New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-17
THE AMERICAN TROTTER.

When a man is in the habit daily of dashing
through the air mt the rate Of n mile IN 100 or
less. over a smooth. wel-kept road, amid de-
lightful surroundings, and behind satin
skinned, bright-eyed, mettlesOme trotter,
whose motion is so easy and graceful that II is
n qualification merely to look Mt il, the cxhil-
arating exercise clears his brain of all the logs
and mists and carking cares which follow hours
of heavy office work and weghty responsible
ties Robert Bonner is gifted by nature with
keen perceptions, sound judgment and the
mower of clear and fOrcible expression. But
without his daily enjoyment of the most re-
freshing and invigorating sort OF exercise, the
driving of the fastest trotters in the world, his
activities might be clogged and his powers
dulcd He has always been hard worker and
the concentration of all his faculties with his
rare energy Oh his engrossing duties might have
broken down his health long ago but Tor tins
daily stimulant and recreation, stlnulant that
is followed by no headache and no reaction. and
n recreation that adds to the muscular power,
increasing strength rs well as improving health
and prolonHng life.
Every owner and every lover of that marvel
lous product of development, the American tr0t
ting horse will read with the liyolicst interest
the talk with Mr.. Bonner which is reported on
our extra sheet this morning. 40 man living
can speak with such authority or speak so well
Oh this subject. He OWNS the fastest trotters
| ever known, and no one in the United States or
elsewhere is so completely master rs he Of
every detail about them. He knows them
through and through from the tips Of their
delicate cars to the shoes Oh their fast-fying
! feet In driving lie is the equal of Hiram
| Woodruff, Dan Mace, John Murphy or any pro-
| fessional expert who ever sat in q sull,y. Ia
shooting he SURPRISES the most skiliul Of black
smiths. In understanding all the ailments of
horses he equals any veterinary surgeon, and
he can train and exercise a trottcr 50 rs to bring
ont all the speed there is in him.
1t is a brisk and breezy, fresh and forcibo
way of talking which Mr.. Bonner gives us. He
is extremely hopeful as to the future Of the
great trotting interest. The prices at the
spring sales in Kentucky were never higher.
The influence of thoroughbred blood ia touched
on in a striking way, and some attractive remi-
nscences are given. Mr.. Bonner believes that
there are great possibilities in fast double teams
and he is bound to get the greatest amount Of
trOtting speed that can be obtained.
What he says about pOol-sclling is likely TO
be widely commented on. lie is opposed to il
absolutely and would not tolerate any folm of
betting. IL is not surprising that Mr. Bonner
takes this position, and he supports it by strong
arguments. But great many of the strongest
admirers OF the bes, horses will fail to agree
with him. What he says about the gathering
of enormous crowds to see remarkable contests,
even where there is no betting, is perfectly
| true. There was no pool selling on the race
between Jay-Eye-See and st. Julien, and n
great host went TO see it. A match between
Maud S. and Jay-Eye-See would draw a mighty
multitude, even if no one could bet n cent
OH it. But how many of these exceptional and
sensational contests could there be in a season :
In order 10 keep up the breeding and develop
ment of runners and troters there must be a
great many races every year.
Mr.. Bonner puts the probable limit of trotting
speed at 2:05. He thinks Maud S. may trot be-
tween 2:07 and pos. 1t would delight every
admirer of the beautiful. the graceful the GAL
liant and the swift, if The incompatible Maud
herself could reach the goal of 2:05, and leave
il as an unapproachable record for future gem
erations. But one thing we may be sure Of If
any trotter excels Maud's magnificent perform
ances during the lifetime of Mr.. Bonner-who
with his health and. habits may fairly hope to
equal the years of another famous admirer OF
fast trotting Commodore Vanderbilt-the
owner of Maud 5. will never be satisfied until
he owns the new wonder. Mr.. Bonner wants
tue best lie deserves 1T, and that he may al-