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EAN TWELVE AND A HALF MILES FOR 5. An Old-Timer Shows a Youngster Something About Stamina Eleven Heats for a 00 Purse. One was a sturdy old fellow who had successfully weathered the storms of at least three score and ten winters. The other was a dapper sprig, barely out of his teens. There was that about both, which at once proclaimed them men of the turf. They entered the office of Daily Racing Form, the older one with the air of certainty iu his position; the younger in doubtful anxiety. "Got a complete set of racing guides here?" asked the elder one. "We have," he was told. "Can we have a look into Keirks books of racing in the early SOs, say 79, SO and SI?" "You can." "I have just been having a horsy confab on racing with this youngster," he said, as the guides requested were produced. "You see," he continued, as he turned the leaves of the guide for 1SS0, "we got to talking about the recent meeting at Denning and the Peter Paul incident came up. This youngster said old man Bradley should have been arrested for starting his boss in two races on the same day. 1 told him that two such short dash races as Peter Paul had run that day wouldnt hurt any boss, good, bad, or indifferent. 1 told him of the days of four-mile heats of the days when stamina counted for more than speed in bosses, and finally it came to my mind that up in Canada, one time, I saw a race of eleven half-mile heats, which was started one day and finished the next and the winner of which ran last in a race of mile heats or the same day. Then " "Then I called him," interposed the younger one. "I stood for all of his talk until he got to that eleven-heat race followed by another three-heat race. I know there have been a lot of long, drawn-out trotting races, but I dont believe that in any age the people of the running turf ever stood for eleven heats to get a result and cash. He said it was in the guides. I told him if he would show it to me Id buy him the best feed in Chicago." "Just hold your horses and Ill show you," said the old man, as he turned the pages of the first of the three guides. Finallv lie laid aside the guide for 1S79 and picked up that for 1SS0. At the end of half an hour he exclaimed exultantly: "Here it is in black and wiiite. Right here on page 335. Look for yourself, smarty, and well go get that grub, for this search has created an appetite." "The dinner is on me all right, but you had to show me," said the youngster as they took their departure. This is what the old man showed the young man: Elmira, Ontario, August 20 and 27, 1SS0 Purse 00, for horses owned in the counties of Waterloo and Wellington, of which 0 to second, 5 to third, 0 to fourth; half-mile heats, 3 in 5. B. Powleys Paladin, aged 5 3 1 0 1 3 3 3 3 t 1 J. Farrells Mischief 2 0 3 5 3 4 4 1 1 t 3 W. Stubbs John Logan 0 2 0 1 5 2 1 4 2 3 2 M. Lowes King Harper 4 1534122044 L. Stoessers Priscilla 3 0 0 2 0 5 dr J. Noithgraves Ella Walker.. 7 1 0 0 2 0 dr J. Johnstons Oscar 8 0 4 4 dr P. McQuillans Lazy Larry 1 5 2 0 dr fDead heat. Time not reported. Same course, August 27. Purse, 20 for all ages, of which 0 to second, 5 to third; mile heats. J. Dyments Disturbance 1 1 J. Millers Queen Bess 2 dis B. Powleys Paladin, aged 3 dis Time not reported. This horse Paladin was by Leamington Garland, by Uncle Vic and, having been foaled in 1S71, he was nine years old when he ran the races summarized above. In these days of sprints and few "run offs" after dead heats, the younger man is really to be pardoned his doubts as to the veterans statements, and his declaration that he would "have to be shown." A striking feature of the summaries displayed above is the fact that Paladin earned just 5 for running twelve and a half miles, for he was distanced in the second heat of the second race and got no part of that purse. Another feature is the dead heat in the tenth. On perusing the summary the younger man might have asked why they did not divide first and second money and not put the horses through the ordeal of another heat. The older man could have answered that the rules of racing more than a quarter of a century ago did not permit of a division of money in a race of heats. The eleventh heat was, therefore, imperative. But twelve and a half miles for 5. Think of this the next time you read of two owners dividing the purse after a dead heat at, say, three-quarters.
