The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-23
PATCHEN WINS.
WIND PREVENTS A SENSATIONAL
TIME PERFORMANCE.
The Contest Regarded as One of tile
Most Important That Has Taken
Place on the Racing Turf-Grcat
Gameness Shown.

CHICAGO, Aug. 22.-Joe Patchen to-
day won the great match race against
John r. Gentry, in straight heats. The
race took place on the famous Wash
lngton track, but as wind that
amounted to almost a gale blew all
afternoon, sensational time perform
ance was out of the question. The
three heats were covered in 2:05A
2:0714, 2:074.
Nevertheless the contest is regarded
as one of the most important that has
taken place on the trotting 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 saw
the race and the fact that betting was
prohibited did not deter the crowd
from showing a degree of enthusiasm
that is seldom eXcelled at horse race.
Gentry was undoubtedly a slight ia
vorite in the public we'll wishers, but
Patchen was cheered just the same.
In what little betting there was outside
of the track Gentry also ruled favor
lite at about 10 to 9.
AT the end of the second heat old
time horsemen pronounced it the great
est race in history. In these two miles
Gentry was a 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 dis
posed to qualify their opinion as to the
pre-eminence of the race.
The start of the race advertised to
be at 2:30 was delayed in the hope
that the wind might die down. 1t
h1nWino ct
prairies, which had robbed it of its in
vigorating qualities, SO that the con-
ditions in every way were against a
good time performance. But at 3:15 the
two giants of speed were called upon
the track, although there had been no
decrease in the arid gale. Curry and
lMcHenry, the drivers, stood in the CEN
ter of the track and tossed coin for
advantage of position. Curry won and
do not count for a great deal in the
case of horses. Patchen's looks were
so decidedly better that it caused mis-
givings in the minds of Gentry's sup
porters. Patchen appeared 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 attempt
and acted ugly They were sent away
moved slightly away and for over
quarter of a mile led by nearly a
length, the first quarter being 80. On
the second quarter they had the wind
at their backs and raced the distance
in :301s. Nearing the half 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 if it was no trouble at all. The third
u. ;,, fJJ 10
the fastest of the race. On turning
into the stretch Gentry still led by
length or more and his supporters were
but on the way to the wire
the crowd was surprised to see Patchen
without being touched with the whip
come up on the outside and on his own
gameness beat Gentry out by good
length Neither horse was touched by
the whip in this heat and it looked to
be a fair test of their speed.
In the next McHenry let Patchen go
out and set the pace all the way
around to the stretch. Then ensued a
long and furious drive, McHenry Using
the whip savagely on Gentry, who
overcome all but about three feet of
the two lengths difference that had
separated them at the head of the
stretch. But Patchen had both speed
and endurance, and won. Time by
quarters: :33%, 49, 311A, 3O1a.
Never did horse show greater
gameness than Gentry displayed in the
last quarter. For a quarter of mile
he stood the lash, straining every nerve
and being apparently in distress all the
way: vet never once did 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 for quarters: :31A,
32A, 3d. 31%.
The only explanation offered after
the race was by Driver 4McHenry and
Owner Scott, who said that their horse
was not in condition.
eve made a mistake" they said, Gin
not sending him to Cleveland after the
race. The other horse was on
edge; ours was not.
Colonel Taylor, owner of Patchen.
said: 81 knew that my horse could
beat him any part of it, from 100 yards
to mile. Had the race today been
on the Terre Haute track with no 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 match between Joe
Patchen and Fidol here on Saturday.
If this is not done Patchen may go
against time.
Only one race in addition to the
special was completed.
2:25 trot, Breeders stake. S-year-olds,
purse, $2,0O0-Abnet won, Pat l. second,
Marie D third. Best time-2:141a.
Special pacing race, purse, $1,000
Joe Patchen won in straight heats.
2:07A, 2:071. John r.
Gentry second.
PIP pacing, purse, $1,000 (unfinished)
Susie CT won two heats: Slumber won
one heat: Ella T third; Tommy Brown
fourth Best time-2:11A.
2:2O trot, purse, $1,000 Diminished
Annie won two heats; Bryson won one
heat; Miss McGregor third; Margaret
fourth. Best time-214,
My heart leaps up when I behold
A flower ever so rare:
So was it when my life began;