The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-16


| ers. a breeder. and up TO tn. time that
| he discovered the merits OF the Atlanta
| hlly the turf had no charms for him.
| Even after Alix had made her debut at
| two years and taken a record OF 2.i5 IL
| her new owners only kept her in train
| ing b cause they desired to increase her
value by public performance.
A further proof Of their .nexperience
| was furnished during the next season.
when they subjected the flly to a cam
| Ta'gn that lasted from June 10 Septen,-
Der. and included no less than eleven
races and two miles against time. This
was H. ths day q the high-wneeled sui
ky. and to an ordinary 3-ye1--old would
probably h1ve been fatal 10 future USE
fulness Indeed. Alix herself was colsid-
erably affected by this tremendous draft
on her vitality. and it was not TIL the
bicycle sulky came to her rescue that
she was heard from again. Then. with
the bdllbearing axle and pneumatic tire
to relieve the load. she was able 10 start
at her home I'm Kenosha. Wis. Iate in Al
gust 1897 and twice lower he record OF
2l6 IA, made the previous season 10 III
cd style of sulky.
SICK IN HER NINE-HEAT RAcT.
Though Alx ended her campaign at 4
years by securing the record for that age,
quette who had trotted in 2lO at Rich
mond. Ind. before she covered tha track
at Nashville I'm the same time. che filled
but one race engagement that season
She began the next year very badly, Sole
" because she was i'm no condition 10
carry her speed. and only through her
marvellous powers Of recuperatlon was
she able to redeem her credit. Morris j.
jones still controlled her, and, according
hi rtrr.c dan
ously III during the long battle OF nine
heats at Chicago. when she won the Co
lumbar purse. and defeated about the
strongest field that ever faced a starter
After the Chicago race Mr.. Jones had
made enough 10 buy the interest OF his
partner. Hayes, and soon after lie made
the mistake of leasing Alix TO some spec
ulatiVc TURTLES. who arranged q match
with DirectunL This contest, which WAS
to have teen trotted at Boston in No
vember, 1923. was prevented by frcst ard
finally came off i'm this city. II turncd
out to be one OF those hippoIrOme aflaiis
designed merely 10 obtain gate money,
and. as AliX was again out OF form. the
close of the season was as bed for her
reputation as the beginning at Buffalo,
where she was distanced.
The honest Westerncr, who had never
lost faith i'm his trotter saw too late the
Trap lllO WulCn lie Idu ldllDlis anu ifdi-
lied that the depreciation in he mares
value, caused by her sorry showing
against Directum, was more than tho sum
ne had received for her services on tins
late tour i'm the East. IL was a lucky lay
for both Alix and her owler when ne
took Salisbury into partnership, and gave
him full charge of her racing Qualities
TIE bargain was, II is understood, made
pretty early last year, but was not con-
summatcd TIL after the July meeting at
Detroit. Since then tho bus,lng old man
from Pleasanton has made f'Ill use Of his
famous charge. and kept her training ali
through the winter. BefoTe he left the
city last November Salisbury said that
hlix would lower the trotfilg record to
2.02 this season, and other admirers Of the
queen express tie belief that she will get
still nearer TO "even time"
MUCH ExpKcTED OF FANTAY.
Within the past few weeks another
school Of prophets has sprung up to sup
Toft the claims of Fant2sy TO tie coveted
honor OF the light harness champion
ship at the diagonal gait. Having scored
a faster mark than any other 3-year-oid,
1t was confidently expected that Fantasy
would also hold the championship among
l-yoaI old trOtters at the close OF 1894.
She started off I'm a promising fashion
last July. during the first week Of the
grand circuit at Saginaw, where d mile 90
2:O9 seemed well within her powers 4
few weeks later Fantasy did an exhibition
mile In 2.Os IL at Buffalo. and followed
this by cutting her record 10 2y07 If at
Rtchos ter. when asked TO beat her new
mark at Chicago later i'm August the tan
hlly failed, though she turned the course
at Washington Park in 2OS Before the
end of that month Fantasy had redeemed
her credit by 4 successful tilt vita the
chronograph at Fort Wayne. where she
trotted in 2.07. Her next appearance Was
at Terre Hsute. and vita the advantage
Ct the suburb footing she n"H over the
four-sided track i'm 2.06. making the last
half in l.02. As the season Of record
breaking was then at it's height it was
generally conceded that before another
had passed Fantasy would eclipse tn
2.05 IA which had made Drectum the sem
satOn OF 1888 Instead Of fulfilling this
expectation the pride OF Buffalo stopped
short and was not asked to go another
mile in public last year.
so many other sensations had been fur
nished by trotters and PAGERS OF all ages
that little or nothing was sal about Fan
tasys disappearance. though the camp
followers of the Western-Southern Cir
cult knew that she had got low in flesh
and far-reaching stride. The Hamins
preserved a discreet silence. and the only
remark that Geers. her trainer. made
when asked when he would gIye another
exhibition with the young mare. was:
Whats the use OF starting her when she
can't beat her record" on mis- return
from California a few days ago, &. j.
Hamlin speaks more hopefully OF his
fastest trotter than at any time since
Fantasy has been i'm the public eye. The
bracing air OF the Pacific Slope has. Il is
claimed worked wonders, and the much
needed flesh has been put on during her
more will be required this season now
that Fantasy has matured than one-sided
contests against time before she can be
considered the superior or cven the peer
Of Alix The latter has raced every sea-
son since she was years old. meeting
all Corners and taking the fortune OF war
as il came and oftentimes against I'M
equal odds. Her younger rival has had the
advantage OF a skillful tutor from the
first. coupled with the combined wisdom
of a trainer and owner who have had a
long and extensive experience on the turf.
Compared with Alix. Fantasy may be
said TO hsve been foaled with the ira
ditional silver spoon. and, while she raced
very crcditable al years. II Will not
do TO rest her fame on a single cam
paicn. series OF matches between these
two mares would be even more attractive
TO the patrons OF the sulky than the pro-
posed contests for Robert J. and Joe