The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-10-09
M i 8 G 0IlanoOus,
FellOwcraft's FOur-Mile Race.
THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE EVER MADE
ON THE TURF.

THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE EVER MADE
ON THE TURF.
The greatest performance that was cvel
made upon the turf in this country, was
the four-mile race run at Saratoga recent
ly, and won by Fellowcraft in I'm. 1918,
Four miles by four-year old colt, carry
ing his full weight 109 lbs) in I'm. 1915,
not really pressed at the finish, and no spe-
cial pains taken to prepare the track for a
fast performance. The really great four
mile performances, with which this is to be
compared, are that of Lecompte at New Or
leans, in I'm. COS, when he beat Licking
ton and Ruebe; that of Lexington at the
same place, in I'm. 231s., when he carried
lob lbs, and beat Lecompte; that of the
same horse at the same place when he beat
time IN I'm. 1913, carrying 1903 lbs, and
finally that of the famous one-eyed mare.
ldlewild, on Long Island in 1868, when
she beat Jerome Edgar and DANGEROUS in
I'm. 26fs., carrying 1T lbs. Now comes
Fellowcraft, the great son of Australia and
Aerolite, who beats by quarter of second
the great four mile achievement of Lexing-
ton, which has stood at the top of the rec
ord for nearly twenty years.
We have held all along that although
Lexington's performance was the fastest,
that of his daughter, Idlewild, was the
greatest, for the reason that she had a
great "pull' over her in the weights. Lex
ington ran in April as four year old. &C.
cording to Southern rule ut that time,
whereas in Kentucky or in the North he
would have rated as five years old and in
stead of carrying 1903 lbs. in his time race,
in order to render his weight equal for age
to the III pounds carried by ltllewild, he
ought to have carried ia pounds. Hence
he had about ten pounds of weight in his
favor; and this was certainly more than
the difference, in four mile race, of six
seconds and a-half between his best time
and that of his superb daughter More
over the track had been especially prepar-
ed for him with manure and tan bark, and
in his time race be had running start,
with fresh horses to tease him along at ev-
cry mile, whose running was regulated so
as to suit him best. This was not the case
when Idlewild made her favorite perform
ance; neither was it the case at Saratoga
when Fellowcraft scored his great victory
over Wanderer and Katy Pease, and
stamped his I'm. 1915, upon the four mile
record. Wanderer and Katy Pease, in
stead of being started to help Fellowcraft
were started to beat him. Nor must we
forget the extraordinary speed. bottom
and gameness with which the two oppo-
nents of Fellowcraft ran, rs both finished
close up.
The race was a great one for all three.
Seldom was there such long distance race
horses and where is there one to beat
them, save Fellowcraft2 BY his last great
performance. Fellowcraft has won q name
and fame that will forever live fresh and
green in the history of the American turf
Last year, as three year old he did not
meet the expectations entertained of him,
the event being placed to his credit was a
'walk-over' for two mile dash. That he
was colt of marvellous power, with a
fair gift of speed, and as game as pebble.
was well known to those in the secrets of
the stable, but even Mr.. Little, his gentle
manly and popular owner never dreamed
for moment that he was the great racer
that he has proven himself to be.
The winner was ridden exceedingly well
by young Evans. The horse almost "pull-
ed double" as the saying is, for two miles.
but he rode him with great strength and
patience. On the day upon which this
was ran, there was but small attendance
at the track. The truth is that everybody
thought it would be one of those hollow
affairs to which we have Of late become ac-
customed.
There was a great shout at the finish OF
the race, but feeling that something very
extraordinary had happened kept the ma
iority still. 1t ran through the crowd like
a stream of magnetism, and when the true
sign was hung out the sensation of the
looker-on was too deep for utterance. The
dream of years was gone forever. Lexing-
tons most famous son had also come very
near knocking it into smithereens. He was
but three lengths behind the winner. AS
horse running at the rate of 1:50 covers
sixteen yards in a second of time, he made
the four miles in an appreciable quantity
less than 1901. Eclipse and Henry, Lee
compile and Lexington, Idlewild and Je-
rome Edgar will now be succeeded by Eel
lowcraft and Wanderer in the grand heri-
tage of fame; but Fellowcraft's perform
ance is one of those events which, stamp
ed upon the annals of time, as by the stroke
of horses foot, are ever after q standing
mark of our progressive march in the
science of breeding, training and riding
the noblest animal that God has given to
man, Wilkes Spirit