolled the situation. The ex.
PLANTATION came forth that the
ruling against the stall gate by
racing officials is nothing more or
less than that they do not be
lieve ary inventor has devised q