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m - t 1, Here and There on the Turf ♦ — , — i For the opening day of the prestnt Aqueduct meeting the Waite stall starting gat» was used and it seemed to give entire satisfaction. Then it was ordered out by James R. Hyde, president of the Queens County Jockey Club, and the remaining races of the day were started with the old barrier. While Daily Racing Form does not recommend any particular stall gate, almost anyone that has been shown is a big improve* ment over the old barrier, and the old barr:* is better than the Australian barrier, as far as the racing in this country is concerned. The many advantages ot stalls has bee» set forth so often that they hardly need repeating, but the big advantage, in using hm stalls comes in the protection that is afforded horses, while at the post and the absolute guard against horses be:ng kicked and crowded as they stand in line. And it giv.*a less excuse for the hauling and yanking of horses about, and their frequent abuse by assistant starters. There is no chance with the stalls used for the quiet reliable horse being utilized to straighten up some lunging, kicking: horsee that may be giving trouble. Too often such a use is made of the steady horse that give* no trouble, until it becomes hardly worta while to school a horse until he has eerfeal post manners. Without the stalls the bad acting horse, almost invaribaly, has »he best of it whea the barrier rises, so that on various occasiona it proves advantageous to have a bad post actor. All of this is eliminated with the stalls. The horses are ridden or led into the stall* They have no chance to turn and mill about and interfere with one another, and the hcrse with the perfect manners, at least, does not suffer a handicap by reason of his post training. Trainers seem to be almost unanimous i* their desire to have the stall gates used and many of them were slow to come to a realization of the advantages of the device. The principal of having horses leave the starting post from stalls is the best method for starting yet devised, and now it is only a question of selecting the best of the various gates. And it must be remembered that most of the stall starting gates are a bit crude and not a one of them have been constructed by a practical engineer. It should be easily possible to have a gate built by a man of mechanical qualifications that would meet every requirement. It was disappointing that Naishapur wai not started in the Derby trial at Washington Iark Tuesday, but John McKce did not care to race the good son of Omar Khayyam through the muddy going and run the risk of injuring his chances for the American Derby to be run Saturday. But, without Naishapur, it resulted in a great finish between Windy City and Minotaur, with the first named the winner. Wit* a muddy track condition for the running Saturday, both of these should be benefited, but there are two others that will also be benefited. These are Clyde Van Dusen and Richard T. Wilsons African, which was suck a good second to Blue Larkspur through the mud at Belmont Park in the Belmont Stakes. Of course, Minotaur beat African in the running of the Preaknes when he finished second to Dr. Freeland. with the Wilson colt finishing third, but African is a better colt now than he was on the tenth of May and ■ due to race a much improved race. As for Or. Freelantl, his stablemate, which is also to try for the American Derby, his Belmont form must not be considered for the reason that he pulled two of his plates in that running. After the Preakness this colt dodged the Kentucky Derby in favor of the Belmont, and while it is not even suggested that he would have beaten Blue Larkspur, under any conditions, it was generally agreed before the running that he was a bit better than hie stablemate African. Altogether there appears to be every chance for the American Derby to have a notable renewal no matter what the condition of the track for the running.
