Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-08-07
TINE, s:ls Ia.
FASTEST Time on Record Accom-
plishsd by Rarus.


FASTEST Time on Record Accom-
Plishsd By Rarus.
spe,ial to the Cincinnati Commercial
BUFFALO, N. Y, August St
was a great day for Buffalo and the
trotting world, that afternoon in
August, 1867, eleven years ago,
when Dexter trotted mile in har-
ness in 2:l74, eclipsing the 2:19f of
Flora Temple, which for eight years
had stood at the head OF the record
and the only performance by a trot-
ter in harness better than 2:20.
To-day was equally memorable,
however, Rarus having trotted a
mile in 2:134, the fastest time ever
made in the world.
1t was 4:45 pm. when Rarus APP
peared for the contest against time.
Lulu, Great Eastern and Hannis,
who had been entered for the event,
were drawn. When the great flyer
came out with Splan behind him,
he was greeted with round after
round Of applause. A running
horse was provided to accompany
and stimulate him.
After rough warming up, to
satisfy Splan, the horse came down
flying. The word was nodded for
and given, and off he started on his
first heat. The mare did not get
out for him until he was one hun
dred yards from the score, and
when he renched the qusrter-pole,
and watches marked 0:354, it was
evident that 2:14 would not be
beaten in that heat. The half was
made in 1909, the three-quarter
pole in 1:43, and 2:17 was hung
out as the time of the mile.
This was fast enough to show
that the horse was at himself, but
left it an open question whether he
cyuld beat 2.14 that day. In the
pools he was the fayorite at about
$50 to 35 5a5ainst time.
In about half an hour he came
out again. The mare started with
him from the score and kept close
up. On he flew, but just before
reaching the quarter-mile he left
his feet. he was set going again,
and, when he came home, watches
in the Judges stand marked $3.50.
The $1,000, the main purse, wa;
lost, and it looked blue for the $500
conditioned on beating 9;l4. With,
out leaving the track, the horse
again came down and got the word,
but broke almost Immediately, and
was turned before reaching the
draw gate, brought back and blank
eted for q couple of minutes.
Again Rarus came flying down
this time as steady as clock work
The word was given, and with the
runner at his girth he flew along
When the quarter pole was passeC
the watches marked 33t seconds, {
2:14 gait, and the sloWest quarte
ef The track. Straight work Of thl
back stretch was now before him
where his mighty stride could hav,
it's perfect work, and along this h,
flew at a terrible pace, reaching tn
half in l:053 Tor 2:l11 gait, ant
! trotting the second quarter in 81.
seconds Ia 200 gait. His speec
} was Slackened very little on tn
/, third quarter, the gallant trotte
never making skip or faltering
D and when the tuner noted 1881 a
the three-quarter pole, the excla
= nation "Hell do itF' was heard al
over the track.
4. Now the seconds became precious
e The horse was firing, as Splal
a could feel, and as the wire was ap
D preached he gently touched hin
t with the whip on his hind quarterl
1 and two minutes was recorded b
. watches, and he was nearly at th
e distance stand; S:10, and he wa
5 within 100 feet of the score; 2:1l
t 2:l2, and he is only fifty feet; 81
Y and he is here, and "clickH 6
l scores of watches as he sweeps IN
A der the wire and index.hands poir
9 to the hereafter memorable fgurel
e S134. Everybody knew the horl
y had done it, but the shouting di
n not begin until the board was hun
a out from the Judges stand. The
o the cheering was tremendous. I'll
10 quarter-strotch was alive with pc,
9 pie, waving their hats and hurral