142 HAXDBOOK or THE TURF. 



1890-'91: Nelson, foaled 1882, by Young Rolfe, dam, 

 Gretchen, by Gideon, Kankakee, 111., September 20, 1890; 

 2:11|-; Terre Haute, Ind., October 9; 2:11|; Cambridge City, 

 Ind., October 21; 2:10f ; Grand Rapids, Mich., September 17, 

 1891; 2:10. Allerton, foaled 1886, by Jay Bii-d, dam, Gussie 

 "Wilkes by Mambrino Boy, Independence, Iowa, September 4. 

 1891; 2:10; Independence", Iowa, September 19, 1891; 2:09^. 

 — 1891 : Palo Alto, foaled 1882, by Electioneer, dam, Dame 

 Winnie by Planet, Stockton, Cal., Xovember 17; 2:08f — 

 1892: Kremlin, foaled 1887, by Lord Russell, dam, Eventide, 

 by AYoodford ^lambrino, Xashville, Tenn., Xovember 5; 

 2:08i; Xashville, Tenn., Xovember 12; 2:07f.— 1893: Direc- 

 tum, foaled 1889, by Director, dam, Stem^Yinder, by Venture, 

 Xew York; September 4, 2:07; Chicago, lU. ; September, 15; 

 2:061; XashviUe, Tenn., October 18; 2:05^. 



Kite. The kite-shaped track. 



Kite Track. A track so called because in shape it 

 resembles a kite, having only one tm-n, the stretches bearing 

 towards each other instead of running parallel, and finally con- 

 verging at a point. On such a track the horses are started 

 from a wire stretched from one side of the judges' stand to the 

 opposite side of the track; and finish under another wire 

 stretched from the opposite side of the judges' stand from that 

 by, or from which, they are sent away. All kite tracks are 

 one mile between these two wires. It is said that kite-shaped 

 tracks were laid out on the ice in Canada as early as 1870; 

 but the first one in the United States was devised by William 

 B. Fasig of Xew York, and built by him for C. "W. Williams 

 of Independence, Iowa. Work upon it was commenced in the 

 fall of 1889, and it was completed in the spring of 1890, the 

 first meeting over it having been held in the fall of 1890. To 

 the close of 1893 kite tracks had been built at Independence, 

 Iowa ; Rockf ord. 111. ; Sturgis, Mich. ; Columbia, Tenn. ; 

 Meadville, Penn. ; Xewark, X. Y. ; Chillicothe, Ohio; Stock- 

 ton, Cal. ; Old Orchard, Maine. 



I claim it is the fastest form of a track, because there is but one turn 

 to make, and tliat a long, easy one, rendering it nearer a straiglit 

 mile than can be secured by any otlier arrangement. In addition 

 to the increase of speed to be obtained incident to making one turn 

 instead of two, every horse in a race, except the pole horse, would 

 trot a shorter mile than on the regulation track. Assuming the 

 second position on a track to be six feet from the pole — and it is 

 undoubtedly more than tliat distance— a horse in second position 

 trots, on a regulation track, thirty-seven and seven-tenths feet 

 further than at the pole. On the kite-shaped track, in second 

 position, he trots but twentv-two feet further, making a saving in 

 distance of fifteen and seven-tenths feet. It has but one disadvant- 

 age that occurs to me, and that is, that no heat longer than one 

 mile could be trotted upon it. But for fast time at mile distances 

 it would certainlv eclipse any other form.— W. B. Fasig, in Spirit of 

 the Times, December, 24, 1887. 



