The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-07
Season of 1900 EEentful For
Harness Records.
Cresceus Ranks Well With
Several New Marks.
ABBOT'S MILE 1903 ia
1t Stands Out as the Premier
Performance.
BOTS MILE 1903 ia
He Approached the Goal by
Steady Advances.

New York Nov. THE harness race
horse, typically an American product,
has completed the first century of his
history. 1t was in 1906 that Yankee
trotted mile in 1853 at Harlem, N Y.
this being the first authentic record of
a mile covered in less than three min
utes by a horse in harness. The end of
the century has arrived, but the two
minute trOtter Is still in the future
Still, the twO-minute harness horses ap-
peared in 1897, when Star Pointer paced
in 1894, and the closing year OF the
cycle has witnessed wonderful pass
ing away of old records and the estab-
hshment OF new ones of the first mag
nitude
Looking back over the work of 1900
two names loom up into monumental
prominence-those Of The Abbot and OF
Cresceus.
generally conceded that if any trotter
had a chance to beat Alixs worlds
record of 2:03A, which had remained
seemingly a stone wall across the path
of trotting progress for five years, 1t was
The Abbot. He had never been condi-
toned for extreme efforts against the
watch, but his wonderful performances
in his races, his marvellous flights OF
sDeed and his gameness argued that
with a special preparation he might sue
coed
The opportunity was at last accorded
him, and new worlds record was the
result. He approached the goal by
steady advances-frst 2:O534, then 2.04Sz,
then 2:04, and lastly, at Terre Haute,
Ind, Sept 25, 2:0314. In the interim he
stepped aside for a trial to the wagon
record, and at Hartford, Conn, Sept. z,
reduced it at the first trial from 2;O9A
to 2;051a.
OF Cresceus it may De said that his
superiority was conceded, but not his
supremacy. For three seasons he has
been among the fastest stations on the
turf and while his chances for the trot-
oh ions iii
were well considered, such record break
ing form as he displayed surpassed the
expectations of even his most sangulne
admirers. Not only did he reduce Di-
rectum's long inpregnable record, 9:05A,
which had stood for six years, first to
2:O4s< and then to 2:04, but in the season
he established no less than five other
worlds records At Cleveland, O., July
o. he won the fastest two-heat race ever
trotted in 2:071z, 2:06A- At Columbus,
O., he won the fastest three-heat race
ever trotted by stallion, IN 2;0412,
:O6. 2:O6 At Readville, Mass, SepteTn-
Der 27. he won the fastest hve-heat race
ever trotted, taking the last three heats
in 2:0714, 2:0712, 2:OS%, after Charley
Herr had taken the first two in 2:OlA a,
2:O75k. At Toledo, o.. October IL, he
reduced the trotting record to sullky over
a half-mile track from 2:10A to 2:O9A,
and that for a half-Tnile track to wagon
from 2:15 to PISA.
After The Abbot and Cresceus three
other trotters claim consideration as
recrod breakers in 1900-Lucile, Lord
Derby and Boralma- Lucille, the Won
deIful little mare in the private stable
of c. h. c.. Billings, of Chicago, Won
fame as a wagon performer, driven by
her owner At Washington Park Au-
gust Il she was started to beat the mat
inee record for amateur drivers, Z:0972'
held by Temper, and trOtted in 2:O9A-
At Lexington, Ky, October 6, she start
ed to beat these figures and trotted IN
2:O7 the worlds record for amateur
drivers, trotting, for q mare to wagon
and faster than any mare trotted TO
sulky during the year
Lord Derby distinguished himself by
breaking three worlds records ana
AT New York city September 10 he
trotted three heats in 2-O1, 2.Ol, EOS The
average time Of the three equals the rec
ord made by AZOte in 1898 for the pest
three heats ever trotted by a gelding.
The time of the first two, POI, IS the
best ever made by a 5-year-old geldlng
and the best ever made by green tfot-
ter the first season in public. Boralma
feat consisted in equalling the record for
4-year-old trotting geldings. the z;OS
made by John Nolan in 1898
This completes the tale of new best
on records by the trotters in 1900 1t
has been a grand year for them. The
PAGERS. however, have had more of an
off year than for a decade past Star
Pointers retirement took the only two
minute PAGER off the turf, and no sue
cessor to him appeared. The best mile
of the year was the 2O2 of Prince Alert
at Cleveland O.. July 2s which, how
ever, was a worlds record of its kind,
as it was the fastest heat ever paced by
q eelding in a race 1t was also at
cleveland July "a that Coney reduced
the record for 5-year-Old pacing geldings
to 2:02%.
John r. Gentry broke down early in
the season, but not before he had broken
a record At Lima, o., July 4, he beat
Joe Patchen, his time being 2:04s,
2:e615. the first heat being the fastest
ever paced in a race over half-nalIe