The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-11

Fastest animal that Ever Wore Harness
tering A:oug in Very Slow Races and
Considered Of Very Little Value, Being
Sold Once for Little Over Two Hun
dred Dollars.
Philadelphia, Sept. I0.-When the
light harness steppefs complete their
engagements at Philadelphia this week
another grand circuit campaign Will
have closed. So far as the horses are
concerned the series has been a most
brilliant one. At every point, with the
exception of Rochester, track records
nave been lowered or miles covered n
exhibitions that surpassed those of for
mer years. Last season Rochester
held the speed honors of the whole line
when Robert j. starred TO beat his own
mark Of 2:052 and reduced it to 2:0i1..
This same wonderfully consistent per-
Former started in at Saginaw about
eight weeks ago ana paced a mile in
e:oS, following it by one in 2:G2 at De-
troll. These still stand as the swift
est flights in harness this year, though
their merits were soon forgotten when
the champion met his Waterloo at
Cleveland and once more fell victim
to Joe Patchen's' prowess at Buffalo.
Since then Robert J. has won back mis-
lost laurels as a race horse and by
every test continues to be the premier
Of the e;slky
~ was peculiarly appropriate that
Robert j. should retrieve his fallen for
tunes IN the metropolis. Though he
had earned a record of 2:G2 against a
held IF trottars ldte in 1881 It was not
till tbs Following spring that the little
pater came into prominence He was
then owned al Villa msport, Pa, and
Joined the early circuit al Belmont
Park, Philadelphia, during the last
week IN may. a very ordinary look
ing animal was this under-s+zed bay
seiding, with his knees so ba dly sprung
1t amounted almost to a deformity His
appearance was quite IN keeping with
his race duality on that occasion, for
the ftrst heat found him on the wrong
side OF the distance flag, although the
mile was only in 2:20. The man who
mad charge Of this unpromising bit of
horsefesh did not despair after this re-
verse, for the nervous little PAGER had
shown him plenty of speed in his work
et home. Cham Brown. as this
Trainer is Familiarity known TO the turf
mad developed the gelding after he was
presented To him by Robert ]. C. Wal
ker. millionaire fancier OF William
sport Mr.. Walker owned the mare
Geraldine, by Jay Gould, and had mat
Cd her with his stallion Hartford. a
Weil-bred son of Harold, the sire of
Maud S. The produce was so I'M
worthy Of his arist0cratic lineage that
ne was sent to Al auction sale \ Phila-
deipllia. where no one but Brown him
self. who handled Mr.. Walkers stock.
Ea1 any faith in his future When
the trainer bid $3.50 for the wretched-
looking youngSter ana went back home
with him the rich man who bred him
refused TO accept the money The
Single success that season in his first I
race. already referred to, attracted no
attention. and after the failure at
Belmont Park il seemed like foolish
ness to continue paying entrance fees
on that sort of a performer. So it
was when Brown brought his cheap
looking PAGER to Fleetwood Park and |
started him June 1 in the 2:2i class no |
one except the driver considered Rob |
ert j. as a factor in the race. This |
adverse opinion soon changed when the |
uespised member Of the field made the |
fdVOrite, Glendsnnis, step the first |
heat in 2l914. and the second one in |
e114. Following up this attack with |
another strong bid for the third heat. /
the leader succumbed and Robert ).
won the third heat in 2:2f15. The con- |
quest Of Glendennis was an easy one
after that. for the stallion became 50 1
distressed he could only so one more |
nils, and that night he died.
The story as commonly told is to the
effect that C. ]. Hamlin, who owned |
Glendennis, at once proceeded to Sc
sure the horse that hdt beaten him. |
rs matter OF fact, week passed be- |
fore rs decided 10 purchase Robert J. |
Meantime the circuit had moved to Al |
oany, where the gelding won another |
slow-class in straight heats without |
having To 50 faster than 2:2iii- See |
ing th2,t his farm at New York was Sis |
tanned by the race al Island Park. /
Hamlin asked a price on the PAGER. as !
he was in sore need Of one 10 fill the /
enSagem ents Intended for Glendennis. |
Brown wanted to dispose of the mare /
Geraldine 2t-the same time. and at $..- |
SEQ Robert J. and his dam became the !
property Of the Buffalo breeder. With |
ai his theories about blood lines and |
q lifetime experience with light 1aG'- |
ness stock. Hamlin had never been able |
II produce anything that approached !
the flyer whose possession was almost |
forced on him by the eNigency Of the 1
hour. Robert ]. earned worldwide |
fame during the next three years, but |
until his visit last month had not re- |
turned II the scene of his first triumph |
in New York. In that time his speed |
had increased twenty-One seconds from 1
what he had scored at Fleetwood Park. |
Ecre important to the turfman who |
had the good fortune to stumble on |
this prize is the large amount the cham |
pi0n has earned. last season alone |
yielding little over sec. 600. Even the |
reveEscs at Cleveland and Buffalo did |
rot entail much loss. the former max |
ing a difference Of 500 as between first |
and second money n purse Of $4,000. |
while at Buffalo not q dollar was up. |
ana the match with Joe P2tchen |
brought the most profitable crowd Of |
the meeting. In snort. Robert J. has /
been a souca Of revenue to his present !
owner from the day he purchased him. 1
and being once more on tep. he viii |
continue n be valuable until new
champion arises.
Besides the notable feats by the top
sawyer several Ct the minor Champion |
ships have been changed during the /
march from Michigan u the sea. The
first even. eff this kind occurred At De- |
tleit, where Angle y. set the mark Tor |
pacing mares Al 2:o7. Much more i'm |
ro~tant we're the do;pgS % AZCte. who /
had previously secured the record for |
t-ottins SeldinSS by his heat in 2:oIl4 |
a. La Crosse. Wis. just before the |
grand circuit began. He reduced this |
TO 2:osls al Cleveland IN such impress |
sIve stv,e tEat the highest honors were |
deemed within the reach OF CALIFORNIA;
latest marvel in the way OF herseflesh.
Having AK in his stable as wei. /
Monroe Salisbury was in NJ hurry 10 /
iath-ore the mare. and Azots WAS not /
sent any faster than was necessary -
win his RACES. The only indCcement
e.. c--.t:.,cr IL ..,lnssni f-arrar- in.lss