The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-01
Great Horse Race
How the Remarkable
Time Was Made.

" people can be found who contend that
gentry was not driven to win last We'd
hesday and that the matter of which
would win and in what time was pre-
arranged.
OF course nothing of the kind is true
Judge a. w. Dennison who watched the
race with interest and knows as much
about horses as any other man in Kansas,
said yesterday: THE race was magnifi-
cent. The horses went for blood and were
driven to the limit of the speed they could
attain considering the conditions. The
conditions which probably took off sec
ond or a second and half, in my opin-
ion were first, the coldness of the day;
second. the wind, which was blowing a
gale and. third the track, while in fine
shape, was not in the very best of condi-
ticn. I kept time on the race and though
/ could not see well on the last heat, I
caught it at 2:O31a. a second more than the
time announced. I did not expect any
such wonderful time and would not have
been surprised if it had been five or six
seconds above that figure think 10.
Patchen won because he was in superb
condition. His head was up and he was
full of power and force when he left the
wire and It was in him TO win. He is
a beautiful animal. The race was fair and
square. and any one is fortunate who can
ever see better one"
Mr.. Dickerson, the driver Of Patchen,
and Mr. Andrews, the driver of John r.
Gentry. were told that many people sus-
pected that it was pre-arranged which
horse should win.
Dickerson laughed and said: I'm such
a case It doesn't pay to argue. You can
not convince anyone who is strong headed
in that opinion, to the contrary. Does
any one imagine that we could gauge our
selves TO seconds and half seconds2"
Andrews said: I'VE hear that often.
The way I look at it is this The man
who is as suspicious as all that, needs
watching himself. If I had dealings with
him I would watch him"
Dickerson laughed again and put in: 1T
IS an old story. Every once in a while
a horseman, and an old one. too, will
come to me and give me a big wink and
say knowingly: Joe, is there anything in
the wind today%
"Why," began Andrews again, 'if We
i would be here? We would both be rich
if We knew which horse would win. If
knew that I wouldn't be scratching around
trying to make both ends meet I would
be a millionaire"
Mr.. Dickerson said that with the wind
and the track he considered that two sec
onds were lost.
Would it have been better if it had been
warmer" he was asked.
Yes; the warmer the better"
Speaking Of Edith W. Judge Danniso,,
said; If Edith w had been in condition
and could have raced with John R. Cen
Try and 10. Patchen she would have
pushed them. I saw her make her great
sreed at Peoria, and she is a fine mare"
This was the opinion Of many people.
Edith w went lame at Detroit. She IS
not in condition for a race and the
chances are that she would not have been
permitted to take part in II when the
purse had been put up for a race desig-
mated to be between Patchen and Gentry.
here were many men in the grand
stand who were acquainted with the two
horses and knew where they got their
characteristics. Almost any horseman
who had been acquainted with Joe Young
would recognize the strain in 10.
Patehen. In fact Jo Patchen looks Ike
Joe Young. John R. Gentry shows his
Ashland Wilkes blood in color He is a
great deal more nervous and kittenish
than his sire.
In getting away the horses showed
their long training. They were not NOV
ing constantly, and started down the
track for the wire from standstin and
not from a moving tangled mix, as is
true OF most races.
Their, acceleration before reaching the
wire is as wonderful as anything in the
whole race The squirt for the beginning
of the heat IS almost instantaneous, and
the horses pass under the wire like light
ming. In the first heat Patchen led a little
10 the quarter post. When objects got
between the drivers bodies and spectator,
the great speed became emphasized to the
mind The two drivers glided along the
dong Stretch on the western segment oil
the track like figures pulled swiftly ana
evenly by string. Gentry in approach
ing the half was probably twenty feet
behind Patchen in the first heat. tie ala
not begin to close up this increasing gap
until ne rounded into the home stretch
The track was covered with people who
were intent on watching the aNion OF the
horses. Patchen was still ahead. His
fore less were partly enCased in white
leather. These legs shot mp and down
and out like a piece OF rapid machinery.
Then John r. Gentry closed up the gap
between him and the horse ahead. lie
spread out and dug himself over the track
AT a rate something near fifty feet sec
ond. As he went by spread down by his
great effort. the red CLEAN of his nostrlis
from the sun shining through. shot by
like a speck of fire. GenUy's driver was
shouting TO him and whisking the whip
over him rapidly but not touching him.
As he. Gentry came 10 Patchen'S side
Patchen's driver seemed 10 lay the whip
on and Patchen increased his speed Sut- /
fciently TO hold himself Just ahead of
Gentry. The crowd which stood on the
track opened for the horses and closed
after them. The last half mile had been
done in a minute. The horses had not
zone 10 the best Of their speed for the
first half.
The second heat the horses got away
s+~orr Pstcben as before having the pole. /
A. .ba frsr Quarter and the half the peo-
nle who had stop watches notified 'he by
ISLANDERS that the heat was very fast. This f.
s,rea5 through The great crowd quickly. .
Gentry in the turn into the home stretch, +
was again behind. but not as far as be-
fore Neither did ne make the magnificent