Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-10-18
honestly, as the saying is, by the de-
formity. William L. had been deficient


at the same point, and in just the same
way when colt, but had gradually i'm
proved and Strengthened up as he got |
age, until when fully matured his legs |
were-well, very much less objectiona-
BILE than they had been. In the winter
after the son of Lou and William L. had
attained the age of one year he was brok-
en- to harness and driven some In snow
for the purpose, presumably, of discover
ing whether or not his action was of
that kind which indicates the future
trotter. He gave no more promise what
ever than his dam had done, his gait
behind being so imperfect and close that
he was continually striking his ankles
together, to the disgust of his owner
and the encouragement of himself, no
doubt. One day, when he had been cuff
ing himself with greater regularity
than usual, Williams was provoked into
striking the youngster pretty sharply
with whip. Something happened just
then which almost took the owners
breath away. Axtell, as the colt had
been named-in honor of school-teach-
er at ependence-suddenly took hold
of the bit, broadened out behind and
went away with such surprising burst
of speed at the trot that Williams could
scarcely believe his senses. 1t was al
most perfect action; clean, rapid and
bold, and it seemed to cost so little
effort that the young man rightly guess
ed at once that he had drawn prize.
This was late in the spring of 1888. Ak
tell was at once withdrawn from the
stud and put in active training. Every
time he was asked to 20 at speed he
seemed to be able to trot little faster,
so that by August l, when Mr.. Will
Jams was ready to start for the Keokuk
fair, the colt was thought good enough
to be taken along and started in the
three-year-old-race which was trotted
August 9. Axtel won with the great
est ease, although pitted against colts a
full year older than himself, trotting
the third heat in 2:314 and distancing
the entire field. This was a very re-
markable performance for Northern
bred two-year-old, and it brought the
youngster into prominence at once.
Two days later he was started in an ex-
hibition heat to beat his mark, but failed
to do so, his time for the mile being
1924. His next appearance was at the
annual meeting of the Northwestern
Breeders association in Chicago, Au-
gust 25, where he made successful
effort to lower his Keokuk record, trot-
ting the mile without skip in 2 :24a
A week later he was at Minneapolis
and in another effort against the watch
trotted in 2:24 fiat on August 30
From Minneapolis he went to the Iowa
State fair at Des Moines, and on Septem.
Der won the three-year-old colt stakes
in hollow kind of way, after dropping
a heat to Judge Hayes filly Satilla, hi:
fastest mile being 2:35a. From Des
Mones he was shipped back to hide
pendence and started to beat his best
previous record over half-nlile track
2:314. This he did without much effort
September -, finishing the mile in ex
actly 2:30. At Cedar Rapids, September
Is, he gave another exhibition, the
task set for him being reduction of hi!
Independence record of the week before
His time was 2274 Not long after this
Cedar Rapids performance the Kentucky
Breeders association opened negotia
tons with Mr.. Williams for Axtell's ap
pearance at Lexington in October, with
the result that the now famous colt wa:
sent to lower his best previous record a
their meeting, October, s, succeeding
with something to spare by turning thu
track in 1928. November /, at tn,
same place, he made another effort t
still further reduce his record; but thu
winter season was too far advanced fol-
extreme speed, and he only succeeded il
going the mile in :2St. This close(
AXtell's turf career as two-year-old
and it placed to his credit the tastes
mile ever trotted by a stallion at tina
age, as well as the fastest time eve
made by two-year-old of any sex bret
and reared outside the State of Califor
ma.
9 After having wintered nicely at hi
; owners Rush Park StOck-Farm, indie
! pendence, Iowa, and finished stu,
4 season of some twenty-three mares, AK
tell was again put in training early il
, the summer of 1889, and made his frs
4 appearance at Cedar Rapids, June p
He was sarted to beat 2:274 his half
q mile track record of the previous year
o and he astonished everybody present b,
q reeling off an easy mile in 2 2li. The per
n Torrance was wonderful, but it ha,
q scarcely been heralded as such in tn
a sporting press before the marvellous col
n threw it completely into the shade by hi
> almost incredible mile in 2:l5a at Min
naanOlis on ,JulV "a cold raw do II