St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-07
CLEVELAND. july 1, 1884
Fannie Witherspoon against Mud.

On Friday last Fannie Witherspoo n, Ed
win Thorne, Phyllis and Clemmie G.. trotted
hard race in the mud at Chic ago. This
great mare is not calculated for such race,
and she was beaten though the time was
very slow indeed, the best being 2:224.
The following is an account of the race:
The 2:17 class was the first on the card,
Fannie Witherspoon, Edwin Thorne, Phyllis
and Clemmie G. being the starters. In the
French pools Thorne was faTorite, but in
the auctions Witherspoon had little the call
bringing $25 to S22 for the field For the first
heat good send-off was effected at the first
attempt, Witherspoon having the pole, Glenn
ME G. second place, Phyllis third and
Thorne the out side Witherspoon broke just
after the word was given, and Splan pulled
her up, Thorne, who had the firmest part of
led Phyllis two lengths until the homestretch
was reached, Clemmie G. third. Coming to
the wire the brown mare closed on Thorne,
but was unable to reach him, he winning by
half length in 2:334.
Witherspoon still held her place as first
choice in the betting, and got away for the
second heat in better shape than in the first,
Thorne had the speed Of the party, however.
and opened up quite gap before the quarter
pole was reached, Witherspoon being in sec
ond place. The pace was much faster than
in the previous heat, the first half being
trotted in 1877, and from this point With
erspoon came very fast, gaining slowly on
Thorne at every stride. Every inch of the
road down the homestretch was contested,
but just at the wire Splan lifted and shook
his mare, making dead heat of it in 2:234,
Clemmie g. third and Phyllis last.
Witherspoon was now a favorite over the
field at odds of nearly 3 to 1, her staying
qualities being well known. Thorne was
first away, as usual, leading Witherspoon
length to the half in 1:113, at the three
quarter pole in :46$4 was still half a length
to the good. Coming down the homestretch,
however, the chestnut mare kept up the rate,
and just at the wire caught and passed
Thorne, winning the heat by neck in
2:2214 the others beaten off.
Turner decided to lay Thorne up in the
fourth heath, and went off behind the others,
Phyllis making the race with Witherspoon.
The chestnut Lad by far the most speed, how
ever, Phyllis never being able to reach her,
and won as she liked in 2:251s.
Everyone now thought the race as good as
finished but surprise was in store. When
the word was given, Fanny Witherspoon
went into the lead, and seemed to have the
rest beaten at the half-mile pole, but after
passing that point break sent her far to the
rear, and as Thorne was not trotting well
the finish of the heat was left to Phyllis and
Clemmie G. They had hard fight of it
down the homestretch, old man Wagner
lifting his mare and shouting to her, but
Clemmie g. was first to the wire by a neck
in the fast time of 2:2214.
Clemmie G.. went away in the lead of the
others for the sixth heat, Phyllis having gone
to the barn under the rules, and maintained
her advantage until well into the home
stretch, when Witherspoon passed her. She
broke just before reaching the wire, how
ever, Clemmie G. winning in 2;27.
The seventh heat was trotted in 2:31.
In the eighth heat Fanny Witherspoon led
the party around the first turn, but broke and
fell hopelessly to the rear. Turner sent
Thore along for all he was worth, evidently
hoping to win the heat, but Clemrnie G.. was
after him, and as Thorne broke under the
whip just before the wire was reached, she
beat him out a neck in 2:27L.