The Portland daily press., 1894-10-04
A GREAT STALLION RACE.
Directum Has a Somewhat Easy
Victory.
LOWERS THE TROTTING RECORD
FOR NEW ENGLAND.
The Third Heat In 2. .OS 1-4-A Fair Attend-
ance Considering the Weather-Brief
Sketch of Mr.. Hickok, Directum's
Driver-Other Features of the Day.

aHce considering Cne WedCner-ErieI
Sketch of Mr.. Hickok, Directum's
Driver-Other Features of the Day.
The day OF the greatest horse race that
Maine ever saw and the greatest stallion
record that New England ever knew
dawned cloudy and chilly and remained SO,
the afternoon being colder than the fore
! noon, also quite a stiff breeze made Rfgby
Park an uncomfortable and unattractive
place, under the other conditions. The two
wonderful horses proved superior to the
weather and fine audience, estimated at
over 1900 people, had assembled by two
o'clock.
The grand stand was nearly half full,
which is really crowded condition con-
sidering the usual situation this sesaon.
| The private boxes were we'll filed and
| prominent in the Presidents box was the
large figure of Hon. Thomas B. Reed.
| sAt a little after two O'Clock sthe two
great stations came on to the track to-
| gether.
| Both had been warming up around the
| track at intervals since noon, more than
usual, perhaps. because of the cold wealth
er. When Nelson was uncovered and his
| owner took his Seat on the sulky there was
| noble horse always excites.
| Nelson drew.the pole and the third time
down, the s'go'' was given. Despite the
breezs the pace was fast fromsthe very first
with Nelson in the lead. The quarer was
reached in 81 L. the half in l.o3 l-2 and
| the third quarter in 1.35 3-4, with Directum
Just at Nelson's wheel all the time. Then
the little black horse began to creep up
and down the -home stretch, gained faster
and faster and passed under the wire a
length ahead in 2. 10, which was considered
good, time, because of the wind and cold
| weather.
| The heat resulted as was generally ex.
| pected, Directum going by on the home
| stretch without apparent effort. Thessec-
ond heat was slower, but rather better than
| the first as spectacle. Nelson closed up
| at the first quarter and headed the black
horse on the second and from there to
the home stretch the two beautiful trotting
machines came around like span. Near
| the wire Directum shot ahead and finished
a winner by a half length in 2.13 Ia BY
this time any lingering hope that anyone
might have cherished that the Maine horse
might by some possibility win the,race must
have vanished. 1t was too evident that Di-
/ rectum was not even hurrying4and that he
| completely outclassed his opponent There
| is big difference between II years and
| five years. Before the first heat the pools
WIRE selling at figures like $40 to $l2 and
$50 TO Slu in favor of Directum but after
the first heat it was dinicult to get a taker
at $3.50 TO 81, though one man did risk his
| 81 to that extent.
| In the third heat Direotum was allowed
to show what he could do. Nelson was at
his wheel till the half but then Directum
| drew a length ahead. At the third quarter
/ he was three or four lengths ahead and
| when he paced under the wire i'll 2.0S IA,
( Nelson was so far behind that he was pulled
down and the beautiful Maine stallion, that
everyone loves" as one man said, simply
ambled to the wire, completely outclassed.
There were loud cheers for Directum. Not
only WAS that last heat, as spectacle of
| wonderful, perfect trotting worth the price
| of admission, but the time made beat all
previous New England trotting records.
| OF couse all the odds were against Nelson
| his driver being much overweight and him.
| self more than twice as old Directum
and more or less worn out, but he is still
great horse and trotted a splendid race and
never did nobler or handsomerssanimal
go before a sulky.
As far as beauy is concerned he is as much
superior to Drectum as the latter is superb
or to him in speed and gait and general
trotting abilities.
The difference between the two stations
was noticeably shown in the fact, as Mr.
| Hickok, himself said. that Directum could
maintain the rapid pace and even increase
it throughout the mile. On the first quar-
l loI,- f+1,o
going just about as fast as Directum could
go but in the last half the Maine horse
could not maintain the rapid pace while
the Californian could and even might in
crease it.
/ In the last heat when Directum was
urged ahead to make the rapid time of
2.OS Ia the splendid animals intelligence
was demonstrated. He knew well enough
that it was not necessary for him to do his
best to beat Nelson and did not want to
| leave the latter on the half, Mr.. Hickok
being obliged TO urge him forward. But in
a real contest where he must fight to win
| he knows it and fights.
| Although Mr.Hickok praises the track as
exceedingly well built.and very fast it is too
hard altogether to suit him. He told Seth
| Griffin that it sored his horses feet and
| must sore others. He called .attention to
| the fact that the ringing hoof beats can be
heard all the way round on the back side
| of the track and said that they ought not
to be heard that distance. He should pre-
fer thin cushion OF soft material on top
| of the hard clay to deaden its.effect upon
the. horses hoofs.
| His extreme carefulness of Directum was
shown when in driving up to have his num-
Der put on his. arm, he dolared that he want
ed them put on before that as he did not
want that horse to stand still an instant
in the cold wind.
The proposed race between Directum
and AlIx he thinks will probably take place
in Boston.
Following is the time of the three heats:
First-31 1-2, 1.C6 l-2, 1.35 3-4, 2.10.
Second-33 IA. LOS 1-2, 1.39 l-2, 2.13 IA.
Third-32 ga, 1.04 Ia, 1.36, 2.0s IA
The other races of the afternoon we've of
course of minor Importance, but neverthe-
less interesting. Six of the nine CENTRES
started in. the $50 class.
| in,