St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-29
AMONG THE HORSES,
Relative Merit of Luck and
Brains in the Life OF a
Horseman.
Interesting Sketch Of Axtell's
Breeder and Early Train
eP, Williams.
Some Sensible Talk On An
Important Topic to ALI
Breeders.
Many Matters Gathered to
Eniighten, Interest and
Instruct.

Some men are born great and others
have greatness thrust upon them. but
by far the larger number that achieve
success in this land of the free and
home of the brave achieve it by brains
and perseverance. There is no royal
road to success. When c. w. Williams
surprised the world by bringing out two
such performers as Axtell. 2:12, and
Allerton, 2:1S1z, the majority said it
was luck, pure and simple. Mr.. Will
iams seems to have excelled the best
trainers in some respects. He kept AK
tell on his feet until he finished the
campaign, but when the colt was turned
oyer to Doble that astute trainer was
not able to bring him to the wire,
although barrel of money was to be
made ii the colt could be brought to his
form and trot a few races with Sunol,
2:l0L.
While some called Williams good
fortune ''luck." others credited the man
with being shrewd, but perhaps the
true solution is that given me recently
by gentleman who began away back
at the beginning and told me why he
believed Mr.. Williams success to be
ing in Lexington some years ago and
stabling near me was young man WITH
whom l finally became acquainted.
What is your business here?' L said to
him one day. Il am employed by man
in Iowa. he replied, and came here
with some brOOdmareS to see that they
are bred and to have a general care
over Them You see,' continued my
informant, that instead of shipping
his mares, as the majority do, and trust
Ing to their being regularly tried and
properly cared for strangers, he sent a
man with them, and as result the
mares all proved with foal. and Axtell
and Arlington are two of the produce
When later on l heard of Axtell and his
owner these facts came back to me aud
| concluded that Mr.. Williams had a
habit of doing things methodlcally, and
that was the secret of his success"
But do you think he excels others
as trainer?' / asked. Probably not"
was the reply. IL believe chance was
a strong element in his success; you
see there are but few colts that would
stand the hard work Williams gave his
horses, and which was necessary to
bring out the last link of speed" "But
Axtell finally broke down." suggested.
Yes, and right here is where Williams
superiority was apparent" said my in
formant. "He kept Axtell on his feet
until he sold him, while in the hands of
almost any other trainer he would have
been let up long before he trotted in
2:12. | we'll remember" he continued,
THAT after AXtell trotted in 2:14 he was
so sore that it seemed impossible for
him to start again until after a long let
up, but Williams locked himself, his
men and the colt in the stable and
worked on him for several days, and, as
a result, he lmbered the sore muscles
and brought him out and trotted him to
his record of $2:12."
The first pedigreed animals Williams
ever owned were the dams of Axtell
and AllertOn-Lou, by Mambrino Boy,
and Gussie Wilkes, by Mambrino Boy.
These he bought in 1884 of E. d. Stout,
the Dubuque breeder, at whose farm
they were considered as weeds" Lou,
dam of AXtell, was purchased for SIPS,
and Gussie Wilkes. dam of Allerton, for
S75. The spring of 1885 the mares were
sent to Kentucky. Lou was bred to
William L, at service fee of 500, and
Gussie Wilkes to Jay Bird at $50. The
expense Of shipping the mares
to Lexington and return was
800. Including the cost of
the mares the total investment which
yielded AXtell and AllertCn was $3.50, of
which AxtelPs cost may be figured at
S275, and Allerton's at SlS5. Axtell got
twO-year-old record of 1928, three
year-old record of 2:l2, earned $1,000 in
purses and stud fees. and was sold for
sl05.000. Ailerton got two-year-old
record of 2:4054, three .year-old record
of 2:lS4, four-year-old record of
2:1319, has earned $4,000 in purses and
fees, is booked to sixty mares of $500
each this season, and is not for sale at
any price. This is what may be termed
gratifying summary. Add to this the
fact that Gussie also produced Barnhart,
full brother of Allerton, who last year.
as three-year-old, made a record of
2:22$4, and is rated worth a few thou
sands, and the yield of Mr.. Williams
first investment in pedigreed stock may
be classed veritable bonanza.
There are thirty mares at Rush park,
and in addition to Allerton and Barn.
hart there are the stations Patronage,
brother of Patron, 2:14L. and Judge
Rider, 2:2S4, by Billy Wilkes. The
proprietor is training his own colts. AL
lerton will be exercised during spring
and summer, and in the fall will be
driven to beat his record For its
meeting, the last week of August, Rush
park offers $4,000 in purses, the largest
amount ever hung up by any trotting
lrack. and the prospects for the meet
ing are that it will be the greatest ever
held.