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NEW WAITE STARTING GATE Constructed Under Patents of Marshall Oassidy and Will Be Tried Out at Belmont Park. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 25. A new. starting gate which gives promise of correcting the faults charged against the present-day method of sending the horses away, will be tried out at Belmont Park. The Charles M. Waite gate was unloaded today and will be given its first test Monday. The Waite gate was constructed under the patents of Marshall Cassidy, steward for the New York State Racing Commission. The gate has numerous features which, in the opinion of the builders, will benefit both horse and jockey. There is much to be said in favor of its light weight, the entire assembly weighing only 5,500 pounds, as com-parel to the 11,000 pounds, or thereabouts, of various other gates in use. The Waite gate consists of fourteen stalls, giving the public visibility to every horse. The wheels are tiuilt within the frame work, thus providing ten central starting stalls, and two wing or outside stalls on each end. When necessary to move a horse to the outside, it will be possible to start a fractious animal from a stall instead of in the open or outside fence. The gate is built of aviation steel, and the pontoons which separate the horses are covered with an aluminum strip, this to prevent the "burning" of horses. In rubbing against the sides. The pontoon supports are rubber covered to prevent injury to jockeys, and are so arranged as to permit a rider to use them for safety foot rests when their mounts crowd the sides. The pontoons taper at the rear to permit the horse easy access to the stalls. The ends of these pontoons are bound in leather and cannot be straddled by the horse. One of the chief features, not used on any other gate, is the angle adjustment of the pontoons or stall sides. The gate, although placed straight across the track, permits an adjustment of the pontoons to give every horse an equal start. The outside horses will not have to run farther, as is generally claimed, than those with an- inside post advantage. The back-up bar attached to every stall is another improvement which the designers expect will do much toward getting the high spirited thoroughbreds away with the least possible delay. " The new gate does away with the conglomeration of steel bridge work and unsightly supports above. It not only presents a low appearance but actually gives the horse almost a foot more of head room which will be a boon to all jockeys whose mounts are inclined to rear up in their stalls. 4
