The Irish standard., 1897-09-04
A NEW MILE MARK,
Star Pointer Proves Himself To
Be the King Of All PAGERS.
HERO OF A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE
Before an Audience Which Becomea
Almost Crazed with Enthusiasm
He Lowers the Mile Record t.
1850 Ia At Rendville, Moss.

Boston, Aug. 3O.-6tar Pointer, the
wonderful pacing stallion, owned by
James A. Murphy, of Chicago, on sats
urday wiped out forever the two-minute
mark and ended the controversy which
has been going on for years as to tho
speed qualities of the light harness
horse. Accompanied by runner, tho
big bay Tennessee-bred pacing stallion
went the distance in 1904. 1t was tho
most wonderful performance ever made
by light harness horse and WAS wit
messed by about 5000 people. 1t was
the more wonderful because on Friday
Joe Patchen, with the great Geers be-
hind him, had made shot at the mark
set by Robert j. and John r. Gentry
and had failed to reach it by second
and half. Because of this it was not
thought possible his greatest rival in
the race line would get down below the
two-minute mark.
The great event occurred on the track
at Readville. The track was in excel-
lent condition, and Star Pointer made
the record with hardly an effort. When
he started 1t was not thought he would
do better than 2:02. When he passed
the quarter post in 80 seconds fiat, how
ever, there was intense excitement. Tho
half mile was turned in :59A and the
third quarter in 1899. On the stretch
the horse seemed to fairly fly, and
crossed the tape in the wonderful time
of 1:59A. Star Pointer was driven by
McClary.
When the big audience realized the
greatness of the performance mighty
shout went up. Men yelled as though
possessed. In the grand stand the own
er OF the horse had his hand wrung un-
til 1t ached. Over the fences jumped
men who knew horse and driver or who
were carried away with the enthusiasm
OF the moment. Hardly had McClary
got the horse to standstill before they
had him on their shoulders and he was
borne down the stretch TO the judges'
stand, and there, MS the band played
Hail to the Chief" he was introduced
to the throng. A tip of the hat, and
then renewed applause for the horse,
owner and trainer rang out A fairer
mile was never timed. Not watch in
the stand but what agreed with the
time announced, while on the other
side of the stretch the watches in the
grand stand caught it equally fast OF
better, not one slower. C. w. Marks,
also of Chicago, and owner of Joe
Patchen, the greatest rival of Pointer,
looked at his watch earnestly and then
remarked: IF anything. the mile was
faster, rather than slower. My watch
barely got over to the fifth of the Sec
ond. 1t was 1850 performance"
Star Pointer and Joe Patchen, the
PAGERS, have been matched for mile
race at Mystic park on September II
for purse Of $4,000, the winner to take
all.
[Star Pointer Is Tennessee product.
having been bred from pure pacing stock
by H. P. Pointer, of Spring Hill, Tenn,
The horse Is now eight years old and came
prominently before the public in 1895, when
o. Geers gave him mark of 2041a In 1895
he was considered unsound, and was sold
at auction to Edward Mills Of Boston,
for $780, Last year he won the fastest
three-heat race on record, took q race
mark of 2:02h and defeated all the horses
In the free-for-all brigade with the excep-
ton OF John r. Gentry, and the owner
Of the latter would not give Star Pointer
q chance late in the season. Last winter
the Boston owners found him too valuable
for them, and he was sold in February
In New York at auction to his present
Chicago owner for S15,60O.l