Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-02-03

trotte- last spring that he was entered
in the Vermont Breeders stake for year
lings. just 20 days before the race Tom
Gillig WIS sent to trainer X. X. Hamilton,
Fair Haven, VT The day before the
race at Rutland, which he won easily,
Mr.. Hamilton drove him an easy half in
l %.
After winning at Rutland the colt was
bought by Messrs. G. A. Graves of this
city, and William II. Pethybridge of
Haverhill, Mass, by whom he is still
owned. At the close of the Vermont
Breeders meeting Tom was driven
home, and was not taken out of the
stable until he was shipped to Mr..
Pethy bridge. He arrived at Hayerhill,
Mass, Sept 8, and was quartered at Ken
oza Park for IA week. During this time
he was exercised Oh the track about two
miles daily and allowed TO brush the
last eight of a mile as fast rs he could
go.
The soil at Kenoza Park is very sandy,
and as the season was dry, it was in no
condition for fast trials at any distance.
The only quarter given him under the
watch during his stay there was one in
Al seconds. He was very thin, and his
coat and general appearance showed his
lack of condition, SO he was literally fed
and given very little work, but he was
so pure-gaited, perfect In disposition,
and showed such determination and am
biiiOn to do his best every time he was
asked, that great confidence in the colts
ability was inspired in the mind of his
driver, Mr. Pethybridge.
Tom Gillig was entered at Providence
with the idea that he might possibly get
place in the race, but it seemed almost
like presumption to put this cOld-bred
Vermont voungster against the pick of
the breeding farms of New England, the
Middle States, and some from Kentucky
in addition, at least four of which had
shown their ability to trot better than a
2.40 gait before the entries closed. lie
was shipped to Providence Sept. 10,
where his exercise was continued daily
till the day of the race, the l9th. On the
morning of the 18th, the day before tn e
race, he acted so full of trot that his
owner allowed him to move an easy
mile. Going away from the wire slowly
he gradually increased his speed, trotting
the distance in 24S, the last quarter in
81 seconds, well within himself, as was
shown by the fact that he hardly "blew
OUT on being taken to the stable.
The yearlng race was called late in the
afternoon. Starting in fourth position
in field of ten colts, Tom Gillig shot
out of the bunch at the word, took the
pole at the first turn, and when he reach.
ed the half-mile post in lis the field
was strung out from five to twenty-five
lengths in the rear. The third quarter
is slightly down grade at Narragansett
and is the fastest part of the track, bu
the colt was eased to the three-quarter
: pole and then allowed to come home
: from there little faster, finishing strong
and fresh, six lengths ahead of his near
est competition, in 2.373, thus beating
: the New England yearlng race recorc
lS5 seconds. The time of the mile by
: quarters was 800, 3s4, 40, 39i-2.373.
The colt was not distressed particle
and good judges who witnessed the rae,
: rated him as capable of repeating tn,
) distance 20 minutes later in 2.35. Tn,
announcement of the result of the race
from the judges stand was received il
solemn silence. One enthusiastic indi
E vidual on the grand stand did have tn,
temerity to yell; "Three cheers for tn,
Morgans :" But there was no response
and he was frowned at as though h,
were insane on the subject
Probably the most dumbfounded mar
on the ground was jim Golden, who
drove Tom Gillig. He is no colt handler
and does not pretend to be; in fact thi
was the first time he ever got up behinC
so young colt. lie never saw Tom Gil
lig till he got into the sulky to drive hin
down for the word and merely drove tn,
colt as IA personal favor to his owner
not expecting he had a winner. That III
drove well "goes without saying" bu
as colt and driver had only one thought
which was to get to the front, both wer,
pleased with the result
Tom took a slight cold after the lace
but was shipped to Mystic Park to taxi
part in the meeting of the New EnglanC
Breeders association the next week. lie
was exercised slightly each day, and OF
Saturday afternoon of the week before
the Breeders meeting he was driven thu
last quarter at Mystic alone in 81.
seconds, timed by half dozen watches
This he did without any urging, and i
was the fastest quarter he was eyel
speeded.
The following week he was advertised
to start against his own record on Tues