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TARAL FAVORS STANDING START. In Austria-Hungary, where Fred Taral, the noted American jockey has been riding for the past seven years of his quarter of a century in the saddle, the standing start is in vogue. During a recent discussion of the respective merits of the standing and walk-up systems of starting, Taral said that the alert jockey lias a tremendous advantage over his slower opponents, as he is away and takes a good position before they have their mounts fairly in motion, and they are then compelled to lay in behind or go to the outside. In short races the sluggish horse or slow beginner has no chance whatever against a fast breaker, while with the walk-ing-up system they are all in motion and consequently their chances are more equal. In the walking-tip system there is also very little chance of a horse being left at the post, while with the standing start a horse is liable to swerve around at the last moment, thereby losing so much ground that he may as well have been left. When a slow beginner has an inside start number, he is placed at an immense disadvantage, as the quick starters will move over to the rail and he is safely pocketed for the rest of the journey. "I would prefer to ride always with the flat-footed start," said Taral, "as I know that I have a decided advantage over a good many riders who are slow to get their mounts in motion. To get away well a horse must be kept continually on his jtoes and this is very difficult to accomplish under the flat-footed system."
