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REDUCING OF TIME RECORDS HANDICAPFER VOSBURGH GIVES FIGURES SHOWING GRADUAL SPEED GAIN. Conclusion That Thoroughbred of Today Is Faster Than That of Former Years Is Inevitable, Ascerts the Expert. By W. S. Ynsburgh. WIkh i begun attending races, Legal T aiders time. 1:11. was the fasted mile nil record. I have often thought it might prove somewhat interesting. sa ilr-mnailiathn the improvement in the speed of tin- race horse, if :i table were presented showing how the time for one mile. and other distances. li;nl 1m-.ii gradually reilweed during the years following [jega] Tenders nee. Never having seen one in print, and for the want of :: more perfect one. I present my own which I have kept for many years. and beg indulgence for any omissions found itt it: Reduction of the Record — One Mile. 1:44 Legal leader. 5 years. 104 pounds, 3rd. beat, Cincinnati. June SB, 1886. 1:48*4 Ha—eg. :. years, Cincinnati. Sept. a, 1N»; . 1:43% Uerseg. :i years, cineinnati. May 2.". 1368. 1:4:0, .Indue Curtis, ."i years. 114 pounds. BaratUga, .!u!y is. 18TB. 1:43 Vadladeen. 4 years. 114 pounds. Lexington, May 22, 1871. 1:43 Balina. 3 years. ST pounds. Lexington, May 28, 18T1. 1 12, Alarm. 3 years. 90 pounds. Saratoga, July 17. IsTj. l:-l-_. Grey Ilanet. 5 years. Ill pounds against time. Saratoga. 1874. 1:41 % Bearchar, 3 rears, 90 pounds, Lexington. May 13. ivt:.. Ill1, Kadi. 3 .wars, eateh weight. Hartford. 18TB. 1:41 YVarfiold. aged. S7 iiounds, Saratoga, July SB, 1SK-J. 1:11. I.oardman. 4 years. 91 pounds, Sheepshend L Bay. Bept. 22, lsso. Hi :4i StuvTesatil. 3 yenrs. Ill pounds. Sheopshead ■ ;i.iy. Bess! 7. ist. 1 :SB*4 Ten Brneck, years. 110 pounds against time. Louisville. 1S77. 1:98*4 PaflBf . 3 years, 107 pounds. Chicago. June 1 8. 1886. 1 ■:,9i.. La Tosca. 3 years. ll." pounds. Morris Park. Oct. lo. 18BL ]:«i Puveloe. 3 years. 107 pounds strajght- iuv.-iyl. Monmouth. July 31. 1S90. 1::isv Libertine. 3 years. 90 pounds. hieago. 1.S94. 1 :37V, Brigadier, 4 years. Ill pounds, Sheepshead Pay. June TJ. 1901. 1:37 7; Dick Welles, 3 years. 109 pounds, Harlem. iiieago. 1903. 1:37--, Kiamesha. 3 years. 104 pounds, Belmont Park, Oct ■ . 19C. 1:87*4 Kildeer. 4 years. 91 pounds straightaway. Monmouth. Aug. 13. 1882. 1:3816 Sam Jackson. 7 years, 113 pounds. Aqueduct, July 31. 191.",. 1:864 Amalfi. 8 rears, Ki7 pounds trotting track. Syracuse. Sept. 3. 1914. 1:3.V_. Salvator. 4 years, lit pounds against time. straightaway. Monmouth. Aug. V.S. 1886. Time Not Right, but "Fast Enough." Legal Tenders 1:44 was made in the third heat of a race of mile heats, and was the occasion of considerable dispute. The horse was a son of imported Sovereign, and was bred bjr Col. W. S. iiu-ford, who happened to he one of the judges at the meeting, reeling that he was an interested parry. Col. Buford withdrew in favor of Mr. 15. J. Brace, who had a curious prejudice against the get of Sovereign. The late Dr. J. YY. YVeldon. who trained Legal Trader, made a bet of five dollar; to a liun-drew wili a friend that Legal Tender would beat the record Mamaaonaa 1:444. He won it. as Legal lender WOO the third heat in 1:44. Col. iiuford Walked over to the timers stand ami remarked to tli late 1. A. Alexander who was .in- of the timers. -Well, what do you think of the Sovereign- now. Dont you think 1:44 a little better than the Lexingtons:" Mr. Alexander replied that it was remarkable, as the heat was really run in 1:43. Baford exclaimed, "Why in hell tie,, didnt you report the heat as run." Mr. Alexander aaasrered that it was "fast enough." and that if the real time had been given, a boat of doubters Would ris, up and dispute it. Thus it stood, but Jobs Smith, secretary of the Buckeye Jockey Club at the time, said his watch made Legal Vender! heat 1:41 .-. Reduction of the Record — Three -Quarters. 1:18*4 Ortolan, 4 years, 10S pounds. Saratoga. Aug. HI. 1871. 1:18 Alarm. 3 years, 90 pounds. Saratoga. July 1.".. !S7J. 1:13*4 Chinaman, 8, ill pounds. Ban Francisco, Jan. 9. is?.-,. 1:14 Bnrrett, 2 years. Ill pounds, Monmouth Park, Aug. 14. lsso. 1:13 Force, 5 year-. l_l pounds. I.oui- illo. Sept. L4. lssM. 1:11 LI Kio Key. 2 years, 128 pounds straight. Morris Park, Aug. 31. 1888. 1:10, Fide-. 4 fears, 116 pounds straight, Morris Talk. May 31. 1888. 1 o.l, Yemen, 3 years, 1884 pounds straight, Morris Park, Oct. 1. 1862, 1.88% Iron Ma-k. i; years, IIS pounds. Juarez, Jan. 4. 1911. 1 us Kingston. 7. 139 pounds straight. Sheeps- bead Bay . June 22, 1881. 1:68 Artful. Z years, 188 pounds straight, Morris Park, Oct. 18, 1904. Reduction of the Record — 1 1-8 Miles. 1:884 Fannie Ludlow. 4 years, 10.1 |iounds, Saratoga. Aug. lo. 1838. 1:88 Fadlndeen, aged, ill pounds, Saratoga, Aug. 19, 11-74. 1:54 Pob Woolley, 3 years. 90 pounds, Lexington, Sept. 8, 1S75. I ..",3 BjoaaBe, i roan eateh weight, Prighton, Aug 13. 1881. l:52* Teuton. 4 ream, 113 pounds. Chicago, June SB, 1888 1:814 Tristan. •. year-, 114 pounds, Morris Park, June I;. 1888, 1 :.11 Bouiiihert. 4 year-. 1_0 pounds. Prighton, July 28, ].* -.. 1:88% Charles gg Ward, I years. 128 pounds, Brighton, July 18, P.»07. 1 19-, Koainer. 3 yearn, 1-4 pounds, Laurel, Oct. 10. 1911. Coutii. ued oil uccoud page. REDUCING OF TIME RECORDS. Continued from first page. Reduction of the Record — 1/4 Miles. 2:10 Narragansett. 3 years, 90 pounds, Saratoga, Aug. 4. IMt. 2:09/: Frogtown. 4 years, 104 pounds, Lexington. May 4. 1S72. 2:0S% Grinstead. 4 years. 10S pounds, Saratoga, July 24, 1875. 2:0S/i Charlie Oorhani. 3 years. S7 rtounds. Lexington, May IS, 1S77. 2:0S Mendelsohn. 3 years, 95 pounds, Lexington. May 10. 1SS0. 2:07- 4 Getaway. 3 years, 100 pounds, Saratoga, Aug. 4. ISM. 2:07j Dinette. 5 years, 101 pounds, Chicago, July 12. issr,. 2:07 Dry Monopole. 4 years. 100 pounds. Graves-end. May 14. 17. 2:0i2 Kingston. 5 years, 122 pounds, Gravesend, Sept. 24. 1880. 2:05 Salvator. 4 years. 122 pounds, Sheepshead Bay. June 25. 1S90. 2:03% Banquet. 3 years. 10S pounds straight. Monmouth. July 17, UN. 2:02% Broomstick. 3 years. 104 pounds, Brighton. July !. 1904. 2:02 Roamer. 3 years. 114 pounds trotting track. Syracuse. Sept. 5. 1914. 2:00 Whisk Broom II.. 0 years. 139 pounds, Belmont Park. June 28, 1913. Influence of Conditions. Whatever may be said of the value of time as a test, it is certain that it is influenced grcatl.v b] conditions. The state of the weather, the temperature, the condition of the ground and the formation of the track — not to speak of the •manner in which the race is run. Several of the records were made over straightaway courses, which, particularly in races of moderate distances, are greatly to the advantage of fast time, when compared to a circular course. Over long courses, it is not so much bo, as a straightaway gives no change in the use of muscles, and a horse would tire much sooner. ■ Some of the races. Ten Broecks ami Salv;. tors miles, for example, were not made in actual contests, but "against time." they having the course to themselves except for stable companions to help them regulate their speed. Accordingly. Sam Jacksons mile, made in an actual race, seems the most creditable performance. Great Improvement in Tracks. Taking all things into consideration, it would appear from the records that the horses of today are faster than those of forty or fifty years ago. But it is doubtful if they are so much faster as many people believe. Assuredly, there is a great improvement in the tracks which in those days were kept deeper than in later ye;1rs. when they have been kept so hard as often to show the blue metallic mark of the horses footprints. Besides, in the old days, the tracks wire oite n neglected until a short thaw before a meeting. Little was done with them, while nowadays, some of them are kept in condition for galloping during the entire season. Naturally then a horse could gallop faster over the tracks of today than over those of forty years ago. So much, then, in favor of the horses of the earlier period. But on the other hand, if anyone will compare the results in the records given above, it will be noticed that the early records generally were made by horses carrying light weights as compare. 1 with those of today. For example, when Alarm in 1S72 made his mile in 1:42%. he carried only 90 pa—da, while Diefc Welles, the same age three years, in IM made his mile in 1:17-., with 109 pounds. When Legal Tender ran his mile in 1:44 in 1MB he was five years old and carried only 104 pounds. Herzog. Salina. Searcher and Warfieid all carried light weights. Namcaasetti record in 1849 of 2:10 at a mile and a quarter, was made with !M» pounds np . while Iiroomstick"s 2:02 r. in 10*4, was made with 104 pounds. At a mile and an eighth Fannie I.udlow. four years old. in IStiO, made a record of 1:501/.., ,vjtj, fog assada, while Boamer. three years old in 1914, ran it in 1:49% with 124 pounds. Not Borne Out by the Records. It is the habit of old racing men to admit that while the horses of today may lie speedier than those of the "•sixties" and "seventies," it is for short distances only, that they cannot carry their speed — they :ire not so stout and cannot stay oer a distance of ground like the older generation. But the n cords of time do not bear this out. When I began attending races Kentuckys 4:01 1., was the two aad oae-qaarter miles record, made at Saratoga in 1808 as a four-year-old witli 104 pounds. Ethelhirt. the same age . witli 124 pmnels. covered the distance at Brighton Beach in 1900 in 3:49.-, — over twi Ivc seconds difference and with twenty pounds more weight. Again, take the record for four miles: — We have practically ceased to run four-mile races, therefore, there is less opportunity for comparison; but in 1S74. Fellowcraft. four years old at Saratoga ran the distance in 7:19L.. with 108 pounds up: while in 1912 Sotemia. a five-year-old marc, ran it at Louisville in 7:KHr, with 11! pounds. Accordingly, the "preponderance of evidence," as they say in the courts, is rather in favor of the batata of today. Personally. I believe we have horses now in training that could gallop four miles in close to seven minutes. But they would need to be specially trained to do it. The system of training for four-mile races. Horses are trained to break fast and run at a high rate of speed from the start. Such horses would find it difficult to maintain that rate of speed far. Indeed, the limit of extreme ape* d in a race horse is only about three-eighths perhaps 000 yards is nearer the m.fk. Some horses eaa carry a high rate of speed foe a mile and an eighth, but to cover lour miles they would need to be trained to rate along, the heart action regulated, and the muscular system developed to sustain the prolonged effort, Thai would diminish their speed for the kind of races BOW ill vogue: hence trainers are naturally avers. to long distance races; and rightfully so. as distance races are so few that the game isnt worth the. caudle. I
