Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-30
NORFOLK End LODI.
THEIR GREAT TEREE-NILE HEAT RACE
HERE IN 1865.
A Notwithstanding Contest in which
Norfolk was the victor-Lodrs
Wonderful Gameness.

| The death, few days sgo, OF Theodore
Winters great horse Norfolk recalls the
memorable three-mile race over the Union
course in this city on the sd Gay Of Sep
TENDER, 1865, between thst gallant son of
old Lexington and Novice and Judge
Bryan's horse L dup to that time the
greatest race at the distance ever run in
this country. Lodi was also q Kentucky
bred colt. He was sired by imported
Yorkshire, aud his dam was the celebrated
mare Topaz, by imported Gleacoe-a pedi-
gree of the most gilt-edged character
Norfolk'S dam, Novice, was also by Glen
ooe, SO that some OF the same blood ran in
the veins of both.
Norfolk ran as four. yea-. old and car
ried 100 pounds, while Lodi, only three
months his senior. had to carry tbs five
year-old weight, 10 pounds. This was 3
decided handicap ia g race for tbst dis.
tance, ana although Norfolk was the vic,or.
| there were then, and still are many turf
! men in the State who believed thar. or
| even terms and both horses in condition,
Lodi would prove the equal of his gallant
competitor.
TIE race took place under the auspices of
| the State Fair Association, and some eight
| thousand people assembled ct the park 10
| witness the contest between these giants Of
the race course. Before the hour fixed for
the staIt rumors fsw about that Lodi was
lame and would be withdrawn His then
owner Judge @. e. Bryan, of Nevada. said
| the horse was lame, but he would start him.
even though he should be able to do no
more than gaiiop around the track There
| was very little betting as the time drew
near for the horses 10 90 TO the pCst.
| Theodore Winters vsS walking uD ard
down in front OF the judges STAND taking
all bets offered that were not too much in
| Lodis favor. Finally. man offered 10
| bet him $40 against Sl00. Winters said he
would give odds Of 500 TO $50 on his
| horse, as often as anybody might want it,
and he would even accept the SO Cfter, but
| only that one. There were too many dogs
about the track, he said, aud mis- horse
| might fall and break his neck, hence he
| did Tot care to bet al his money away on
| those odds.
The judges were Nathan Cocmbs later.
| ward the owner of Lodi), Charles F. Reed.
and Colonel Edward AcG2rfy G Fancher
| and Robert Beatty acted as tiIns-keepers
| for the race, and Robert Watt and Colonel
| Lathrop as timers for the separate miles.
| Richard Havey had the mount on Norfolk
on that memorable day, and Wilbur Pierce
piloted Lodi.
| The horses were sent off without any I'M
necessary delay, Lodi slightly in the lead.
| They shot away ike couple of quarter
| horses, and around the turn they ran, side
by side, and as they passed the quarter
| pole, Norfolk stuck his head in advance OF
| Lodi, so that the crowd need moi think
| there was only one horse running. Away
| they went at their lightning stride and
passed out of view behind those immense
nuisances on race-course-the military
buildings-and before the horses could
again be seen three-eighths of mile must
| be run.
Now is the time the crowd shows its i'm
patielce-every man, woman and child in
| the grand stand is on tiptoes-and from
the reporters stand (the reporters are very
numerous this year, nothing can be seen.
Six Thousand people show their selfishness,
and each plays his hand alone" 1t makes
| no difference if one, by raising himself into
the most exalted POSITION be can get, Oh
scures the vision of dozen of his most in
innate friends Every man il for himself,
and the devil take the hiudmost."
But while all this scrambiing for the first
! sight of these two magnificent horses is &C.
curing, streak of light is seen at the head
of the homestretch, and Norfolk enters
| ahead. But Lodi is seen, too, at the same
| time, and down both horses come past the
score, Norfolk under strong pull leading
about three lengths, making the mile in
| f:4S, and going around the turn and past
| the quarter-pole maintaining about the
same distance ahead and held by the same
! taut rein.
Around the curve the horses pass out of
sight, and then the same Internal scramble
| for a sight of the horses is enacted over
again. The horses, however, soon emerge
from obscurity with the same distance be-
tween them as when they were lost to
view. Down they come past the score,
making the second mile III 1:514, Norfolk
still in the lead by about three lengths and
| under a pull, while Lodi comes unurged
alongside.
Around the turn for the third mile they
go, and the quarter pole is passed with the
horses in the same relative positions. But
alb what is that we see? Lodi has let out
several links in his gait. Evidently spur
rubbed against his side. II is the first init.
nation either rider has given that he wore
anything of the sort.
But, in twinkle of al eve, Lodi leaps
alongside Norfolk, who looks around and
welcomes his companion by familiar nod,
| as if saying, in the equ ne tongue: "Ah l
| think I've seen you before. Welcome, sir -
And the horses again disappear from sight
at most exciting time, when the interest
| is wrought up to the highest point-and
again six thousand people try to get the
| better of each other in the approaching
view. But the horses, evidently deter
mined not to prolong tn S struggle of suffer
| ing humanity, emerge from obscurity Nor
| folks head appearing first, and Lodi's fol-
! lowing so close that uoinquiries were made
| for him.
| Down the homestretch they came, six
| thorsand breaths suspended, seemingly, so
great was the interest; but Norfolk was
| ahead, though Lodi was at his heels, and
| thus they passed the score, Lodi Just Tapped
upon Norfolk by the aid of whip and spur,
| and that was all--Norfolk making the
whole distance without being touched with
| eiiher-msking the last mile liz 1:474, and
| winning the heat in the then unprecedented
time of 5:27!.
The widest excitement prevailed as the
time was hung out and the horses re-
turned to the judges stand. California
horses had lowered the three mile record
by several seconds, and the excited popu-
lace gave free vent to their enthusiasm.
Lodi pulled up quite lame, but his owner
decided to start him in the next heat This
was a repetition of the first as to the re-
suit. but was less exciting. Lodi was evil
IDENTIFY suffering from the bad crack in the
hoof of one of his fore-feet, but he struggled
hard to win At the finish, which was
made in 1921 (only two seconds slower
than the first heat, he was about five
lengths in the rear, while the blood spurted
from his cracked hoof az every leap he
made. His gameness was simply wonder.
full. and the crowd showed its appreciation
thereof by loudly cheering the gallant,
though defeated, horse. Taken all in all,
it was grand event in the racing annals
of the State.
JUDICIAL JOKE
Judge Armstrong PerpGtrates One on the
Assistant District Attorney.