Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-11
CHAMPION. TROTTERS.
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DRIVING
CLUB OF NEW YORK.
pacing Kings and Hcirs to the
Throne Latest performances
wh.. They Have Done and Pros
meets for the Future.

When the Driving Club OF New horA
announced al the close Of its spring meet
ing that II would offer two purses OF s''v"
each for the trotting and pacing cracks
Il excited the establishment OF all good
,uhres. but It did not receive the univer-
saI attention 1t richly deserved. Since the
DAYS when Maud g.. 2OsS-. was queen,
ten years ago, nearly every ASSOCIATION
which offered big free-for-ai purse
barred the champion of the day. hooert
Bonpers peerless mare was barred In
every free-for-all.
When sunol succeeded to the cham
n,onship she was made ineligible. ana
Nancy Hanks C2OD, Directum (2:& I'D
and Alix H:0s 80 have all had the
i,lustrious honor Of exclusion conferred
upon them The managers OK associa-
tions evidently thought that the presence
of such champions would prevent others
from entering.
THE New York club has boldly taken
the bull by the horns. II does not De-
lieye In these rapid days OF advancing
speed that any champion Is inVihc'pie.
nor does 1t believe that the presence OF
the champions in the free-for-alis VIII
scare the young brigade OF champion
seekers from trying conclusions with the
kings and queens should they decioe
to accept the final test OF the race.
The financial courage of the New YORK
club and the value of It's determination
70 give the two greatest races OF the
year is shown by the probability mat
there will not be more than six starters
in each race. So that In each race, so
far as the club is concerned, 1t means a
direct contribution of 5000 OF added
money When IL Is considered that there
IS no pool or bar privileges to be soid al
Fleetwood Park. and that the gate is not
q heavy one, these tw6 purses are de-
cidedIy the most liberals of the year.
The question arises, Who Will compete!
and in II is comprised the longer ques-
ton. Who will be the sensational perform
ers OF 1896? In the light Of the past ana
on the. public form go far shown 1t is pos
sible now to forecast the probable star
performers at both gaits.
Before the trotting queen, AK Coz 3-4),
appeared recently at Red Oak. Ia, ana
trotted mile in 21l, she was looked
upon as invincible, but her mile failed TO
satisfy the critics, and though she trotten
a quarter in 30 l-2 seconds she finished
her mile In such spirltless fashion that
her enemies count her out OF the hunt ior
1885,
In this respect they may be decidedly In
error for Alix has shown remarkably re-
cuperative power. Her career ana form
has also been exceedingly consistent. AS
a two-year-old. after her purchase by
Morris Jones, OF Red Oak. for $500. she
took a record of 2:30. She was one OF the
bright particular stars OF the trottng
turf as 3-year-old, and she iinished the
season with a mark of 2:iG Ia. AS 4
r-cll oh highest nOnOrS
her class. closing the season with a record
of 2l0 which gave her the FLY cham
2ionship at that age.
BRILLIANT CAMPAIGN.
She came out as a 5-year-old and made
he most brilliant campaign of the year,
ner climax being her victory In the Sl5,Voo
Columbian free-for-all at Chicago, which
she won in a battle Of nine heats. one of
which she landed in 207 "a, the racing
champion record Of that time. She placed
the crown upon her handsome head in
1894 at Galesburg. Ill.,, when she trotted In
2OS 3-1, defeating the 2:04 OF Nancy Hanks.
the previous champion. Allx is as game
as a pebble and as handsome as she Is
game. In spite Of the critics she is quite
likely to round into form later on I'm the
season, and if she does she will be well
able TO take care of her championship.
ak stands Is hands high, weighs 80
pounds, and is model of equine beauty
and proportion. Her latest performance
in 2:07 ga shows that she is rounding to
and will soon be at herself
Next to Alix, the horse which IS now
attracting the attention Of all eyes Is
Directum eos Ia, undoubtedly the trot-
ting phenomenon OF the decade. Like
Alix, he was bred by small breeder,
and his debut into the world was not an
nounced with flourish of trumpets.
but, unlike Alix. he did not graduate
through three years of a trotting course
to gain his crown In two sea-
sons he emerged from the ranks
Of obscurity to the undisputed
stallion championship. He made u
brilliant campaign as a 3-year-old, but
as a Agar old ne practically made his
victorious debut In 1898 at Fleetwood Park.
August seth, when in the free-for-ail in
a five-heat race he won In 2:l0. 2l0 1-2. and
2:o9 "a. and at the same track he won
the stallion championship in 2:07. He
capped the climax Of the season at Nash
vile. Tenn, when he won a race In
straight heats in 2:lS ga. 2l4 and 205 IA.
AT Fleetwood Park. In 1898. he defeated
Alix. and at Mystic Park. Boston. 1891,
the great mare defeated him. Should
they meet again this year and both be
tit and well excitement will rise TO fever
heat and each win have host of sup
porters. Directum is an exceedingly plain
looking black horse. and in appearance
and style Is the opposite OF his beautiful
rival.
THREE CANDIDATES.
Kremlin (2O7 80 and Arion (2:07 80 are
supposed to be permanently retired to
the stud, but there are three candidates
at least who will be liable to defeat AliX
and Drectum, or make them beat the
n..ta ,G.ns.
Ryland T. G:07 80. and Azote eos 1-2)
Fantasy Is decidedly New York produc-
ton. as she was bred at East Aurora
n. Y, as Mas her dam before ner. As
3-year-old she took a record of POS "a
and as 4-year-old she trotted In 2N6
thus holding double championship
That she is able to hold her own in any
company is proved by the fact that at Des
Mones. Ia, on June 2lst, she trotted q
mile In 200. going the last half In l:Ol j.,
and the last quarter in go Ia. This per-
Torrance looks as II Fantasy is the pros
pective champion for 1885, and Is made
more likely by the fact that at Minneapo-
lis. MINI, last week in the free-for-all the
New York filly defeated Directum in q
race or five heats. Fantasy was the first
in 209 with Directum second, the latter
winning the second, 2:12 Ia. In the third
Fantasy was again a winner in 2:09, with
Directum pushing her out. Directum wor
the fourth heat in the slow time of 213 l-2
and. distance having been waived, clever
Ed. Geers gave the fily very Easy mile
so that In the fifth heat she came up fresh
and won in ELI IL. But what she would
do with Directum in he was in his 205 l.
form Is a question for the future.
Ryland T.. 207 S-4. Is the gelding cham
pion. He was bred on the ranges Of the
Northwest. and was destined for a cow
boys pony. but developing speed. he even