The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-29
MAUD SIS BIRTHDAY.
Twenty Years Old This Week and She
Lives Happily i'm BOnner's Pastures.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Maud s., long the queen of the trotting,
for the mile over an elliptical track by
trotter using the old high-wheel sulky, will
be twenty years old on March %, 1894. 1t
is nearly ten years since she made her Ia
nous record, and it is almost half that
time since she has been really Speeded,
though Honest John Murphy, who handled
her after Baird had retired, is reported to
have sent the beautiful queen of the turf
a mile in PIP when he thought he Just
jogging" and was amazed when he learned
the time.
For three years Maud S. has done moth
ing of which the public has heard, and most
of that time she has been playing about
field at Robert Bonner's fine farm at Tar
rytown on the Hudson. About a year ago
Mr. Bonner had the Queen taken up and
she was turned out to grass, and it is hard
ly probable that she will ever be driven
regularly again, though in many respects
she is as good as when she made her rec
ord at Cleveland in 1884.
1t is thrty-Seyen years since Robert Bon
ner. finding that health had gone while
money and success came in abundance, be-
gan the practice of buying the speediest
developed trotterS of the country, retiring
them from campaigning TO the quiet Of his
farm and devoting their ma tchleSS speed to
his pleasure as n horseman or to trials for
records, but never for purses. In success
sion he has owned the record holders Dex,
Sunol, 2:OSA over kite track. Better time
than that of either Maud S. or Sunol has
cycle sulky came into use, two years ago.
but Mr. Bonner holds-and no one has
shaken his belief-that no horse ever, under
over an elliptical track faster than Maud
S. has done or beat SunoPs performance
over a kite-shaped track.
Maud 5. was the successor of the mag
nificent st. Julian, who lowered the record
to 2:11A. She was foaled March 2S, 1874, and
was bred by A. j. Alexander, at Woodburn
farm, Spring Station, KY. She was sired by
Harold, the sire of Noontide, 2:2013, and her
dam was Miss Russell, the dam of Nut
wood, 2:1Ss4, by Pilot. jr. Harold was by
Rysdick's Hambletonian. At two years of
age Maud s. was sold to Mr.. Bugher, of
Cincinnati, who kept her until his death,
when she went to Captain Stone for $3.50
The young mare evinced great fondness for
children, and became a great pet of Capt.
Stones little daughter Maud. She was
named Maud s. in honor of her little mis-
tress. The future queen developed phenom-
email speed in her early trials, and was sold
to W. H. Vanderbilt. who had keen ap-
vanderbilt paid 1000 II for Maud S. pref ret
ty fair advance upon the $3.50 the mare cost
Captain Stone But when Robert Bonner
1884. he had to draw his check for $4,000 to
get her.
The mare began TO be recognized as a
world beater in July, 1889, when y her six
year-old form she made q mark of 21Sl2.
In September of that year she trotted a
Julian. In July. 1881. she made the mile in
driven by w. w. Bair, she placed the rec
ord at 210A Intense interest was felt in
this last performance. and at the time set
for the trial fully thirty thousand people
were at the track to see the mare go
against the record. After the usual warm
ing-up heat, Bair nodded for the word, and
the famous trotter was of like flash, go
ing steady as a church. AS the marvellous
piece of living mechanism went to the quar-
ter hundred watches caught the time. At
the half it was clear that she was likely to
make a new mark. and as she swung into
the stretch and came for the wire the
tense interest was something fearful. When
she crossed the line and il was known that
the great feat was accomplished the sup
pressed enthusiasm burst forth in the wild
est demonstrations. Men went half crazy
with excitement, and one highly-wrought
woman out and throwing her arms
around the horse gave her a hearty kiss.
That record of 2:10L stood untouched I'M
til Aug. 1, 1884, when the redoubtable Jay
Eye See clipped a quarter second from il,
and for one short day wore the laurel, only
to lose it again to the famous Maud S.
gust, 1884, and twice after that she lowered
her own and the worlds record. On Nov.
IL of that year. after careful preparation at
Lexington, KY, she established a new rec
ord of 2:09h. She was sent for a record
again the following year, and at Cleveland.
When Mr.. Bonner was satisfied that not
only was Moud SIS record unbeaten, but
that it would not be, his great hope con-
corning the noble animal was that ne
might live to see in her descendants the
long-sought two-minute trotter. or the
nearest approach to 1t that could be pro-
duced. Maud s. was bred twice to Ansel
seems improbable that Mr.. Bonner's wish
will be gratified.