Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-12-07
JUDGING BY POINTS.
From American Cultivator. |

illustrated at the late New England fair,
has drawn the following reply from Mr..
Busby, through the columns of the Turf,
Field and Farm:
"After nursing his disappointment for
two months, Mr.. Cults, through an advo-
cate, has broken out in the American
Cultvator. He attempts to pick to pie
ces the awards in the class for stations
four years old and over at the New Eng
land fair. The committee placed Ben
Franklin below Naaman, by Harold (sire
of Maud s., 2.Osa) dam, Fadette dam
of Favonia, 2:15), by Alexander's Abb
dallah; Absolute, by Dictator (sire of
Jay-Eye-See, 2l0, Phallas, 2:133); dam,
Ida Elliott, by Allie West q :25), he by
Almont, out of Fanny, by Mambrino
Chief; Solicitor by Belmont (sire of
Nutwood, 2:lsa, Wedgewood, 2:19);
dam, Blandina dam of Abdallah Pilot,
Swigert and King Renee, by Mambrino
Chief; and L'Empereur by Alcyone (sire
of Silverone, 2:l9a); dam, Fairlady, by
Dictator, brother of Dexter (2:17H.
These four horses, every one who pre-
tends to critical knowledge must admit,
are richly bred. They represent great
producing lines and high rate of speed.
son structure, Ben Franklin ran high
er than some of them, but on pedigree he
was marked lower than either. Why
because the superiority of his lines has
not been demonstrated by Grand Central
Circuit battles. Daniel Lambert, who is
thirty years old, and whose colts have
been vigorously pushed to get them in
the ? 80 list, has but one in the 2 20 list,
and that is Gomez, with record of :19t.
His strength lies in his ability to get per-
formers ranking from 2 20 to 2 80.
"With the two and three-year-old rec
ords at 2:lS, and the four-year-old rec
ord at 2 :l6, the 2 % standard is not the
highest mark of excellence. Ben Frank
lin is by Daniel Lambert, out of Black
Kate, and although he has repeatedly
started in races, and his owner has been
eager for a fast record, the absolute rec
ord of the chestnut is 2 20. The chill
dren of this fifteen-year-old stallion have
also been kept before the public, but on
ly two of them have records of Z 80 and
better. These are Belle Franklin @ PSI
and Bessie q ;29i).
"The horse who, with his progeny,
hangs upon the ragged edge of 2 80 can
not be counted a national and pronounced
success, when we remember that the rec
10 sand for a stallion 2:l3t. If Mr.
Cults and his friends prefer to breed for
the slow flight of speed we shall not
complain. They ought to know their
educated buyers do not pay long prices
for such horses either for the track OF
the stud. The gentlemen who own stall
lions of the blood lines of Naaman
L'Empereur, Absolute and Solicitor are
not content, as we understand it, to breed
entirely for local circuits. They look to
the great battle ground of the country
where high speed rate is necessary to
VIM"
If we remember correctly, Ben Frank
lin has never been regularly handled for
speed but one season. That was in 1879.
He was then six years old, and was in the
hands of trainer James Golden at Mystic
Park. September of that year he start
ed in race at Beacon Park against five
competitors, including Elite Jones. The
race was won by the latter in 2.25, 2.23
2.274, with Ben Franklin second in each
heat. In the second heat we remember
distinctly that he showed more speed in
some who were present thought he might
have either won or forced the mare to q
lower record. The following week he
won lace at Mystic Park in 2.30, 2.3l
n. H., Sept. II that year, winning sec
ond, fourth and fifth heats in 2.301, 2.294
2.304. Seven days after his victory al
Dover he won the 2.30 race at Narragan.
sett Park, Providence, r. l., taking first
second and fifth heats in 2.29, 2.294, 2.3l
The third heat in this race was dead be-
tween Black Pilot, sire of Pilot Knox
(2.l9a) and Judgment, time, $50. The
following day he won the 2.34 race oyer
the same track in straight heats; time
2.30, 2.29, 2.29. He started but once af
forwards, and that was at Albany, n. Y.
Oct. l, where he won one heat in 2.30
and got second money. He showed Mr.
Golden private trial some six seconds
faster than his record. We believe that
his son, George e., got record better
than 2.30 few weeks since, giving him
now three $50 performers.
1t has been urged in favor of judging
by scale of points that the judges were
obliged to give a reason for their decis-
ion, so that the public could see and CON-
prehend in what points the winners sur
passed their less fortunate competitors.