Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-25

senger family, and buyers OF line STOCK
would remember her as an ideal trotter.
Her clean, flint-like legs, large eyes,
splendid head, long neck, wide nostrils,
short back and splendid STILES, arms,
joints and feet stamped her as one con-
tanning plenty of thoroughbred blood.
There never was any doubt in my mind
regarding a thoroughbred foundation in
this Let's Mare. The colt was not
large; he stood about 10 hands when
grown, and was perfect model of
beauty, style and conformation. | had
more pleasure with him than any horse
ever owned. and have had horses since
1880. His disposition was faultless and
his intelligence almost approached the
marvellous.
When he was three years old | went
after him, and as | determined to send
him by boat to Chicago, the captain of
the vessel refused at first to take HIM on
board, for he said the horse appeared to
be too valuable, and if anything hap
pened he would be held liable for more
money than he cared to pay. | saw the
mate and soon made arrangements with
the two officers to take the lively young
ster along. When the boat arrived at
Chicago. after voyage of nearly 400
miles, you can imagine my surprise to
see the colt standing among a bunch of
horses, nine on each side of him, without
having a scratch.
drove the colt around the roads in
Chicago and found him to be a very
pleasant driver. | then began to look
around for a race for him, and in 1850
the horse was then a four-year-old--I
entered him in race for stations which
was to take place at Milwaukee, Wis. |
brought the horse there, and as soon as
applied for stalls the secretary, who was
looking over the list of entries, noticed
my name, and looking up said:
"Mr. McCracken, haven't you made
mistake? Your horse is only four years
old, and the youngest one of the others
contrasting for the purse is six years old.
Are you not afraid your horse will lose?
He is so very young"
replied: If do not think they will
have much the best of him."
The secretary then said: "By the way,
Mr.. McCracken, you have never sent in
the name of the horse:"
replied; "You can put down Billy
McCracken in your book. I'm not afraid
he will disgrace the name"
The race was peculiar one, from the
fact that each horse started alone, and
the one that made the mile the fastest
was declared the winner of the purse.
The track was very heavy; there was
about four inches of soft clay on top,
and the teams had been cutting it up for
week. Billy McCracken was the last
one of the nine TO start, and much to the
surprise of all the horsemen there, the
little fellow trotted the mile eight sec
onds faster than any one of those who
trotted before HIM. Otis Dimmick, the
well-knOwn, old-time driver, handled the
ribbons over Billy, and a prouder man
you never saw in your life than he.
At Oshkosh, Wis, the following win
ter sharp horseman brought a horse
there, ''ringer," with which he intended
to make 'klling," as they say now
adays. This horse was fixed up to the
queens taste; his four white legs were
dyed, and the blaze in his face was also
touched up by an artist. With the horse
came coterle of innOcent-looklng men,
and soon after match was made be-
tween the Unknowl and Billy McCrack-
en-. The race was to be sleighs on the
lake. The amount put up was 5000
side, and no better advertised race ever
took place in Wisconsin.
When the day for the great event ar
rived the weather was bitter cold, but
that did not deter the hardy horsemen
and their friends from coming in sleighs
and on foot to see the race. ! drove
Billy and won the race with ease. A
large amount of money changed hands,
and more crestfallen lot of sure-thing
men never shufiied through the snow out
of town.
trotted Billy McCracken in several
races after that and he never was de-
feated. lie was a very square trotter,
needing no boots. He was very strong
finisher, and could always be relied upon
at the end of the mile. He never knew
what it was to be ugly in temper, and
none of his progeny, as far as | know,
were ever cross or wicked. They in
herited his good sense and seemed to take
delight in doing their best on all occas-
ions. A whip was never necessary for
him.
My brother, j. G. McCracken, started
for California in 1860 with his horse
Black Hawk and then wrote me to follow.
| took Dave Hill and Billy McCracken to
New York and put them on the steamer,
and with them | came via Panama to