view raw text
WHIPLESS SYSTEM OF STARTING BEST Starter Harry Morrissey Gives His Opinion on Sub jest Now Much Discussed LEXINGTON KV June 1 Starter Harry Mor risscy who after his long experience at the barrier at the Tijuana meeting is spending three weeks recruiting at his Kempland Farm near this city preparatory to his departure June 215 for Nevada to officiate at the Keno meeting gives his approval to the movement that i being made by horse own ¬ ers for abolition of the use of the bull whip in the hands of starters assistants on the race tracks of this country countryI I worked for many years as an assistant starter and all of that time it was my idea that it would lie impossible to get a start without a whip he said When I became a starter I naturally con ¬ tinued those views and vlion I was told by the Kentucky State Kaeing Commission of which the late Col Milton Young at that time was a member that the use of whips would not be permitted on the tracks of this state I felt as if I might as well resign because I believed I would be an ab ¬ ject failure ISut after a nights sleep over the matter I decided I would give the whipks system an honest conscientious trial and do my level best to get the most possible out of it itAt At the end of two weeks I was convinced that the whiplcss svstem is best and it has since been my system I started for 10S days at Tijuana the past winter and spring During that time we had some bad tempered horses at the post some whose entries were refused at New Orleans and they won races My assistants at no time dur ¬ ing the meeting had whips Once in a while they would pick up a handful of dirt from the track and throw it on the buttocks of a horse to get him up into the line but they never fought the horses Thev used a slip rope occasionally in the bitting ring of the bridle to bold a bad actor in line but they never had their hands in the bridle rings or on the chin strap Complaints of owners against the use of whips ace well grounded and the racing authorities if the starters themselves will nit do it should order their use discontinued Why cant you see how the sight of the whip will make a highly nervous bad tempered horse pugnacious and combative Then when that horse starts fighting and ducking away from the man who he knows is going to hit him the others at the post get nervous and fidget v and the minute they hear the crack of the whip they are all upset It is ni re difficult to start a field of excited horses than it is to bend away a field of animals which are at post with tlieir minds on the business of racing and un distracted by a whirring cracking whip in the bands of a rapidly moving man or two or three such men I would ask all starters to give the whiplcss Msleni an honest and fair trial and I feel that thev will come to my way of thinking about it If they do they will have the lasting gratitude of owners jockeys aiid all others who really love Lorses
