Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-06-25
Horse Notes.

dayssince, and had the pleasure OF an nouf
or TO chat with him about trottlng horses
anu especially about some OF the olu
timers.u The substance OF the CONVERSE
ton that ensued will be OF interest 10 our
readers, especially the patrons OF ROBERT
Wilkes
In 1859 was looking for horse to mate
against Ethan Allen, then the great celeb
rity among trotting stations. mad peel
attracted to Hambletonian 10, admired
him greatly and had seen him trot very
fast. Regarded him then, and sun regaToo
him, as the greatest horse that the worlo
has vet seen. He had long before tha'
made his famous trial of 2:48 IL as three
year-old, which heard all about al the
time and believed that the best chance 10
get horse to beat Ethan Allen with was
to buy one of his sons. Horace Jones had
young son of Ham oletonlan that was re.
ported to be speedy, and l went 10 LOOK az
him. He showed me mile in 2:5z IL
and bought him, paying s4,OOO Tor hlm
Jones continued to work him, and in the
fall after the purchase he trotted a mile on
the Centreville track in 2:25 IL, last hall
in 1903 IL, Jones driving. The next year
/ used him a good deal on the road AMI IN
the fall matched him in three races against
Bellfounder horse. viii e., then Ic lied
Robert dillingham;, won the ilrst race iast
est heat in 2:33, and Bellfounder paid Tor,
felt in the other two. In his five-y ear-old
form drove him on the road and gave
him little track work in the fall. ADJ
daIlah Chief also started in the race spok-
en- of. but was distanced in the first heat
In 1862 considered Wilkes good enough
to start against Ethan Allen, and author
lied Jones to get up match with thal
horse. The terms were arranged for -o,OOu
a side, $500 forfeit, horses to be named at
time fixed for putting up the money.
There was big crowd at the Fashion
track the day Of the race, and betting ran
high. At first il was even, but before the
start Wilkes became the iayorlte, Ihey
got a very good start, but Wilkes SHE'D
little at a shadow on the track, and Ethan
Aliens sulky wheel tipped him on the
nose. Wilkes broke. Morrissey gave me
a punch in the ribs, aud said: Get up,you
sucker, and see your horse get beaten
told him TO preserve his equanimity, that
there wasn't the slightest danger OF that.
But Aliens at the quarter-pole, and he
has done il in thirty-five seconds said
John. / told him not to be uneasy, i
would come out all right. AT the half
Ethan was still ahead. Wilkes gained on
him in the third quarter, and in the home
stretch passed him as though be was stand
ing still, making the third quarter in 81
g. seconds We had no more trouble in
the race. / think at least s150,000 changed
hands on the result. Wilkes won in 1924
"a, 2:25 81, 2:3l. / forgot to state that
before we matched Wilkes againt Ethan
Allen we gave him trial over the Center
Vile track. He carried Horace Jones, %
pounds over weight, a mile in 2:2l l-5,and
repeated i'm 2.1q Is. This was on the ex-
trome outside OF the track, the inside hav-
ing been narrowed up for runners, and
this was the last occasion on which ! ever
held watch on Geo. Wilkes.
While Wilkes was a young horse, and
tl...l F.ff ..f Artrr on a
road, / one day met Commodore Wander
bilt l was driving on past the club house
on Eighth Avenue, when j oyerhauled the
He was driving horse call
ed Post Boy, that he had recently purchas-
ed. The Commodore hailed me and asked
hat was driving. | told him. Can he
go any?' said the Commodore. told him
thought he was pretty fair road horse.
i can beat him with this horse said the
i don't think you can,
responded sWhy, beat Bonner the 9TH
sr day driving Lady Palmer | told him
he might have done that, but 1t DIDN'T
follow that he could beat me. The result
of the bantering was race down the road,
In which Wilkes easily passed Post Boy, |
he latter breaking badly as Wilkes went
oy him. The Commodore called to me and /
se drove back to the club house. Here
we got out Of our wagons, and Mr.. Van
ierbilt came to my turnout To take look |
over my horse. why said he, he's
stud; | am sorry for that 'Whyg asked /
/. Because II he was not stud I'd like |
10 buy him. But, Commodore, reioin- |
ID, this Is a horse you can't buy 'Why |
lot9' you haven't money enough |
fiumphl' said the Comm dore, 4 thought 1
hat I had money enough to buy one I
tud horse He then did what l never
heard OF his doing before or since order /
d the wine for the whole party.
"Wilkes trotted without toe-weights, |
md wore but one boot, speedy cut on |
he off hind leg.
The wear after Wilkes won his Ethan Al 1
en- match, was too busy to pay any at |
ention to him and gave half interest in
i'm to my brother, who took charge of
lin and trotted him in some races. In
S73, as all the world knows, we sent him
o Kentucky and his history from that
ime is a matter of public notoriety. l had
arted with my interest in him some time
efore his death but my attachment to
cath / had lost many friends without
ringing tear to my eyes, but when
card the old horse was gone wept like
hid.
In 1855 or 1866 bought Ethan Allen. He
7as one of the best pole horses in the
Torld, and with a running mate could. |
hink, have beaten any harness record ev-
1
err, Ethan to go with running mate, Dex
er in harness.
Ethan Allen. rugged that way, went a
lille for us in 2:12. We could have beaten
)exter much worse than we did, but there
las no object in IL.
Ethan was upon the turf of and On till
s67, the year he was eighteen. His record
2 rs 1-2 to harness was made in race
gainst Princess, which he won in straight
eats, time, 2:29 1-2, 2:25 1-2. This was
t Union Course, July -, 1850. The mare
-as distanced in the second heat. His
reatest achievement was to pole with
aiming mate, when he defeated the gal
int Dexter (2:17 LAP in 2:15, 2:16, 2:19.
his race occurred June 21, 1867, at Fash
IN Course, L. /.
Ethan was very speedy, but Honest AL
N, his son, could beat him to pole. The
forming after Ethan beat Dexter, Honest
lien was hitched to pole with the run
ing mare Charlotte F. Mace drove them
the half in 10, and came home in 1904,
2:0s gait, making the mile in 2:14, just
.cond faster than Ethan's record.
1t is doubtful II there is better cross in
he world for improving the form, style,
sposition, gait and road qualities of trot-
ng stock than that which comes from