Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-09-29
JOSEPH BATTELl
MiddleburY, Vt.
a GREAT RACE.
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE COLUMBIAN
EXPOSITION STAKE AT CHICAGO,
SEPTEMBER IA, 10 AND Is.

THE STRUGGLE FOR THE COLUMBIAN
EXPOSITION STAKE AT CHICAGO,
SEPTEMBER IA, 10 AND To-.
From CIark's Horse Review
Wednesday the stand fairly seethed
pending Nancy Hanks effort against her
record. but no such feverish excitement
was witnessed as that which a crowd
probably 30 per cent smaller displayed
on the Columbian free-for-all trot on
Thursday. For weeks. in fact ever since
the S20,0 900 event at Buffalo was decided,
it has been accorded the most popular
and prominent trotting race of the year.
The Buffalo race was more or less OF a
disappointment, but in the weeks winch
have followed it the prospect for the eX-
position stake steadily grew brighter.
FIRST Hulda, who swept down the circuit
carrying everything before her and
taking race record of 20Sl, was
hailed the champion of race mares !;
then Alix, beginning poorly, step by
step drew 10 her, improving weekly and
finally by fifth heat in 2:C94 stamped
herself the mare which her four year-old
career had foreshadowed her being
Walter Z. bulied the free for-alS and
demonstrated himself the wonder of
campaigners; Little Albert had defeated
him in a race in which each trotted in
2:10. and hardly a one of the twelve or
iginally nominated but showed improve
ment over their form of 1892. Martha
Wilkes failed. but Hulda took her place,
and at the last moment PiXley, who had
forced Guy Wilkes great daughter out in
her wonderful third heat, was substitut-
ed for Belle Vara.
No such field ever before started in
America. The slowest by the records
was Alvin, 2:ll4; then the figures began
to drop, PiXey and Ryland T. each be-
ing half second faster, Nightingale and
Greenleaf coming next with 2:l0! each,
then Lord Clinton, 2:l04. Little Albert
and Walter F., 2:l0 each. AliX, , :O94,
and Hulda, , :0Sb, making up IA lot of
ten with race records averaging 2;l0 ID.
Each one was welcomed with cheers in
the preliminary. but it was plainly an
AiX crowd, as the dainty little mare and
Jack Curry received regular ovation,
and murmur of regret went up as it
was announced that she had drawn tenth
position for the score, Lord Clinton hay-
ing the pole, Alvin second, Greenleaf
third, PiXlpy fourth, Hulda fifth, Walter
+. sixth, Ryand 7. seventh. Little AL
..i,rbth and NiUhtinnala ninth Sall-
ing on the race was very heavy; pre-
vious to the start .he auctions were HUI
da $50, field $22, but the early morning
saw some far larger pools sold, Huda
ETCHING $500, Alix 500, Walter E. $50,
Lord Clinton $50, Little Albert Sl5, Pix
v SIS, Nightingale Sl5, and the field
$40. The day was hot and perfect and
the track very fast.
The scoring was protracted, and not
until the tenth trial did Starter Walker
get them well enough lined across the
track TO give the word, Little Albert
then being back and of his stride. Green
leaf almost Immediately broke and Lord
Clinton sailed off safely at the pole.
the bunch and took her close to Clinton
on the outside, Alvin lying next at the
rail and AliX hard upon Hulda's heels.
No sooner were they Strengthened into
the back stretch than HckOk began to
team the favOrite and sne stepped up
alongside of Clinton and they went to-
gether to the half at a heart breaking
pace, the timers marking ] :03d. The
second quarter had been trotted in 81
seconds, and there was buzz of "rhey'll
break the race record" AliX meanwhile
had remained close third, with Walter
i. fourth, the field, excepting Little
Albert, Greenleaf and Nightingale, being
pretty well punched few lengths back.
Around the upper turn Hulda com
menced to draw away, and simultaneous
ly PiXley moved out of the ruck and
stepped up neXl the leaders. Into the
straight the favorite led Lord Clinton
length, with AliX sticking to the pair like
a leach, and so they swept past the three
quarters. Already cries of "Hulda wins -
commenced to be heard, when, nearing
the seven-eighths pole, she left her feet,
amid prolonged groan from her back
ers. Lord Clinton, still at the pole, now
appeared to hold the heat safe, but Alix,
under persuasion, headed him at the six
teepth, amid perfect earthquake of APP