St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-14

this:
about the first that was heard of Vol
unteer, Joe HetZel brought him to the
Goshen track to trot four-year-old stakes.
There was big lot of colts and Joe did
not want to get into the crowd, and knew
he had speed enough to beat them all at his
leisure, so he told the judges he wanted the
word when behind, and sure enough he was
at least five rods back when it was given.
But he soon closed up and had only few
to beat after quarter OF mile had peen
trotted, and these he disposed OF easily
enough. The speed he showed that day
gave him great reputation, and was the
reason for my buying him, although he was
owned in Brooklyn in the interim. before |
purchased him, and was driven on the road
considerably. Whether because of HetzelPs
tactics with him in his first race, or his
Brooklyn education, he was always at his
best when overhauling another horse. Once
get his nose on wheel and he would never
make a break, but trot with all his speed
and the utmost determination, and he had a
trick whenever he was passing horse of
reaching over at him to bite him. He was
natural fighter when it came to race
AS for speed. he had all unpublished trial
at Mr.. Backman'S track once that would
ast0nish all h0rsemen if they knew the
facts. The fastest he ever trOtted in public
was half-mile in 1:12. This was at Co
shen, one of those peculiarly conditioned
races for stations that we do not see nova
days, but am not sure that we have i'm
proved upon upon the methods. 1t was a
small purse for horses kept for service in
Orange and adjoining counties, and the GUS
tom was, there being unusually large
number OF entries, to put them together In
small parties, and if the time made by any
victor was not surpassed, he was not
obliged to trot again. In the Goshen race
THE GRAY STALLION
Confidence was entered. He h adj record
OF 2:2S, and made sham season at POugfl-
keepsie in order to get into this COMPETE
ton, The judges put him and Volunteer
together to trot first, and the betting
favored him four or five to one. Volunteer
won the first trial by about length, in 2. 40.
After the usual interval, the Confidence
party brought him out to beat that time
and he trotted in 2:4S. Then one of the
Judges Bill Parks, said to me, Alden, do
you want to try again?' and he makes a
Joke of it to this day, the way l said Yes,
SIR and went and laid my coat on the
grass, and got into the sulky in my shirt
sleeves. l knew the horse could beat the
time of Confidence by long shot, but
was good deal excited, and drove him the
first half without fully realizing what was
doing. just before he finished the first
half it occurred to me, all of a sudden, that
perhaps l was not going fast enough. and
the consequences of being beaten flashed
upon my mind. So sent Volunteer along,
and when the heat was completed found
that the first half had been trotted in 1:l24,
md thn Loot l,o1f in, 1.1O
mile 2:36.
had was when he beat Goldsmith Maid on
the road. Bill Bodine had come home with
her from campaign, and he was crazy
about her, saying that she could beat any
trotter in the world. Her record was
about 1924 at this time. l said to Bodine,
You are wrong, there is one that can beat
her.
"'What one ?" said he.
THE old horse said I.
HE laughed; but I said, We'll, you have
the mare all keyed up. Keep her so, and
will give you race in few days. l began
driving Volunteer, and he was off his gait
the first day, but got better the next. and
improved every time l drove him. In about
ten days 1 met Bodine with the Maid by
appointment on the road, and we logged off
i'll different directions, and returned to an
| agreed place of meeting.
"'You go on, said he.
mo, you go on l replied, for I knew
1 could depend on Volunteer to pass any
horse he ever caught. but was not sure of
him when ahead. So off he started. getting
lead of few rods. but it was not long
before Volunteer got his nose on the mares
wheel, and then he put his head down and
trotted for dear life. Gradually but steadily
he went by her, and as he got to her withers
shall never forget how he reached over
and nipped at her. She was mad enough
to nip at him, and when he actually got by
her, and she realized that she was beaten,
for the first and only time she broke into a
wild run, and it was all that Bodine could
do to stop her. That was the grandest
road race / ever had. AS soon as we got
together, Bodne halloed out, You don't
call that fair do you?"
"'Why not said I.
Holy mackerel.' said he, that horse of
yours was five rods long when he went byp"
One Of the company inquired of Mr..
Goldsmith if he knew of his own knowl-
edge that the dam of Goldsmith Maid was
by Abdallah.
NO" he said, 81 do not, but she was
dlWas represented SO, anu IL was not
doubted in the old days. She looked like
the Abdallahs, and had their fawn-colored
hair under the belly and down the legs on
the inside. She was good mare. Gen.
Fitzpatrick had one of her foals with him
when he was minister to Chilli, and he has
told of matching her for $1,000 a side to
trot ten miles against running horse. The
people thought he was crazy. The runner
went away and made a holy show of him
for the first few miles, but then began to
come back, and the Maids half sister
caught him and beat him scandalously. I
believe no report of this race was ever pub
lished."