The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-23
AMERIC4S TROlTING HORSE,
VIII the Two Minute Point EVerBe Reached
Is the Question,

w . - = wv WH|N
Is the Question,
NsiS York Herald,
TheComingtrotting season promises TO
eclipse all previous ones in interest,
The purses OF 1.-THE Grand Circuit, which
opens at Cleveland July 80 and closes at
Philadelphia September q, are more
tempting than ever before, The aggrs-
gate exceeds a quarter of a million dol
lars. In these entries,'a well as those Of
other meetings throughout the country,
the horses average mp unusually well,
while many hyers-some already ia
nous, others Just looming up-are in
training for great efforts. Among ex,
pected Sensations are the trial OF speed
TO be trotted at Buffalo In August by
Harry Wilkes, record 2;l3!, and Belle
Hamlin, 2;l3L and the probable match
between Guy, who has just trotted in
|2;llA, and Jay-Eye.See, whose mile In
gao has been eclipsed only by Maud s.
in 2;0Sl,
Though the season has Just opened
record breaking has begun. The young
stallion Axtell scored a grand aGhievb'
ment at Minneapolis last week In re-
duclng the three,yeRr.old record from
2;l8 to 2:l5A, while Guy, at Cleveland,
has lowered his own time from 2;l2 TO
2:114,
These figures suggest the remarkable
development that twenty years have wit
messed in the speed Of the typical Amer
lean horse. When the war closed only
one trotter had ever made a mile In less
than 2:2O. Flora Temples Kalamazoo
performance in 1850 was the wonder OF
the world, For pine years alterward
she reigned queen OF the turf as she bad
for three years before.
Vet tho record which gave her fame
2:l09-has how become commonplace,
1t was reduced 10 2:l7i by Dexter in
1867. Goldsmith Maid arstlowered 1t to
2:l7 In 1871 and three years later 10 2;l4.
1t remained there till 1873, when Rarus
trotted it In 2:lS(. The following year
st. Julien brought IT down to 2:l9i and
the next season to 9;llt.
In 1880 Maud s. was crowned queen
OF the turf with 2;l09 on her banner,
which she reduced to 2:10l in 1881. For
three years she was without a peer. In
August, 1854, she was dethroned b. Jay
Eye.aee, who scored u mile In 2:l0. But
only for twnnty.four hours. The next
day the great mare trotted in 2;09i, and
in 1885 she made her record Of 20S3,
which still stands the marvel Of the
world.
From this review 1t will be seen that
the trotting record has been reduced
Just eleven seconds in thirty years.
That shows the superiority OF Maud S
over Flora Temple. But the develop
ment Of the tFotter is only partly illus
trated by a comparison OF the achieve.
ments OF these two horses. During the
reign OF Flora Temple there was but one
two-twenty trotter. Now there arc
scores Of them. Many have trotted low
in the teens. Hundreds OF Others have
entered the %two.thirty list. In special
classes, such as two. three and four.year.
olds, the lowering Of the record has
been remarkable
To what Is this development OF trot'
ting speed due? Various Canses. First,
breeding, 10 which more thought, enter.
prise and capital have been given every
successive year. The horse itself has
thus been greatly improved. Thon II
has been greatly helped by artificial
means. The track OF to-day is faster
than the old time course. 1t Is a mile
instead OF a half mile, elliptical instead
OF round, and with greatly improved
footing. A sulky now weighs forty
pounds. 1t used TO weigh eighty to a
hundred. Then there are toe weights
and special shoes designed to balance
tho tr0tter in his gait, boots and other
appliances TO protect his feet and legs.
Corresponding improvements have been
made In harness, feins and bits. Finally,
a higher degree ofskill has been attained
in training and driving. All Of which
have combined TO increase the speed Of
the trotter.
Has the limit ofthis speed been reach.
ed? Hardly, Many think that in her
day Maud 8. has beep capable OF 2:0S,
2:07 and 200. 1t Is not improbable that
her present record will be surpassed by
some other horse. There has been some
speculation whether any horse will ever
trot q mile in two minutes. That is
purely a matter Of some speculation.