Evening star., 1940-06-09
Automatic Barrier
Used 10 Do AWAY
With Scoring
Check by Electric Eye
Shows if Horse Gets
Off in Race Fairly
BY FRITZ HOWELL,

<AsSOSAotcu 3ACoo okOllS WIltcIs
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 8.-The
old sports axiom that you cant
win if you can't score" will not
apply to grand circuit harness rae
ing, 1910 style.
The Roaring Grand" will elimi-
nate scoring for its trotters and
PAGERS this year-"scoring" in this
case meaning the continual and
often monotonous "jockeying for
position as the horses near the line
for the starters "go!"
A new system, including the
parade" the wrong way Of the
track, an automatic barrier, a loud
speaker that chants of Is seconds,
and an electric EYE" will aid the
starter in getting the field away on
the first try.
Scores Delayed Hambletonian.
Last fall, at Goshen, N. Y, the
field scored IL times for a single
heat of the $45,0OO Hambletonian,
while the crowd groaned. the horses
tired, the drivers cursed, and the
starter threatened penalties.
George c. Mcnamara, Indianapo-
lis, Ind, breeder and race horse
owner, invented the new starter.
Here's how it works:
An overhead barrier, with 6-foot
ropes spaced at 3-foot intervals, is
suspended across the track back of
the starting line. Not more than
100 yards to the rear of the start
ing line a tape is stretched across
the track, making, in effect, box
in which the horses are held prior
to the start.
Should nine horses be starting,
the pole" horse and those drawing
two, three, four and five positions
parade the wrong way, on the out
side of the track. under the suspend
ed barrier and toward the restrain
ing tape.
Lines Swing Toward Barrier.
Horses drawing the six, seven,
eight and nine positions parade up
the inside of the track in the same
manner AS the last horse passes
the barrier, the cross cable is low
cred, and record or sound film an
nounces "get ready for the start"
Then the loud-speaker, operated
by record or film, chants off the
seconds-"one-two-."T The pole"
horse, from the outside. wheels to
the inside of the track, followed by
the other four. The four which
paraded up the inside of the track
wheel to the outside and into posi-
ton.
With the loud-speaker tolling of
the seconds, each driver Is faced
with the chore of getting his horse
ION the gait" and reaching the
barrier as close as possible to the
teen" of fourteen" when the bar
rier is snapped out of the way and
the electric eye turned of.
Penalties Will Be Heavy.
The electric eye, located just be-
side the barrier, determines whether
any driver beats the starter. Should
driver beat the gun, he is "set
down" for the remainder of the day,
but the heat goes on without recall
and the horse beating the barrier
is not disqualified. If the violation
occurs in the last heat of race, the
driver is liable to fine of $100.
Should the starter or judges see
one or more drivers attempting to
box the favorite ahead of the
starting line, they may stop the
count and set the offenders down
for 10 to 80 days and fine them up
to $500. In case Of deliberate at
tempts to beat the barrier, the
starter or judges may disqualify the
horse, suspend the driver up to 80
days, and fine him up to $500.
The Ohio short ship circuit, in
addition to the grand" will use the
automatic starter this year, but the
Penn-Jersey circuit will stick to the
old scoring plan.