Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-21
YESTERDAYS RACING.
An Extra Day at Agricultural
PQrk.

The advertised trot between Valentine
and Lot Slocum, and the mile dash between
Jim Polk and Billy Johnson attracted fair
crowd TO Agricultural Park yesterday Horss
lovers and owners largely predominated,
though there was a gocdly attendance OF
ladies and others. 1t has for long time
been mooted question which OF the two
trotters mentioned Is the speedier horse
aud an equal diversity of opinion hos ex-
listed as to the comparative abilities OF the
flyers, Polk and johnson.
Reportorial inquiry develops the fact that
the special meeting OF yesterday was held at
the solicitation of large number OF inter
ested parties, and for the express purpose of
forever settling these questions Both Val
entine and Slccum were reported in excel
lent condition for the great race, and their
respective friends seemed eager for the
trial.
II was evident both from the pool selling
and the track gossip that the contest was to
be for blood, and that the faster horse was
to win. A HERALD reporter found Mr..
Kelly, the owner of Valentine, just before
the race, buckling boot on the leg OF his
famous horse, and importuned him for
pointer"
You can put this down for a dead eer-
tainty," replied the cld turin an, II proposs
push val. unutt INT MllC mss IL Aho AZ
him, and think it is. That blasted four
year-old is slayer, but l rather reckon
well knock him out; eh, Nal?'
By way of demonstrating that he under
stood the situation thoroughly, wal sent
his heels flying at passing jockey and
buried his .eeth into the arm of stable boy
who was doing service as a h,tching post.
"He's vicious beast" said trainer,
scared" continued he. as the reporter b.
tray ed well developed intention of climb
ing neishborihg tree, I'VE can manage
him."
A moment later slocum and his driver
came by on their way to the track How
does he feel, Joer" asked the reporter.
bright as n daisy" replied the jockey.
He can show an IS gait II necessary.
Are you going to win this race?
"4re WEI" returned the Jockey with such
| a marked emphasis on the ARE as to leave
no room for doubling it. well, should OBJ
| serve we arc"
Ten minutes afterwards Valentine ap.
peared on tine course, aud shortly the two
came down to the stand for the word
| Several trials were made before the
drivers succeeded in reaching the wire
abreast. At last they got the word. go,
and settled down to contest the first heat.
Slocum had been the favorite in the
pools, both at the auction stand and the
mutuels. He had the outside OF the course,
| and it was believed he would only trail the
big bay until the turn into the home stretch
was made. Iu this matter he "tooled' the
spectators, however. for the first turn had
not been made before he began to steal up
on his competitor, and he first pushed mis-
nose past the quarter post IN 80, valentine
a neck away As they neared the half post
daylight began to show between the n, and
the colt had full length the best OF it
around the upper turn; 10 was the time al
the half, and the stop watches registered
53A al the quarter post Val
eniiine was expected to make
one OF his phenomenal spurts down the
stretch, AMI he did SO, but Sloeum's driver
was laying for him" and as they straight
ened up for the finish he turned the young
ster loose and number of horsemen declare
that he showed a gait as good, If not better
than 2.1S in the lively brush for the wire
} He not only held the lead he had at the
three-quarters. but gained better position
by length and was able to finish IN little
better than a jog. Time, 2.27.
The secoui heat was the fastest trotted Oh
this track this year.
; Slocum had the pole aud quarter length
the worst of the get away. He squeezed
, close to the guard fence, however, and
fought against Kelly's attempt to crowd
him rack for all he was worth, The chro
quarter-post (three full seconds quicker
than the preceding heat with Valentino
close up and trotting very fast. The paiI
fairly flew down the back stretch. each
showing beautiful burst OF speed. The
. colt was frst to the half by good length IN
10, and he also led to the three-quarter 10
, AS Some fears were entertained by the ad
mirers of Slocum that he could not hold NJ
such a gait to the wire. These were dis
, PEELED however, as the honest gelding
urged to his very best efforts b.
his driver, strained every nerve
and muscle to demonstrate his superiority
and win the race. His driver knew full
well that there was not quarter of sec
!; ond to spare, for Valentine was responding
D nobiy to kelIys call for speed, and had ma
terially decreased the lead after entering
race. With whip and Cry he urged his horse
, into q gait which he had probably never
r sho u n before. The finish was an exciting
I one for the spectators as well as for tht
horses and drivers, for until the latter had
, reached point within a hundred feet o.
7 OF the wire. it was not known which wa.
, leading. Then it was seen that Valentine
had fallen half length behind and mus
give up the heat, SlOcum finished in 2:2l
The third heat was uninteresting. At thu
first turn after the start Valentine broke anC
run nearly half way to the quarter. Slocun
led, Notwithstanding. and did not reiin
, quish his advantage until the heat and rae,
! were won. The quarter was passed in sc
+ the half in IL and the three.quarter. il
.4Sl2. Slocum's time at the wire was 2'9i1s
He was declared winner of the heat AM
!. race.
In the mile dash between Jim Polk ant
. | Billy Johnson, the former was sligh
U fayorite. The horses got away at the thirt
trial and Polk led to the quarter in .2t
Johnson close up. In the same order the
/ passed the half and three-quarters; tim
.12s4 and .201a. Johnson made Il stroni
effort down the finishing stretch, but tn
stallion kept to the front and finished il