The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-22
GENTRY AND pArCHEN-,'G0s'

The Race Royal at Chicago To- Day
A Little Chat Yesterday With Mr..
Plnmmer Bachelor on the Tar Heel
Wind-SpIitter as Compared With His
AutagOn st-InterestinG and Tech
meal Survey of the Situation
en- May Have the Best of il when
Keyed up in "A Race-But the Result
is Most Largely Dependent Upon
Condition The Breeding of the
World Beaters-A Difference of a
Quarter of a Second in RecOrd-MT.
Bachelor Thinks Betting on Such "A
Tight Fight Would be Too Much Like
GambIing-But Look Out Later for
FidOl-The Track-StruggIe of Gem
fury.
All the lovers of horsedom in North
Carolina to day will turn their eyes to
the windy city where hurricane will
parallel hurricane in the great contest of
the mile makers, Gentry and Patchen.
Gentry's foot may stamp the seal of
North Carolina upon the worlds racing
record, having the die hard blood Of
Belmont" against the great brood mare
strain of Mambrino Patchen.
Both are more than worthy of their
forbears one being a grandson and the
other great grandson of the great
George Wilkes.
If man, "said Mr. Plummer B4tche-
lor yesterday" could know to a dead
certainty to morrow morning whether
Gentry or Patchen would be hailed king
when the sun went down, he need not
on Thursday night take back seat to
Vanderbilt. If both horses. are Just
right it will be the race of a century, and
at this distance | can not see that the
friends of either horse have any great
reason to think they have a mortgage on
victory. 1t is true that on their races
to date Gentry looks to have the black
horse safe but--put this "but" with a
big big b But | Gm strictly of opinion
that horse can not be keyed up for his
supremest efforts except in races and
this is where am afraid Patchen has
the best of it, Ia other words -the
horses are so evenly matched that in my
Judgment the race is mere question Of
the relative condition of toe two.
In breeding, the horses are considera-
bly, alike, one being a grandson and the
other a great grandson of the great
George Wilkes. But while Patchen
takes the great brood mare strain of
Manbrico Patchen, through old Betty
Brown, the greatest of his daughters,
Gentry gets back to Queer Dido and
brings in the die-hard blood of Belmont
through Hollywood, probably, bar Pam
leo, the gamest of the strain. In addi-
ton to this, Damn Wood, the dam Of
Gentry, has thrown two other great
horses, and so, on breeding, the Caro-
linian should be the better horse.
''In record, there is only the difference
of a quarter of a second, and while Gen
try's record was taken in a race and
Patchen's was an exhibition, it must not
be forgotten that Patchen was very close
to Robert J. when he paced mile even
faster than Gentry. But / might talk a
week and the whole thing world Just
amount TO what l have already said q
question of condition
eff / were at Chicago tomorrow /
would Just get the best seat could find
in the grand stand, and | would watch
every wiggle they made and | would not
bet cent on either horse, it would be
too much like gambling.
lone thing is certain. If Patchen does
not beat Gentry tomorrow, the dollars
to dough-nuts he never will beat him
And this is the only thing / am certain
Of about the race.
"By the way, do you remember when
we talked over the last race l mildly
suggested that Gentry aud Patchen
might both have to reckon with Fidol
before either Of them reigned supreme 2
And do you notice that while McHenry
and Curry are hunting each other, Meth
er has expressed any over weenning de
sire for Fidol's custom You mark what
I say, when Gentry, Patchen, Robert j.,
and Fidol meet, moreof them will finish
behind FIdol than finish before him"