Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-06-28
YOUNG RATHER u so.
From American Cultivator.


We have been convinced for some time
that Young Rather was by son OF old
Morrill,. The following letter shows con-
clusively that such is the case. This
makes Pathfinder, by old Morrill,, stand
ard. and gives him two in the charmed cir
Gle.
Editor Of the american Culttrdtor
Young Rather was bred and foaled the
property of James Woodward of Haver-
hill. n. H., and sired by Tillotson's Path
finder. His dam was bay mare of about
$50 lbs. weight. Her breeding | cannot
give, but she was strongly backed by
Post Boy. Mr.. Woodward is now living
at Haverhil. Inc sire of Pathfinder was
old Morrill, without question, as Mr.. Til
lotson was man well known throughout
New Hampshire and Vermont, and his
word was as good as bond l knew
the horse well, and have been told by
Tillotson that he was sired by old Nor
rill, and his looks showed it.
"Young Rattler's dam was high
strung, nervous mare, which well knew
for years. do not know whether she is
now living or not, but saw her IN mar
ness after she had passed the twenty
mile post in age, and stranger would
have called her a proud, housekeeping
colt. Young Rather was sold by Mr..
Woodward at four years of age to a. Z.
Wood of Haverhill. He ran away with
Mr.. Wood over bank wall, breaking
Woods leg. Wood then sold him to Pike
q Pike of East Haverhill, n. Ii. Rat
tier was a PAGER at first but after being
i'm the Pixies hands short time he took
to trotting and showed so fast that they
placed him with country professionals,
and he was under the training OF four
different ones that | can call to mind
now, and perhaps more.
During this time j. A. Pike died, and
Rather passed into the hands OF y. +.
Pike, the surviving partner (they did an
extensive business manufacturing whet-
stones). A. F. Pike gave me an option
at a certain price for one-half interest in
the horse. or to pay one-half expenses
and receive one-half the winnings.
chose the latter and was interested in the
horse three seasons. | placed RATHER
with j. j. Bowen to see if he could get
control of him, for he was as rank pull
Ter as ever wore harness. | think Mr..
Bowen was getting along nicely with
him. but after few weeks he Informed
,lat Ia cinly and like a
gentleman, ne told me that the horse had
heated himself, and it would be better to
throw him out of training that season,
which he did.
'sWhile in the hands of Mr.. Bowen, W.
w. Gomez told me he timed Rather
quarter in thirty-two seconds. The horse
was afterwards placed with Hiram u.
Smith, then of Concord, n. H.. now of
New York, who handled him the two fol-
lowing seasons, except four races while
Smith was sick, when he was driven by
C. f. Mosher, and in one of them, over
the Bradford (Vt.) track (half mile), he
was forced under the wire in = rs, by
Kittie Cook q :26t), but given record
of 2 :32. Ask John L. Manson if 2 :2S is
not right, for he was there, or 'therea-
bouts In another race at Bethel, VT,
in the month of October, when the
ground froze nights and thawed days, so
horse would cup out two inches in
depth in every step of sticky soil on that
track, he met Mollie Morris the second
time, winning the first heat, Mollie win
ming the second short halt-neck in
300. She also won the race. In the
second heat Mosher carried Golden as
close TO the fence as he could on the out
side of the track, making over one mile.
On good day and mile track. the time
must have been low down in the twen-
les. Kttie Cook was distanced that heat.
~ Dung Rather met MOllie Morris at
ieene, n, H., making a five-heat race,
Ind it was a race for blood, not only for
horses, but for owners, drivers and
yrooms. Young Rather was driven to
bis record of 2 80 at Mystic, by Hiram
). Smith, Ben Smith winning the first
heat, and Rather the second, third and
ourth. The following week he met
bmuggler at Beacon Park, winning the
irst heat in 2:32, Smuggler winning the
hext short neck in :26, also the two
following heats and race. Rattler's rec
|rd of 2 80 was no limit of his speed; he
Eas officially timed, first at the half
nile post; in IL, in race with Ella
ladden, Dan Maces Arthur, j. A. Bat
helder's Frank j., Billy Platter and
Frank Palmer. He was timed over the
Tarragansett Park by uninterested par
ies, one-half mile in :09.
SIN his race at Rutland, VT, Young
Rattler met Joe Brown, George II. Mitch
Il, Len Ives, Spotted Jim and Gypsy Cir
six-heat race, lasting two days, fair
winning four heats, but was given sec
nd money. The decisions of the judges