The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
TROTTING SPEED IN 1892.
RECORDS OF 4 REMARKABLE SEASON.

RECORDS OF A REMARKABLE SEASON
$500 Newcomer. TO the g 80 list, and Faster
Ones In Greater Numerical Proportion
The stars Of the season Discussed.
One day In the early part OF last week there
entered the Office Of the writer tall. wiry.
gray-hcardcd man. evidently we'll advanced
in years, very neatly dressed. and as spry
as most men much younger than he. This
visitor had Just left position in which he had
been long engaged ms trainer and driver OF
trotters. and ho was looking for another SINH
lar berth. although lie was a years old. 1t is
doubtful il his superior at that ago for
strength. activity. and general good health
can be found In tho country. and he attributes
his excellent condition to tho combined facts
thnt his life has been largely an outdoor
ono. and that he positively never put
M enemy into his mouth TO steal away his
brains and impair his vigor Tho man was
Isaac Woodruff the last one remaining OF tho
coterie which comprised the prominent drv-
cis OF nifty years ago. and more than fifty in
his case. rs he rode Edwin Forrest ms long ago
as 1888. Uncle Isaac" has IA clear memory.
and 1t is very interesting to hear him tell CT old
times and old methods in trotting. but per-
haps his chief distinction is that he is the
brother OF Hiram Woodruff who is re-
garded as sort OF George Washington among
drivers. and was born Feb. 80. lSl7-
another resemblance TO Patcr latrir. by the
way-and died March II. 1867. a quarter
OF a century ago. Tho visit OF Isaac brought
the death OF Hiram to my mind. and it oc-
cured to me that dis1uisi,on on the prog
rcss OF tho sport since he laid down the rrins
would be OF interest to the readers of THE Sun.
especially as the events Of the past season
have been marvellous. but it is now too late to
expect any more astonishing performances.
TWENTY FIVE NEIIS
When Hiram died. only ono trottrr Flora
Temple 2:lo'.. had beaten 40 in harness,
although Dexter had made 2:lS undor saddle
anI Ethan Aiicn 2:l"'. with runnin. mate.
record at =: H. =. while ltltnn Allen. with mate.
a iy,. ~ i. !, Is rity That Hiram did not
ter whom he styled in his book The prime
, ,n@ Of my latter day" OF, whom no
best time in harness. bat open n gap that viii
look very wide to those who como nnxt." THIS
grew green on Hiram Noodrult's grave. and
til. gap was two and a half seconds.
the 2:2J list We're California Datnsel 2:4l a;
GInmmodor", Vanderbilt. 2;2,: Dexter. 22i
Gssr sEMIDlH s 1 Hsps" s%sr Ws
fat I n }9hn IN MHrsSn ~ IA G LEX 1.orns
since necoe ts 'I Iaes IS" Of tho r's wnr hnJ
been very carefully kept. 1t had not been
beard or thought Of In thos" carly days. In
ever made was contributed by Nicholas Saltus
10 the. rut t,eti and Fam, january, 1871. it
did not belong there. as th"y represented sad:
Gie TeeorH ii and it Ineer tap. to rssard
With . sim healed t the sofnm nay and " sJ@
paratvely Tow horscmen though, that his
prHud record would ever he surpassed. Mr.;
Status evidently found IL n grcnttlabor to deal
with that century and ha II Of horses. for he
dll not arrange them in order OF the alphabet
oroi speed. but stamped them in haphuzard and
with not Il description or n pedigree. | Won
der how h" would contemplate tho next Year
book. which will deal with between nine and
ten thousand horses in the ranks Of standard
speed. with every ono properly docketed. and
al available and important Information given.
THE 2:3O LIST.
1t is we'll known that the mark Of .: 80 is the
on" upon which existing trotting stud books
arc based For the last two years there has
been n mobilization which. speaking Eener-
with 2::!U trottin: record. Arguments have
been made. and continue to be made and
backed up with considerable force of reason
Ing. that the standard mark should be lowered
to 80 and the racing to 2:2o for stud hook
with tho lines - restricted. there would lie
plenty Of animals rrTis:crc,! to Justify AN an
NOT Likely that lie lrceItnp, Association N
Tiil assent to TIE nroro.ed deduction.
after ALL horse that trots a mile
in $50 has merit enough to be registered 20
far as speed l. concerned. and Their. most
slower standard. For instance. a. nearly as
an outsider can figure. the re-, ,raton fees for
the last volume. Nj OF the American Trot:
ting Register. amounted t. about 1000. and
these are mainly youn: horses who como in
fonE ~ @ 1h"rs % of Themselves or
quartet as many newcomers t." the 2:2o list
as there were TO the 80 list. and it is fair to
presume that the leduct ION Of the time stand
ard 10y five seconds. as proposed. would cut
down The receitts about 20 per cent, II cut
which good business men would lie slow to
subject them selves t..
REDUCTIONS IN RECORDS.
The remarkable reductions in records in
ISL. both in numb aud extreme 81 eed. arc
It Sa Ha God ID tnn GyG n
the rounds is to the effect that a gent rinan IN
ms N ns TS aI' S""S ns saF r0ed
Good gracious exclaimed the lady. how
fast would she N"ye Tonn If the suiy had not
nearly rs fast. aS people, Of moro horse en-
n%renG ,s Than that Gooi wife know. md
there have already been reported dur
inE. the raSt scnson about 2.2OU, accessions
To G an wien ot h sreed tTns or
heard from there wi i. pro ahyhe not less than
100. There can be no question: reasoning
from rast "Nrerience. that succeeding years
Will add still more largely 10 the number of
horses with standard records.
An esl"cIn.ly notable feature Of the per-
that entered tho list. There were thousands
.: entire horses in the country who lacked
tito th"m to standard rcsis:ration. and
III" bicycle sulky has already drawn in
n great many 81 them. For grldinE the
standard distinction j. % comparatively little
consequence. aud records ara. % rule.
avoided rather than sought.
IN fAS1EH CLASSES.
While tho arcrssions to III" $50 ranks have
boon as numerous as stated the pro rortOnate
increase in iastrr classes has h"rn still great
or. In discussin. tnes-. rnccrs are left uut OF
the account. and We lin! that Ia" rast season
furnished no less than 81 newcomers TO tho
ranks If 10 trottiu@ speed. viii tiv"
years ago thcrH were only nine horses all told
III this class. and ahout l.3Ju at the close 81
1851
still greater is tho rrorcrtionatn reIur-
tiou in the 40 class. which had 30 new
comers III ISL and y total OF bui performers
prior to thai date. tho Increase gclag aitnust
exactly % Der cent.
EXTREME Sized.
When We cons jdrrtrot.crs of oXtrome speed.
in which class may hc included thos" with
records Of ~ or letter the prnrOlt ION o! RE-
ductiUnS is stiIl morn astonishing. \ few
weeks ago there was rUhlsho in THE SUS a
list Of horses who had ior the first time, in
lS.,o. trOltcl in In or better, and II very
nnuvlY ,ul,i ed the lunltpr that class for