St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-16
MAUD S AND HER RIVALS.
The Great Turfman, Robert Bonner, Talks
About the Speed of Trotters.
The Money He Has Invested in
BIooded HorsefIesh.
Money Invested in Immense Stock
Farms by Enthusiasts.
New York Mail.

New York Mail.
Since Maud beat her own famous rec
ord on the Cleveland track by half minute,
her owner, Mr.. Robert Bonner, has been in
daily receipt of letters and dispatches from
all parts of the country cOngratulating him
on her wonderful achievement These
communications are scrutinized with pro-
1eSslonal eye and filed away with reveren-
tial care. The inquiries uppermOst in the
minds OF trotting men are, can Maud do bet
Ter than she has done, and if so, to wnat
point may the trOtting record be lowered i'll
the future? There are enthusiasts who af-
nrm that the time will come when trotters
VIII vie with the running record. but thor
ough horsemen of all classes scout this idea.
On this subject, and others of kindred in
tereSt the views of Mr. Bonner himself will
be welcomed. That gentleman was seated
in his sanctum in the Ledger Office when
visited by Mail and Express reporter. The
walls of the spacious apartment were COW
cred with pictures of fast steeds. and nor
traits of lovers of horSefleSh. Gen. Grant
and Johnnie Murphy were awarded con
spicuous places.
'.At what point viii the trotting record
It's LCllAtll. lllucCl tiiC Scllldl GulIOr.
A thoughtful pause, and then came the con-
feSSiOn. Its impossible to say, and it
would hardly be the part of wisdom to ven
ture an opinion. In 1867 paid $50, 900 for
Dexter, whose record was then 2:17H. He
was the king, and nobody thought he could
be dethroned, but RaruS came along in
1879 and trotted his mile in 2:134, which
was far ahead of the record. L bought
Rarus for $50, 600, and they all said Bon
ner has flyer who will never take any
bOdy's dust. 1t wasn't so, though, for the
following year St. Julien trotted in 2:114,
beating Rarus by two full seconds"
''What was the next trotting turf sensa-
tion?"
MAUD s made the next sensation when
she beat st. Julien in 2:104. Since then
she has been steadily lowering her own
record. At Rochester in 1881 she made the
mile in 2:1O1i; last year. while owned by
Mr.. Vanderbilt, she trotted in 2:09H; in
November last she went in 2:094, and on
July 30 of this year she placed the record at
2:0SsI, as all the world knows"
''Will this record be brOken?"
There is no more reason to suppose that
the present record viii stand than there was
to presume that Dexter's time could not be
beaten. 1t would be gratifying to me if
luuu MOQlu lCildAAA QlOOAA VI OAAC llOlNitA3
turf"
MAUD WILL DO BETTER.
s'Maud'S closest rival is Jay Eye See, and
he appears to be keeping quiet"
~ know nothing of the movements of
Jay Eye See, but this letter may be OF some
interest to your readers"
Mr.. Bonner handed the reporter letter,
which he had just received from Splan, the
trainer, who drove the running horse at
Cleveland to encourage Maud. In the let
ter Splan said that owing to the rain of the
previous night the track was two seconds
slow. In speaking of Maud S, he said:
.'Our friend, Mr.. Crawford, says we shall
never look upon her like again"
The Mr. Crawford referred to is the man
ager OF Jay Eye See, and if Splan can sub
Stantiate what he writes, as Mr.. Bonner be-
Iieves he can. the little black wonder is out
OF the race for supremacy, ut least for the
present season. In this view of the case
Mr.. Bonner was asked:
''FrOm what quarter do you next expect
to see the record lowered?"
II believe that Maud herself viii lower
the record still further before this season is
over. She is now taking moderate exercise,
and will make trial for fast time at PrOvi-
dence very soon. President Edwards of the
NltNCltllNl DllNllle SlSSONlttbAOl N1OtO lilC
that if the track had been fast she would
have beaten 2:OS, and numerous horsemen
of experience declare that the track was
from one to two seconds slow. On this
point, in fact, there appears to benO differ
ence of opinion, and it would not surprise
me, therefore. if, under more favorable Cir
eumstances, Maud S should cover the mile
in 2:O7, or close on that figure"
Have you heard of the college professor
who argues that trotterS will yet make the
running timer"
That man makes himself ridiculous.
Running is the natural gait of the horse
and trotting an acquired gate. 1t is there
fore impossible that trotters could make
running time"
MILLIONS BEHIND THE SULKY.
Certain breeders of thoroughbreds in
this vicinity claim that there has been de-
cline in trotting interest in recent years."
1.-The very reverse is the fact. For every
500 invested in this interest twenty-five
years ago, there are 500, 600 now. There
are over ten trotting tracks in the country
for one running track. Running covers
only few points, while there are trotting
tracks in every section of the country
There is no running track within the
boundaries of the Eastern states or in Phila-
delphia. and aside from New York there is
nothing on the Atlantic seaboard except
the little meetings at Baltimore and Wash
ingtOn. Along the great chain of Wander
bilt roads to the West there was not single
running track until last year, when they
established one in Chicago. There is not
Jingle running track in the Northwestern
sountry, but all the large cities there have
crotting tracks"
'sCan you give an estimate of the capita
engaged in breeding trotting stock?"
1.-The sum is fabulous, but l could not
attempt to give complete figures. In Orange
county, in this state alone, Mr.. Bachmann
has over $3.50, 600 invested in the business,
and the country is studded with stock farms
like his. the number increasing year by
wear. Some twenty-five or thirty years ago
Mr.. Alexander of Kentucky, who raised
Maud S. was the only man in that state
who bred trotters. To-day there are be-
tween thirty and forty stock farms i'll Ken
lucky"
LAS a business investment, which is more
profitable, the raising of trotters or racers?"
1.-The prices which the animals bring
will be an answer to that question. l paid
for Maud S $40, 600, for RaTus $50, 900 and
for Dexter $50, 900. No such prices have
ever been obtained here for running horses.
1t was reported ct one time that racer
called Kentucky sold for $40, 600, but 1t was
learned afterwards that twas not cash
transaction, and that the figures were fixed
for trading purposes"
EXPENSES WITHOUT RETURNS.
docs the breeding of thoroughbred stock
Justify the expenditure invOlved?"
THE owners of large strings Of racers
must make a profit in some way, else l
should think they would quit the business.
Their expenses are very heavy, and the
cash returns which must come from the