The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-12
GREAT FEAT or ALIx.
She Fails to Lower the Worlds Rec
ord hut Cuts Down Her own.

as equally centered in the performance
of Alx as in the match race between
Robert j. and Joe Patchen. Every time
Driver Mcdowell appeared on the track
with the little trotter they were greeted
with cheers. At 4:3O o'clock the event
was called and AliX made her appear
ance TO go against the worlds trotting
record Of 2:04 held by the famous Nancy
Hanks
The great crowd was eager for the trial
The appetites Of those present had been
whetted by the performance Of Rober. ]
i'm the first heat of the great match race
The spectators knew from the previous
performances Of the day that the track
was all right and confidence rested su-
preme in the mare. The crowd was
doomed 70 disappointment. however, 50
far as lowering the worlds record was
concerned. The disappointment was all
through an accident unavoidable and yet
most unfortunate. The great little actor
cast a shoe just after passing the quar-
ter and Mr.. Mcdowell made the mistake
Of sending her for the mile She acted
superbly TO the distance stand, when, af-
ter completing a worlds record clip to
this point she left her feet and finished
in 2:O7A
1t was 4;4O O'Clock when Starter Walk
er gave the word at a nod from Nc
Dowell after two scores. The sun was
low in the sky, and every condition favor
ed the great daughter Of Patronage in
her trial to lower the colors of Nancy.
Towards the east she went at a merry
clip and reached the quarter in 81
Every eye was on her as she made the
turn into the back stretch. Il was here
that she cast her shoe. but not a man in
the whole stand noticed a swerve or a
false movement. To the half the formid-
able rival Of Nancy Hanks moved out In
a manner 10 convince the immense throng
that the long standing 2;O4 was to be a
matter of history. The stride was kept
up to the quarter, but in the stretch the
game little mare disappointed the vast
thr0ng. Nearing the distance stand she
swerved her neck and Mcdowell could not
and in an instant was off her stride and
there lost her opportunity of the day for
gratifying the wishes of her owners and
thousands of spectators.
Every person in the immense throng
was In sympathy with Mcdowell and his
pet. and this sympathy was expressed
openly in the "Oh" that passed over the
crowd
The Crowd BreathIess.
1t had been as still as though not a sou,
was on the ground. From the stand the
request for the strictest quietude had
come, and it was compiled with. The ex-
preston Of disappointment at the failure
of the sweet little mare was thus all the
more noticeable because of this.
ment of the time. tod the cause of the
break and said that another attempt
would be made to cut the record later i'm
the afternoon. 1t was received by the
crowd with enthusiasm. and there was
not a person but that hoped that the
fame of the little trotter would be in
creased.
1t was $40 when the gates swung open
to admit AliX TO the track. The course
had been cleared and the surface
smoothed down. The mare did not show
any WEAKNESS from her previous record
and there was hope that she might sue
coed.
The crowd had seen 2:O21k paced and it
was ready for anything from Alix and
hoped for the best.
Andy Mcdowell was as anxious as was
the crowd and he nodded for the word
after once scoring. There was never a
start made more auspiciOusly, but at
the eighth Andy was hugging the fence
and AliX went TO a break Back she
came for another trial, and this time got
away luckily. She moved in a graceful
stride and held her feet beautifully. The
quarter was reached in :9Os and the
half I'm 1:02. She'll beat it! She'll beat
itr' cried out a number of enthusiasts.
but going to the half it was but a 2:04
gait. Everybody pulled for her. and at
the three-quar5ers she was caught at
Log.
It was a great race down the stretch,
the old runner driven by Mike Bower
man setting a good clip. 1t was not
speedy enough, however. for the worlds
record. but she lowered her own mark
from 2:05 and tied Nancy's mark of 1899
made on the same track
AIix Against the Worlds Troftfup
Record-2:O4.
Alix, m, Patronage (AIcDowelD. >
Time by nuarters-:20al 1.n2 / 90 o.niai