The Topeka state journal., 1900-09-28
SPORTING NEWS.
Cresceus Wins the Great Stake
at Readville.
The King of Stations Too
Speedy For the Field.
HERR'S FAST WORK.
The Lexington Horse Made a
Gallant Fight.
Required Five Hard Heats to
Settle the Contest.
WORK.

Boston, Sept. 2S.-Cresceus, the king of
stations. added jewel to his crown by
winning in five hard driven heats the $20,-
600 race at the meeting of the New Eng
land Trotting Horse Breeders association
the Readville track. So much of a
favorite was the son of Robert McGregor
before the trial began that the pools were
barred against him. 1t looked for two
heats if the great stake would be
wrested from the king by that wonderful
little trotter. Charley Herr. the winner Of
the Massachusetts stake race last year
But game as was Charley Herr, his
strength was not equal to the task, and
his star set in the third heat. when
Cresceus beat him at the wire. Once
after that, in the fourth heat, the Lex
ington horse made a wonderful bid for
the race, leading to the three-quarters,
and then being beaten out on the stretch
by Cresceus who seemed to have mar
velous speed just when it meant so much
to him.
the track, while looking a trifie soft, was
haVe gone We oSer the $500 marx the
people swarning over the grand-stand
head; the grounds everywhere around the
stands were standing room only for
thousands.
The horses announced to start were
Cresceus, owned by George ketcham, OF
nfon olsdo Sner1ey pe Hsrr Payaa Tawon Of Bos
ton; Arion. Malcolm Forbes, Boston:
Benton BBent6Gn NJ Boy T. N MaTba fn wEG9o dGeo i
and Lord Vincent, George F. Todd,
Grafton Boy was drawn for the pole,
Lord Vincent second and the others In
order. Charley, Herr. Cresceus;, Arion,
they came down to the wire and then a
short delay ensued.
was given to a ragged start, as Grafton
Boy and Lord GTlincesnt held back S while While
noses to the front. Grafton Boy. as the
favorite for second place. started a trif :
quick enough to keep Arion from taking
the pole at the eighth, with Charley Herr
well punched. Around the first turn went
the horses and until the quarter it was
not possible to pick position. AT that dis
ton NJ making a fast bunch. At the half
the horses were about the same. all NOV
ing steadily. On the next quarter the
wa rion bareiv de lea chariey r Herr
Eyes were on Cresceus. who seemed to be
making Grafton Boy step out, and for an
eighth the speed was so great that both
horses almost closed up the gap with the
leaders Down the stretch they came but
Charley Herr had gone by Arion and by
length was. under the wire first The
1ghth was for place. for Cresceus, break-
his nose ahead of Arion. but did not sue
ceed- 1t was great finish for three
The second heat was somewhat similar
The third heat Charley Herr lost and,
as it proved, the race. by a nose. Herr
had the pole, but CresceuS got the best of
the start and Benton NJ the worst of it,
for the latter never made up the distance
lost at the wire and was outside the nag
at the finish. Cresceus held the lead
to the eighth, was fighting hard to keep
Charley Herr behind him at the quarter,
with Grafton Boy also. to be reckoned
with. and lost the lead at the half to
Herr. This gave Cresceus and Grafton
Boy a chance to brush fast eighth,
which they did, although Herr also
good. 1t looked like Herr for a winner,
but there was speed in the king not seen
thus far. Coming down to the wire it
was anybody's finish But Cresceus got
there by a nose, it seemed, and the crowd
went wild
The fourth heat opened with Cresceus
the favorite once more At the word
CreSceus, Charley Herr and Arion went by
on even terms. Out went the first named,
trifie the better of it at the quarter. while
Grafton Boy had displaced Arion as third.
Charley Herr continued a lead at the half
by a length; Cresceus could not shake
behind and. as usual, Lord Vincent was
practically forgotten 1t was at the three
quarters that Herr's chance of winning
looked best for with a whole length to
lose. But with an ease that carried the
crowd off its feet, Cresceus stepped out
and in the stretch went to the front by
four lengths, and Herr tired and was
of Grafton Boys way. The others were
well behind.
The fifth and last heat was a simple
affair. CresceuS led the way around in
a simple way. The feature was in the
last hundred yards, when Grafton Boy
beat Herr for place.