The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-24

or ounol WAS made over kite-shaped
track, which is conceded by all good
judges to DO faster than tho old regula-
ton track.
is the opinion of tho writer and
without any prejudice whatever, that
Maud s mile in 2:0Ss over regulation
track, is to-day better than tho 2:OS4
made by Sunol over a kite-shaped track,
and hundreds of good judges are of the
same opinion. Now when person ex-
presses an opinion on any subject he
should have his reasons for so doing
and should give them. Hundreds of
horsemen have contended that the old
regulation track is as fast as the kite
shaped track, and it makes me tired to
hear thom argue the question. will
give my reasons for thinking the kite
shaped track faster than the old regula-
ton track. The old style track is laid
out with two straight stretches one
quarter of a mile in length, and in trot-
ting mile horse is obliged to make
or trot around two turns
The new style track of kite shane has
only one turn, it is laid out with a
stretch Of one-third of mile and the
turn is one third of a mile and the home
stretch Is ono. third of a mile Of course
the one-third of milo turn is not as
apruot as the quarter mile turn and
only one turn at that in the new style
track, and of course the horse can make
the long turn easier than he can make
short turn. In few words l will ask
can man run around block of ground
where he is obliged to make a turn OF
four corners as fast as he can run around
an oblong piece of ground of the same
measurement? Can horse trot a milo
and make turn as fast as he can go a
straight away mile? ! say mo We
VIII take the case and record of tho
running horse Salvador who to. day holds
the worlds record for running horses of
1881 made at Monmouth Park, New
jersey.
That mile was run on straightaway
track, while the best record of :3s made
previous to Salvatore time was made
over track with quarter stretches and
quarter turns. Let the reader Judge for
himself about the matter.
Robt Bonner, who now owns both
mares, Sunol and Maud S., contends
that until Sunol trots mile over a re-
gulation track or old style track and
makes mile better than Oss<, which
was Maud SIS time over the old style
track. that Maud S. still should hold
the record for trotters. And while thew
are all singing:
Yes Sunols gone and done it,
And pinned queen" upon her bonnet
AT one blow;
ana uctnr0ncd the great Maud ;
by half n second less.
Don't you know:
l say no. Not until Sunol covers a
mile over the same kind of track that
| Maud 5 trotted, and beat her time, can
she be called queen OF trotters, although
! she seems 70 hold the fort. Maud $,
who has reigned queen of trotters from
July, 1855, until Sunol clipped the time
by half a second over a kite shaped
| trao or Tod hou ;1
! ored marc. She was foaled in 1874, and
was sired by Harold, who was son of
Hambletonian. Her dam was Miss Rus
sell, who was by Pilot, DR.; her second
| dam was Sally Russell, q thoroughbred
daughter of Boston. Maud was bred
at Woodburn farm, Kentucky, by A. j.
| Alexander. She was sold when year
ling for $780, When three years old she
was sold to Captain Stone, of Cincinnati,
for $3.50. She is every inch queen
magnificent in form, symmetrical in
prop rtion, and will long remain a
standard that others shall be Judged
by. She has not only tho rarest
gift OF speed, but she carried
carried 1t with q stout and resolute
heart, and one of the few that, in turf
parlance, could Ego fast and stay" Her
| first race was trotted at tho Hamilton
county fair, near Cincinnati, in the fall
| OF 1877, ana 1t was in a race for three
year olds. The writer was at that time
handling and driving Mambrino Star
and her daughter, Cottage Girl, who
daughter of old Lady Franklin. spoken
of in my last article. Maud S. was
driven in that. ''her" first race, by VIM
ii. Bair, who drove her in all her races
until she was retired from the turf in
1885. Maud made short work of the
field OF horses that started against her
in her maiden race. and distanced the
field in the first heat.
The track was short of the mile and
no time was taken, but was rated about
2:as. Like many other horses OF great
rrepute she was hard to handle and
drive when she was young. She was in
clined to be vicious in the stable and
for long time was inclined to bolt
when on the track. Bair almost ex
hausted his patience with her and she
seemed to dislike him, but OF Mrs.
Bair she was very fond and also of tho
colored man, Grant. who groomed her.
Mrs. Bair spent a great deal of time with
the marc and always accompanied her in
her travels and Maud always looked
around for her whom she came in from
her work or after she had trotted a heat
in race, and always expected q liberal
allowance of candy and apples, and to
Mrs. Bair was given much credit for
getting Maud s. to become lady-liko
and gentle.
Maud's first race of any Importance
was at Chicago, July, 1850, which she
won easily and in comparatively slow
time. Sho trottcd trial, making very
fast time, and was sold to the latessWm.
fl. Vanderbilt for sci 900 Her next
race at Chicago July, 1880, made her
| tho sensation Of tho 6av uloY Ohio boat