The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-15
LIKE SIRE LIKE SON
Has Been the Rule in the
TrOtting-Horse World.
GREAT KIN ARE NO HELP
How Forbes Bought Nancy
Hanks--DaIy's Methods. /
GREAT KIN ARE NO HELF

Chicago. Dee. 14-H. T. White writes
in the Tribune: Says a correspondent III.
| New York City, who is one Of the most
progressive of the latter-day breeders:
| You have told in an intestesting way
that most of our trotting mares have
been sterile. Now let US wnow how the
stations in their day ranked with other
horses when put to breeding
Beginning with George MPatchen, who
was champion when a mile in 2:231k
secured that houor, it may be caid that
practically Without exception, these kors-
es have been successful sires of speed,
and at the present day it is more appar-
ent than ever that the best trotters are
sires that themselves were good race
horse trotters-not, perhaps, technical
champions by virtue of single perform
auce against the watch on a day when
everything was favorable. but horses
that champione for several seasons, meet
ing all who came into their class, and
that won so large a percentage of their
engagements as to deserve the title race
horse trotter." George NJ Patchen, the
first technical champion, was a trotter
OF the old school, winning at one, two
and three mile heats, and also perform
ing under the saddle He was easily one
Of the best sires of his day. and among
his progeny was Lucy, 2:18A a mare
that was in the same stable with (in,1-
smith Maid and that always played sec
ond fiddle to her in their hippodrome
races, although their were times when
she could have beaten the Maid.
George Wilkes was the fastest trotter
of his day, his record being 2:22, and he
is the foremost progenitor of trotters, his
only rival being Electioneer. Jay Gould
could beat all the stallion of his time,
and most of the other trotters, for that
matter. His record of 2:2115 does not rep
resent his speed. He retired from the
turf early in life and was a most sue
cessful sire, although, of course, not in
the front rank. His get have not been
noted for gameness, and some critics
claim that the bad feet which Gould got
from his American Star dam are a lit
tie too prevalent in the family.
Up to Jay Gould's retirement, 2:2O had
not been placed to the credit of a trot-
ting stallion, and Mambrino Gift was the
first entire horse to reach that speed.
He proved homsef something of a sire
in Michigan, but certainly no greater than
was expected, considering the gooI class
of mares bred to him. Smuggler who
d.: placed Mambrino Gift as champion,
was practically failure IN the stud. He
was however, a, horse Of TO O:rr4ing, and
never should have been expected 70 Euc-
coed as a sire. He WAS PAGER converted
to the trotting gait. but had no trott1rg
arcestry-c, netting essential in the
r:akeup of a sire.
Smuggler set the stallion record at
215A and it stayed there for seven years
Phallas, the one who lowered it, was an
elegantly bred son of Dictator, but except
when going at a 2:20 or better clip he was
not a good gated horse, and he cannot
be ranked as a first-class sire. Neither
can Maxey Cobb, who dethrOned Phallas
by trotting in 2:l9A. PPhallas was essen
TALLY a racehorse trotter, one of the best
of his day, but there was another one
that beat him every one of the four times
they met, and was clearly his superior.
This was Director, also son of Die
tatOr. Directors record was only 2:17-
three and a quarter seconds slower than
that of Phallas-but he was a sCame a
racehorse as ever looked through a bride
and he has beaten Phallas as a sire just
as decisively as he did on the turf. for
Director has sired many sons and daugh- |
ters faster than himself, and Direct, Di- |
rectly Dircetum, and others who have |
held worlds CHAMPIONSHIPS tell OF the !
potency of the Director blood.
nj. OfsF,h 80
fought out the stallion championship, |
there was a lull until the 2:10 mark began |
to be reached, and then AIlerton, 2:O9; |
Palo Alto 2:OS&: Nelson. 2:10; and Siam |
boul. began a grand battle for the best |
racehorse trotters. and they have also /
proven by far the best sires of the quar- |
tet. Allerton being generally considered |
foremose among living trotting stations |
in the matter Of speed production.
or course. it should not be forgotten |
that between the 2:1SA of Maxey Cobb |
and the 2:10 or better performances of |
the others mentioned there came Axtel |
whose mile in PIP as 3-year-old was
something previously undreamed of. He |
was retired too young to race against |
aged horses, but he was the fastest of |
his day and age. and he has been highly |
successful in string speed. Arion, 2:10& |
as 2-year-old TO highwheel suIky-a per-
Torrance never approached by any other
colt of that age-has already sired one /
2Io trotter. although but a few seasons
in the stud.
Bingen. 2:06H this season, has sired
few colts that show speed. and there is
little rouht that he, with Peter the Great.
Cresceus. and other fast racing stations
OF today. viii in due time become prom
inent as sires.
An eastern paper notes with surprise
the fact that Warrener, 12-year-oId
brother to the one-time chanion trotter.
Sunol 2:SSl4, was recently sold for $3.50.
Sunol was a champion at years Of age
with high sulky record Of 2:1S. and she
staid right in the frnt rank until she had
achieved all that can be accomplished by
a trotter
1t is, OF course, rather startling to see