The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-09-26
A Few Noted TrOtters.
THartford Correspondence.l


In 1860 / was a reporter of trotting
matches at Suffolk Park and Point
Breeze, below Philadelphia, and saw
George NJ. Patchen beat the favorite,
Flora Temple. while the o'er-chivalrous
roughs of the Fourth Ward threw clubs
and hats into the face of the gallant
winner, who nevertheless, came through
the hail of missiles and scored home.
The best time Flora had ever made was
2:194. Six years later / saw Dexter
beat that time. In the intervening eleven
years American trotters and training
have so much improved that to Cay /
saw Rarus run two heats, of mile each,
in the unexampled times of 2:131 and
2:13a. A heat prior to these two he
made in 2:15. Those three heats, if
added together, were made in :42A, or
literally railroad speed. To-day, also, a
new horse, Edwin Forrest, trotted a
mile here in 2:145, and horse, Hopeful,
trotted half a mile in l :064, although
freshly shod. These figures put far
back in the list the performances of
Dexter, which trotted his best mile in
2:171. and even Goldsmith Maid, whose
| best time was 2:14. It is the opinion of
| some critics that the time will be re-
duced within a few years to 2:10 to the
mile, and not drop below that.
In these horses there is nothing to ex-
cite much admiration. Rarus is tall
bay, with white hind feet: Edwin
Forrest is a sort of lion or bison-shpaed
bay horse, thick and almost humpy
through the shoulders and with droop.
| ing rump: and neither very long mol
high to look at; Hopeful is spotted
white or light gray, rather frail and
ribby, and is the property of lady
Mrs. Alfred w. Richmond, wife Of
Dean Richmond's son, whose husband
presented her with the animal. She
was on the grand stand to-day, sitting
among the wives of the stockholders
This horse has won eight thousand dol
lars in purses for her driving the presen
summer. None of these horses ar,
thoroughbreds, though all are suspected
of having some good blood. The Ameri
can trotter, like the American man
however, suspects his blood after he ha
distinguished himself. To look at thes
roadsters, with their legs bandaged il
) leather and their general want of spiri
J or style, one would say that speed wa
} no matter of election. Rarus is claimed
or very little authority, to be descende'
from Ryskyk's Hambletonian, tn
father of Dexter. He was cart horse
like Flora Temple and Goldsmith Maid
, the latter Hambletonian's grandchild
, Thirty per cent. of the great trettin
L winners are said to be of Rysdy
: Hambletonian's blood. Rarus is owne
8 by Mr.. Conklin, of Greenport. L. l., OF
posite New London, Conn. He refuse
!. 5000 for Rarus in California, whe
, john A. Shaw desired to purchase th
t gelding from Mr.. Crocker, the railroa
| officer. The animal won 81 800 to-da,
i, without regard 10 betting, but if h
!, time should be beaten by Forrest he wi
drop his value to $4,000 or SIS, 700, {
/ he can procreate nothing. Edwin Fo
!: rest, a raw Missouri horse, hardl
C known three months ago, has been sol
1 to Charles Green, of Babylon, L. l., WI
:, drives him, for Sic, 900. The mare Col,
e smith Maid is said to have won $50, ,0(
r for her owner. If the great trotters a.
:, also mares or stations, they eal
}, prodigiously in the breeding stable.