The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-11-18
FAST FLYERS.
Some English Reflections ON American
TrOtf1nE.
Tel

lLondon Telegraph
Vast as is the amount of money repre-
sented by the thoroughbred stock pur
chased from us by our transatlantic kins-
men, it is not little remarkable that no
galloping thoroughbred, however great
his excellence, has ever been appraised
at so high figure as O peerless trotter.
Ask any Englishman of sporting tastes
which is the most valuable horse in the
world. and without hesitation the answer
would be "Isonomy." Shortly after the
unparalleled performance of the son OF
Sterling and Isola Bella in the Manches-
ter cup of this year, Mr.. Gretton, the
owner of Isonomy. is reported to have
fixed G25,000 as the price at which he
would sell him. But the largest sum
ever actually bid for an English horse
was ELS, 900, which Mr.. Houldsworth
refused for Springfield, and the largest
sum that was ever actually paid was
Ella, 900, given by the Duke of Westmin-
ster for Doncaster. 1t is evident from
an occurance which has just taken place
that as regards the prices at which horses
are salable in the two countries, English
men, with all their wealth, are far behind
their American brethern. Upon the 18th
of September Mr.. w. H. Vanderbilt's
suburb trotting mare, Maud s., accom-
plished a full mile at the Jockey Club
park, Chicago, in the unprecedented time
of 2:10a. The first quarter-mile was
done in O:34, the half-mile in 1:04a, the
three-quarters in 36, and the last quar-
out parallel upon the trotting turf, and
is additionally meritorious from the fact
that it was achieved in the teeth of n
strong wind On the 9th Of September
st. Julien, "the California prodigy"
trotted his mile at Hartford, Conn, in
2:111, and thus it will be seen that Maud
S. has outstripped him by half second.
Let it not be imagined for moment
that there is any possibility of a mistake
in discriminating between these narrow
segments of time The speed of a super
lative trotter is gauged by a score or
more of stop watches, each of which is
regulated and adjusted with the greatest
nicely, and many of which are in the
hands of men who have backed time.
The trotting associations of several large
cities offer large prizes for animals which
can trot their mile within certain stated
period, and we may be certain that many
a Jealous eye was bent upon the Chicago
performance of Maud S., eager to dispute
the ''record,'' were it possible to do so.
| But the excitement provoked by this
| wonderful achievement may be estimated
| when we add that Mr.. w. H. Wander
bilt, who is now in this country with the
| intention of sailing for New York in the
White Star steamship Britannia, two
| years ago gave 500, 900, or "a, 900, for
Maud S. when she was four years old,
| and that since her performance at Chi
| caoo he ia said to have been offered
| 100000, or 10000, for his matchless
mare, who is now six years old. 1t win
awaken little surprise that Mr.. Wander
bilt, who is currently reported by his
compatriots to be the wealthiest man in
the world, should have refused this
amazing offer, and within few weeks
he will probably be seen driving Maud
S. in his buggy along the Bloomingdale
road, on the outskirts of New York, with
the proud consciousness that he has be-
tween the shafts the most valuable
quadruped on earth.
| The onward career of the American
| trotter during the present century may
be pointed at with legitimate pride by
the sporting citizens Of the western repub-
lie. While in England we have stood
still Us regards the speed of our gallopine
thoroughbreds, the Americans have sim
ultaneously struck off at least forty sec
onds from the time in which their best
roadsters can accomplish mile at the
trot. It would be unjust to deny that
the trotter is altogeter an American crea-
ton and that immense sums of money,
guided with singular skill, patience and
ingenuity, have been expended in bring
ing them to perfection.