The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-22

iniscences Of famous performers on the
turf and their equally famous drivers.
Of course as a good story is generally
three-fourths fiction and horsemen, es-
peclally the old-timers, are not afraid
of stretching the truth on occasions,
there are some famous tales of the turf
to be printed each week and they are
weirdly wonderful in their way.
The Horse Review says:
DREW A TON WEIGHT.
saw some time ago a question about
Mountain Maids race drawing a ton
weight. 1t happened that / know all
about that affair, as / owned Mountain
Maid when the queer race was trotted.
1t came about in this way: 1 was
talking about swapping her with Joel
Holcomb, and he asked me if she could
trot a mile in four minutes, and I re-
piled that she could pull a ton in four
minutes. He bet me $500 that she
couldn't do it.
We made the match to take place
over Fashion track. / told Dan Mace
what l had done, and ne impolitely re-
marked that 1 was a - fool, and
that no horse could do 1t. While we
were talking, George Ferguson came
in and bet $3.50 that I would lose. I
took a number of other bets, nobody
but myself believing that the mare
would be equal to the feat. Dan and
1 went to Fashion course and found
that Joe Crocheron had load of pota-
toes in a farm wagon that weighed
LOO pounds. We put in a couple of
men to make up the ton and Dan drove
Mountain Maid to the quarter in forty
five seconds, just as an experiment.
Still Dan wouldn't believe that she
could trOt the mile out in four min
utes, and it was my good luck to take
all the bets. The day of the race Billy
Miner bet me $1,000 to $3.50 that she
would not trot in $3.50, and altogether
1 won about $4,000 or $1,000 We hitch
ed her to an express wagon and put
in men enough to make the weight g.
O5S pounds, and she trotted the mile in
3.241a.
. A famous long distance race that 1
remember took place at the Center
vile course November -, 1858. Jack
Lightbody, owner of an ink factory,
bet Charles Coster $4,000 to $1,000 that
he could not produce a horse that
would trot 100 miles in nine hours. The
bet was made in 1852 but the trial did
not take place until the date named.
Conqueror was THE horse selected
He was a big bay gelding, sixteen
hands high sired by Lotourette's Bell
founder. His feet were always very
sore, and l used to see him swimming
in the river up by Wards Island, with
a view to relieving the soreness,
suppose. There was great interest in
this match and an enormous crowd at
the track. Betting was in faver of
time. OF course the race had to be
started early in the morning, and it
took nearly all the light of that late
November day to finish it. Conqueror
won by $50 in Sh., Sc min, Is. and did
not seem at all distressed at any time;
yet he died that night, in consequence,
thing, of being bled, which was a
great error after such an exhaustive
performance. Twenty miles an hour
have seen made by Lady Fulton,
Capt Mcgowan and three times by
John Stewart.
The contest between Ethan Allen and
running mate and Dexter were among
the most interesting I ever saw, though
Dexter was not able to win a heat. The
first was at the Fashion track, June 21,
1867, and betting was to l in Dexter's
favor, but the team won in 215, 2.16,
2.l9. The second race was at Norris
town, n. j., July 4, 1867, and the fastest
heat was 2.20. Dexter was q very pure-
gated trotter. 1 saw him make his rec
ord OF 2.l7 Ia at Buffalo shortly after
his race with Ethan Allen. Mr.. Bon
ner bought him that day and I have
never seen more excitement on a. track.
SENSATIONS FAMOUS PURSE.
sensation won the biggest purse
ever earned by a trotter. 1t was at
Buffalo, August 6, 1873, and the amount
was S2O,000 This track had given a
100000 purse before, but the first mon
ey was $4,000, while in Sensations race
| it was $4,000. Mr. Arthur Gi,ende,.
owned Sensation, having bought him
from me for $500, There were only
| fiVe starters, the others being Camors.
Judge Fullerton, Gloster and jim lrV-
ing. Judge Fullerton, driven by Dan
Mace, was hot favorite, and Gold
smiths mammoth gelding Gloster was
second choice, while Sensation, driven
by Ben Mace, was little consid Arel
In the first two heats the struggle
was entirely between Camors and Full
| lerton and Camors won both, in 40
l-2, 22l S-4. He finished in the second
heat dead tired horse, and it was
plain to me that he could not win an
| other heat. Sensation had taken IL
easy, and I felt confident that the race
was his, because Judge Fullerton was
not good slayer. Gloster did not have
! his speed that day, and Jim Irving
had been shut out in the first heat.
! Friends of CamOrs, with two heats in,
/ backed him heavily, and those Of Full
| lerton, who had notnced the tired
finish of the Maine horse, were just as
stubborn, and big wads went into the
pool box.
bought Sensation for $25 in a pool
OF $l,O5O. Mr.. Gillender came to me
with the news, as he thought, that
Camors had no chance, and showed
me ticket for $3.50 on Fullerton, which
he had just bought. 1 told him 1 was
sorry, but he had played the wrong
| horse.
why, which one will win it?" he
| asked.
"Ycur own horse" said I.
Sensation won the next three heats