, 1884-09-18
THE-GREAT TRoTTERs.
How tho Improbable HES Been
Achieved 4lg1uD :
From Lady suHoIk,s u la In
Is4 TO Maud SIS 2;O9 ga
Porty Years L~ater-sone $40
Contributing Causes.
New York HERALD

L@toW AoAA LALA null
The present trotting season, though but
partly passed, has already been made memo
rabls in tho annals OF the turf by the fact
that the sovereignty OF tho track has twice
passed from horse TO horse. Never before
At least not In recent times-has the best
record been lowered twics IN one year by
two different horsoa. Thsso notable events
were the achievements Of Jay-Eye-See at
Providence on Aug. 1, and of Maud s. at
Cleveland on the next day. II will not be
surprising II the record shall again 10 low
0red by ono or both Of these famous horses
before the season closes.
Tnotting a mile in two minutes and ten
seconds has already ceased to DO a wonder.
and yot 1t Is not 50 many years since the
achievement was looked upon as altogeth5r
improbable, If not impossible. Forty years
ago Lady Suffolk was the most famous as
we'll as the fastest of t~rotters. Yet her best
time in harness, made in 1874, was but
2:261, and with this record she held her
supremacy for a dozen yearS-tll 1855,
when Flora Temple made first q mile in
2:25E and then in 2;24H. Lady Suffolk had
trotted in 2:26 in 1912, and Tacony in 225L
In 1883, but these achievements were under
saddle
In 1889. Flora Temple astonished the
world by her famous performance Of 2:19H
at Kalamazoo. which sustained her title as
Queen OF the Turf until 1867, when the honor
WAS won from her by Dexter, with 2;17H to
his credit. The same horse had made a mile
two years before in 2:1sA, but this was
under saddle. Dexter was dethroned In 1871
by Goldsmith Maid. She then beat his best
time by a quarter OF Il second, and lowered
her own record TO 2:l6z in 1877, and to 2:1o,
2:i5H. 2sl4H, and 2:l4 during the season of
1874. Tho mares fnstest mile-o:l4-was
equalled by Rarus in July, 1873, and eclipsed
a week later, when he trotted In 2:13l(. The
SUCCESSOR OF Rarus was st Julien. He re-
duced the time to 2:12E In 1879, and to
s:IIX and pix in the following year.
At this time Maud S appeared on the track.
Her public performances are comparatively
few, but very brilliant In her second re-
corded ~race-July, 1S80-she Is credited with
2:i3N. In September of that year she scored
a mile In 2,loH, which beat st. Julisn's
record and made her the Queen Of the Turf
from that time to this, with tbs exception Of
a single day. In July, 1881, she trottsd in
9.l0H, and q month later won her grand
achievement Of q mile In 9:loH. For three
years this stood as the best record. II was
lowered to 2:1o by the recent performance Of
Jay Eye-See at Providencs. This made the
little gelding King Of the Turf, but only for
twenty-four hours. On the very next day,
at Cleveland. Mr.. vauderbilts noble MARI
regained her proud ~laurels, and lowered the
record to 2:00H.
This development Of speed on the track Is
due primarily to the Improvement Of ~trotting
stock by breeding. But there are also other
vary important causes. Horses are better
trained and better handled than formerly.
They have the advantage of improved ap-
pliances for feet and legs, to say nothing Of
bit and rein. Than the suldas Of to-day arr
the best for speed ever made; and, finally
what Is perhaps most telling-thars has beer
= steady improvement in tracks. All thssa
influences nave contributed materially % thG
lowering Of the trotting record