Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-09-14

youngsters. AT Terre Haute we saw
the race record for two-year-old stall
lions twice reduced by Boreal and Oak
land Baron and at the same meeting we
saw the three-year.old pacing record
cut to 2:l0 by Whrligig. Anon at the
same Hoosier meet we were intro luced
to Alix in her true colors when she trot-
ted three phenomenal heats, the average
of which was :05 g. And not the
least of the many interesting things we
have this season seen was the expression
on the faces of many of the inhabitants
of that bonnie town when Monroe
Salisbury and Andy Mcdowell asked
that distance be waived in order that
they might send AliX fast heat. The
idea of anyone asking that distance be
waived when Pxley was in the race had
never entered the heads of some persons
who are now wiser if sadder. But the
distance was waived and after some
twelve or thirteen scores Alix got the
word, spread-eagled the field and went
the fastest third heat on record in 2:051.
We had never known AliX; we know
her now to be the greatest trotter yet
before the public. Since that memora-
bic day she has twice trotted III the
same notch, but Gil cumstances have
been against her on each occasion q.
There is every reason to believe that
] y gi tn hot
we have gained we shall have to record
at least a faster mark for the mare Don
Donnan first dubbed "Sweet little Alix,"
if not a new one for all the world.
PAGERS of the first rank we have seen
galore. Joe Patchen, John II. Gentry.
Rubenstein, Ed Easton, Moonstone,
Star Pointer, Rowdy Joe, Vassar and a
score more have flashed upon us, some
yet more brilliant as the season wanes.
We have seen, or are about to see the
final retirement of the perennial Johns
ton, the best PAGER ever foaled, if re-
tention of speed for many years may be
taken as any criterion to Judge by in
these Kaleidoscope days. For a decade
and half the gallant bay gelding has
been in the foremost rank-first of all
the PAGERS, and then of those which
make the half-mle tracks the scenes of
their triumphs and defeats. Grand old
Johnston, I'VE may never see your like
again" Track records all over the
country have fallen like rain and new
ones have arisen in their stead so far
advanced as scarcely to be within hail
ing distance of the old ones. Johnston
did his share IN this good work early in
the season, and later both tlOtters and
PAGERS have borne their share of the
battles brunt. The youngsters scattered
here and there in all the odd corners OF
the country are displaying wonderful
speed. If a man had said six or sever
years ago that yearlngs and twO-year
olds would have to trot and pace at thu
rate of 20 and 2:25 to win hundred
dollar purses lie would have been Sc
down as non cOmpOs mentis. But tina
is now the case. and even at meetings
where still smaller purses are offered the
colts have to travel faster than woulC
have enabled them to win almost any o
the biggest stakes for their age tina
length of time ago.
The associations, likewise, have don,
their share of the good work of advance
ment. The Detroit Driving Club has
expended S250,0O0 in their new track anC
plant, raising from dismal swamp thu
hest trottng track in the world. Every
where Improvements have been made
New stands have been built, old ones fur
bshed up, and in general everything
connected with the trotting tracks hat
taken on an appearance of great prospect
ty. Buffalo held her two weeks meeting
again, and marked up the usual profit
Few failures or great losses have beer
recorded-hardly one of any account
Everywhere have great crowds assem-
bled to witness the races, and hOrsemel
generally have made more money thar
in either of the last two campaigns. AL
SOllS VI llllONdllOilS nave DcCU lIlcu
some to be rejected, others to be retained
and improved for future use. Thc
Northwestern Breeders association gave
a glorious meeting, at which Directly
the little black son OF the little black
rascal Direct paced his mile in 100
installing himself champion two-year-old
PAGER, and ranging alongside Arion
the poor day and unequal track making
up the difference between the high and
pneumatic wheels. We have seen deci-
ded the greatest stake in point of value
the trotters have ever competed for.
The Horseman, the Terre Haute aud the
Nutmeg stakes were all of great value,
and still there are more of the same class
to be decided at Terre Haute and LeXing-
ton. In connection with this matter we
saw Hickok bring Oft his long expected
coup, and no one is sorry that the turf