New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-12
GOSSIP OF THE TROTTERs.
SENSATIONAL. HARNESS RACING AT LEXINGTON
UNPRECEDENTED TURF HONORS FOR
MARCUS DAILY.

SENSATIONAL. HARNESS RACING AT LEXINGTON
UNPRECEDENTED TURF HoNoRs FOR
8 MARCUS DAILY.
Clarence Alexander and his pony tro'ter' "e'a'o'
A. had couple Of great days at Lexington ias'
week when they succeeded in puirns GOWN 'ne
Transatlantic Stakes and defeating the mower Vi 'ie
trottns turf after one OF the most sensational mar
ness races on record In all the history OF the sport
II would be difficult to find a match for the TO-
mantle story Of the little gray horse and his young
owner who bought him for 500 at country Venu"e'
nftervard to land him a winner OF the greatest
trottng contest Of his day, which II Is SAID that
soMoOo was wagered IN the poolbox. The writer well
remembers the occasion seven years ago wheh
Alexander then a mere boy. led the way through
. hack alley in Des Moines to an old barn where ne
kept the stunted yearng that he had picked up TOT
a song at Joe Woodmans public sale snort uh'e
before The colt was then about the size OF 81
BARNARD dog as woolly sheep. having just
come out of the Walnut Creek hazel brush ana ne
was altogether a most unpromisng prospect Tor a
4rr,tter when ore saw him al rest. Trotters were
h,rh IN those days c. w. Williams having recently
sold Axtell for S05 900: but young Aexanders what
lst looked be dear at 500 until his owner look MN
nv the headstall and led him up and down the barn
Soor Small and pudgy as he was. he could step 10
beat the band and his action. barefooted ana
,vhol1v unframed was busy. true and perfect as
n was the other day when his owner-driver puiieo
cut Mt the head Of the homestretch In the great
race at Lexington, and beat the cracks or the
whole country to the wire In 2:]o
Worry few horsemen. even among those VINO had
widowed with admiration the brilliant. consistent
s,rproving career Of Clarence Alexander's dimnu-
tive trotter through seven campaigns on the minor
tracks out West. accounted MN iast enough W
have a chance in the matchess field or sixteen
.,.r. that started for the Pennsylvania this yer.
va Was practically unknown 10 the Eastern con-
tinsont never having gone through the Grand CIR
~ust and was almost ignored in the betting; but
the little gray chap rose to the occasion as ne had
dsooe many times before, and by a splendid enort
wou a high place and a lasting one In the history or
sha trott,ng turf. 1t looked gloomy for Senator
Aufsop's naYnesake though, when In scoring for the
second heat Franklin crashed into his sulky' hnri-
ing Alexander to the ground, while the little gray
stallion a mile and a quarter with the wrecked
auIky dangling at his heels. That he was able 10
start again soon as new sulky couio DE pro-
cured and then In the third heat trot clear around
she big aeld and win in 2lO coming back the next
time in 21l shows the sor, OF stuff that the son Of
rramp Pains and Dolly Wonder II made Of Ac-
cordipg to 1.-The Trotting Register" HIS dam $
breeding Is unknown but II goes without saying
that the winner OF the greatest stake race ever
trotted must have come from stout stock. whatever
A may have been &. A. Gaske. the breeder OF
senator A. always said tina, Dolly Wonder was
bred in Ithaca. n. Y. by one Miller or Graw. and
that she was got by the old gray horse. Tom Won
der the pacing bred son Of Tom Crowder, by
tioual interest TO breeders and turfmen some one
in Central New-York should dig up the facts about
the dam of the Pennsylvania winner. She was a
gray mare. and probably foaed about 1870.
ONLY FOURTEEN HANDS HIGH
Senator A. Is probably the smallest horse that has
ever beaten 2:l5 standing only about fourteen hands
high and his wonderful record as a campaigner fur
nishes strong proof that size cuts little figure In
determining the calibre Of a harness racehorse He
has started nearly hundred times since he
made his first appearance as a two-year-od In
100 and has been unplaced in only twelve races
in these campaigns. II is not generally
known that G. Rowland Leavtt. treasurer Of the
National Live Stock Show, wanted to make a
metropolitan road horse of Senator A. last year.
He was In search Of fast trotter to match his
speedy little poe-horse. Earl Wilkes. and being
told about the Iowa pony. sought TO purchase him.
Young Alexander priced the stallion at $780, and
wrote TO Mr. Leavitt that he didn't really want TO
seii for this sum, so the negotiations ended.
Governor Strong. winner OF the first two heats
Md contendng horse throughout in the great race
~ Lexington was. like Senator A.. stranger TO
nost Eastern horsemen before the contest. never