Morning journal and courier., 1891-11-04
Sunol-2:OS I-I!

When Ten Broeck, at Louisville, May 24, 1877, ran mile in 1:39s, the world, as described by the thoroughbred turftes, held up their hands and marveled. Year after year various horses tried to break it, until Racine. in 1890, at Chicago-another of Senator Stanford's horses-chipped a bit off the record, and made it read :39s, and then Raveloe, over the straight track at Monmouth, went Racine fraction better, and it stood :39t. On the 2Sth of August of that same year the mighty Sal vator ran mile against Ten Broeck's fla nous recard in 1851; but this was over a perfectly straight track, so that it is doubtful whether, taking everything we'll into consideration, Salvator's feat is in any sense a greater one than Ten Broeck's. As matter of fact, at equal weights, the latter's time has never been equaled over an oval track to this day. A precisely analogoue question now arises in reference to Sunors great performance to beat Maud s. .'s time of 2:0SS. Sunol was bred by Senator Stanford, of California, being by the immortal Electioneer out of Wsxans, she by General Benton out of Waxy-s thoroughbred mare by the famous Lexing- ton out of Grey Eagle. Electioneer was by Hsmbletonisn out of Green Mountain Maid, she by Henry Clay.
 This is the pedigree as Senator Stanford gives it, but it is disputed by MT. Wallace in the Trotting Register, who claims that Waxy was not a racing g-bred mare, al though he is willing to concede that she had some racing blood in her veins, for it is undisputed that she was the dam of that thoroughly good rsce-msre Alpha, by imp. Hercules. Electioneer, Sunors sire, was bred at Stony Ford, New York, and General Benton was also bred in this state. The point disputed by Mir. Wallace is very important one, as it bears directly upon the amount of thoroughbred blood in SunoPs breeding. It has always been one of Senator Stanford's theories to breed up very closely to the thoroughbred cross, believing that it gets "game," speed and endurance. It would seem from the result in Sunors case that this theory had been triumphsntly asserted. Be this point as it may, Sunol has always been a wonder-a ssurce of pride to her breeder, Senator Stanford, her trainer and driver, Charles Marvin, and her present owner, Mir. Robert Bonner, who purchased her | from the senator last year for forty-one thousand dollars, but has allowed her to remain in California at Marvin's request. At two years old Sunol reduced Wildfow- | CTS record from 2:2l, which mad stood for | six years, to 2:1S; then as a three year-old | she completely 'smashed" Jay-Eye-See's | five year-old record of 2:10S down to 2:10i, | which, considering the difference in age, may be accounted about the greatest of all | SunoPs record-breaking.
 In this last effort against time she trot- | ted the first quarter in 31 seconds, went | &o. halc ,,,I I.nf a.~ he arsa | in 1:37, and home, strong and easy, in 2:0S4. An analysis of this shows that the last quarter was the fastest of all, and the third quarter the slowest of all four. | Sunol is a mare of superb conformation, well muscled all over, with long -striding, frictionless action which is most deceptive | to the eye of the observer. As to the | question of tracks, there can be no req sonable doubt that Sunol possessed great advantage over Maud s. in having to make her record over the "kite- e-shaped" track at Stockton.
 This is not said to belittle her perfor-
 nance, as that is a great one under any | circumstances, but there is more difference | than a half-second in favor of the "kite- | shaped" over the old circular or oval | tracks. In the former there are practical | ly but two corners to turn, and it has be-
 sides two long straight stretches, which
 allows the horse free swing, and does not | compel the driver, ss when trotting around | the old track, to slew down to make the
 turns safely; and what is more important,
 the e-stretch on the ''kite-shaped" is
 twice the distance straight away over the | circular track, and allows a greater and freer burst for the wire. But when it is
 stated that Sunol has trottsd half mile
 in 1:02i, it must be onceded that, sll ques-
 tion of tracks cast aside, Sunol is one of the
 greatest trotting mares ever bred; yet until
 she goes full mile over . circular track,
 and lowers or equals Maud S.'s time of
 2:08f made in 1885, the daughter of Har.
 old and Miss Russell will remain queen of
 the trotting turf. Mir Bonner is to bs
 congratulated upon possessing two such
 peerless equine stars, and it is all tn.
 more admirable it should be so, as thsil
 ownership is not associated with any spec
 ulative purpose. For the champions o
 the thoroughbred blood in the trotter thii
 is an additional victory. First we hai