The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-23
John II. Gentry Defeated I'm straight
terday i'm 2sO5 Ia, 2s07, 2so7 Ia.
WIND BLEW A SEMI-GALE
YET ONE QUARTER WAS EASILY
PACED AT A Two-MINUTE GAIT.
No Records Broken by Either CycIeP
johnson or Queen Alix at Roches-
ter--2s06 Trot Won by Asote.

CHICAGO. Aug. 22.-Joe Patchen to-day
won the great match race against JohE
r. Gentry in straight heats. The race took
place or the famous Washington Park
track, but as a wind that amounted al
most to a gale blew all afternoon sea-
sational performance was out OF the ques-
ton The three heats were covered in
2:O5l., 2:O7h. 207i4. Nevertheless. the~sun-
test is regarded as one OF the most inn
portant that has taken place on the trot-
ting or pacing turf Patchen's victory was
decisive and seems to put his claim TO
first place among harness racers beyond
dispute. Twelve thousand people the
race, and the fact that betting was pro.
hi5ited did not deter the crowd from
showing a degree of enthusiasm that Is
seldom excelled at a horse race.
Gentry was undoubtedly a slight favorite
in the public well-wishers, but Patchen
was cheered just the same. In what little
betting there was outside OF the track.
Gentry also ruled favorite at about 10 TO
8. At the end OF the second heat old
time horsemen were pronouncing IL the
greatest race in history. In these two
miles Gentry was close contestant. and
so, considering what was at stake. the
contest was regarded as unprecedented.
But the third heat went TO the big black
so easily that veterans were disposed 10
qualify their opinion as TO the pre-emi-
nence of the race.
The start of the race advertised TO be
at 2:3o. was delayed in the hope that the
wind might die down. II was blowing
strong from the western prairies. which
had robbed IL OF its invigorating quan-
ties. so that the conditions in every way
were against a good time performance.
But at 3:l5 the two giants OF speed were
called upon the track, although there had
been no decrease in the gale. Curry and
McHenry, the drivers. stood in the center
of the track and tossed a coin for ad-
vantage Of positions. Curry won and thus
got the pole. While appearances do not
count for great deal i'm the case OF
horses. Patchen's looks were so decidedly
better that il caused misgivings in the
minds OF Gentry's supporters. Patchen ap-
peared full of life and spirit. Gentry
looked tired. and when they scored for the
first time. Patchen clearly showed more
speed Gentry broke on the second at
tempt and acted ugly.
They were sent away on the fifth score
together Patchen moved slightly away
and for over a quarter of a mile led by
nearly length. the first quarter being
80 On. the second quarter they had the
wind at their backs and raced the distance
in :30lz. Nearing this pole Gentry began
TO crawl up and his friends tore sections
out Of the grand stand when he went past
Patchen at the far turn as IL IL was no
trouble at all. The third quarter was COW
cred in 80 seconds fiat-the fastest OF the
race On the turn into the stretch Gentry
still led by length or more and his sup
porters were buoyant, but on the way TO
the wire the crowd was surprised TO see
Patchen, without being touched by the
whip. come up on the outside and on his
own gameness beat Gentry out by a good
length. Neither horse was touched by the
whip in this race and IL looked TO be q
fair test of their speed.
LONG. FURIOUS DRIVE.
In the next heat McHenry let Patchen
go out and set the pace all around 20 the
stretch Then ensued long and furious
drive. McHenry using tine whip severely
On Gentry, who overcame all but about
three feet OF the two lengths difference
that had separted them at the head OF
the strerch- But Patchen had both speed
and endurance. and won. Time by quar-
ters-:sss4. s2. 3ils. 30ik Never did horse
show greater gameness than Gentry ds-
played in this quarter For a quarter Of
nerve and being apparently in distress all
the way. yet never once d!d he show the
slightest inclination to break
The third heat was easy all the way for
Patchen. who led and won by two
lengths. Time by quarters-:sls.. s2A. slis
S1%.
The only explanation offered after the
race by driver Mcaenry and owner Scott
was that their horse was not in condition.
I'VE made a mistake they said. 'n not
sending him to. Cleveland after the Free
port races. The otner horse was on edge:
ours was not"
Colonel Taylor. owner of Patchen. said:
81 knew that my horse could beat him
any part OF IL from one hundred yards to
a mile. Had the race to-day been on the
Terre Haute track. with wind. the first
heat would have been in less than two
minutes"
Both horses will go TO Fleetwood Park
| to race next week. An attempt is being
made TO get a match between Joe Patchen
ami Fidol here on Saturday. II this is not
done Patchen may go against time.
| Only one race in addition TO the special
was completed. That was the three-year-
old trot in which Pat l.. surprised tho
experts by losing a fve-heat argument to
Abnet Pat l.. made a fatal break in the
last heat. Both the 2:i2 pace and the 30
/ trot were incomplete. A great surprise
was sprung In the former when Susie c..
the property Of /. z. Lambert, OF En-
poria, Kan, took the second and third
/ heats handily. Summaries:
Breeders stakes; for three-year-olds; 2.25
trot: purse, 1900
| Abnet br T. by Ambas-
sador tBassetD ...-...-.-
Pat L.. b. n. Q-ash)......