The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-05

FIT WAYNE. Aug s1.-Special.-Ft.
Wayne is floating a flag high in the air
tonight. She now holds the record for the
fastest mile ever made by a harness horse
on any track in the world.
Robert j. was chased a mile on the TT.
Wayne driving clubs mile track by a
runner and paced the mile in the presence
Of 5000 people without skip or a false
movement in the fastest time ever made
by any race morse driven 20 a sulSy in
203% This wrests the laurels from
Nancy Hanks and Mascot with their re-
spective trotting and pacing records Of
2.04. Terre Hautes 2:04 track can be
advertised no more. as FIT. Wayne is
justly entitled to the fastest track in In
diana. in fact in the world.
Robert ]. is a seven-year-o.d bay geld
ing and was sired in Pennsylvania by
Hartford dam by Jay Gould, by Ham
betonian 10. For three years he has been
owned and campaigned on the turf by c.
j. Hamlin, the famous Buffalo horseman.
Robert J. has been driven to the sulky
for three years by Silent Ed Geers, and
the animal has won many races and for
several weeks has been barred in the free
for-all PAGES. Two weeks ago he made
his record 2O4h at Rochester, N. Y,
and he was sent a mile today to lower
TT. Waynes track record Of 2:06, held
by the PAGER Joe Patchen. Geers drove
the pretty bay geldng in front Of the
stand and amidst cheers the alert animal
pranced and nodded in acknowledgement,
when ne was announced as the fastest
harness horse In the world. Geers drove
Robert ]. down to the wire three times
for the word, but before reaching the
turn slowed UP and went back. The third
trial down to the wire Geers nodded for the
word and Robert ]. was let out a bit.
Before reaching the eighth mile Geers
urged Robert a trifie and he responded
with will that indicated he was on his
mettle. A hundred watches were keeping
his speed, and when the gelding flew past
the first quarter pole in :S0A there was
a ripple Of ejaculation on the lips of the
knowing ones. Down the back stretch
Geers piloted his charge with a skill equal
to the occasion. The side-wheeled cham
pion moved steadily and with the pre-
cision of a perfectly regulated clock. He
was not distressed and was equal to the
effort. The watches caught the half mile
at 1:011k, a 2:O3 gait. The subdued burst
of applause was hushed by Starter Wal
ker who asked the spectators TO remain
as silent as the tomb and make the pac-
ing celebrity confine his attention exclu-
sively to the burst Of speed he was be-
ing urged to make himself capable of in
the finish down TO the wire. At the third
quarter pole the watches registered 1884
The impatient crowd then realized that
the last quarter must be the fastest to
lower a record and anxiously they looked
for Geers to urge his charge to a better
gait. There was no perceptible move
ment on the part of the driver. He held
the lines firmly and his whip was motion
less except for the movement Of his sulky
The impatience of the crowd was
tested. why don't Geers force
the animal" some one yelled in
an audible breath. The driver and Rob
ert j. seemed one. They worked in per-
feet harmony. They understood each
other. Coming up to the distance flag
the running mate crowded Robert j.
trifle and without a skip or an unset
tied step, Robert ]. increased his speed
with a graceful ease, surprising in it's
beautiful accomplishment, and passed TO
the wire from the flag at a two-minute
gait He moved as firmly as he did when
leaving the wire for the send off and fin
ished in the presence of an enthusiastic
crowd, the fastest mile ever paced.
Geers calmly turned the king of the turf
around and logged back before the
crowd Robert j. was not distressed and
realized that he was being honored when
cheer upon cheer floated over the horse
and the driver. No less than twenty
watches stopped at 2:03A. and four or
five in the press box caught the time at
2:0312 The time is Enthusiastically cor
rect and Robert ]. is a turf king.
Alix the sweet little mare in the Sails
bury stables, also performed a remark
able mile. trotting IL in 2:05h, lowering
the track record and equaling her own.
Fantasy was sent a mile and lowered
her record half a second. In the first
heat OF the 2:20 class pace Anderson
Belle. a brown stallion. valued at IS. 000
and owned by H. c. Sanders of Chenille.
o., dropped dead in the stretch of heart
trouble. The last of the races will oc-
cur tomorrow. and the most historical
race meeting ever held in Indiana will
close. Summaries:
First race, 2:2O class, pacing. purse 5000
NNN