New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-23
HARNESS RACING.
THE ABBOT A PROSPECTIVE RECORD
BREAKER-BRCSHE ON THE
SPEEDWAY

SPEEDWAY.
With the Grand Circuit meeting in Detroit last
week important harness racing in the campaign OF
1900 was well begun Though rain interfered with
the sport every other day during the week leaving
the track somewhat slow for the horses zpead
enough came to the surface TO indicate great things
a little later in the season The Abbots mile in
2Uf ranks as the fastest trotting performance OF
the meeting and the fastest Of the wear thus
Although the Hamln horse started 10 beat his
record of 2l64. and failed do IL ne covered The
last half mile so fast 70 convince great many
experts that ne will give the champion record Of
Ak 2o3@4, close call before ne goes into winter
quarters His unprecedented campaign last year
IN which he ten free-for-au races wfrboI7
oeing once defeated caused him 10 be practically
barred from all races in the Grand Circuit This
year so that his owners are forced to start him
against time or not start him al all That tbAv
nave hopes OF seeing him lower the worlds record
everybody in the horse world knows Bur thew ara
gong about IL with caution and the chances are
me ABBOT VIII not be cut loose al both ends OF the
mile uhul well along in August; perhaps not until
the Grand Circuit horses reach the Empire CITY
track. which is conceded 10 be about the razrss-
course IN the country. His Detroit exhibition was
simply part Of the process OF sharpening him for
a great EFFORT later on Geers let him 90 TO the
haIf In 1o5-a 2:l0 gait-and then brought him home
IN 162 with the third quarter in 0;Snl.-a 2or rln
Inc next time he starts he may 60 an easv first
quarter and then step very fast for half mile or
ven LOT lhree-quarters. II he seems TO be ready for
the effort When his astute owner and MS sa
saclous driver finally make I'D their minds that ne
IS ripe for sustaining his speed the full mile il *
pretty certain that racegoers where along the
line Of the Grand Circuit will see him rrot the
lastest mile that has been trotted since 1881 if NOT
the fastest mile ever rrOtted.
DISAPPOINTING RACE AT DETROIT
what promised to De the fastest and best race
ever uotted for the $4,000 Merchants and Manu-
racturers Stakes at Detroit turned out 70 b about
tne cheapest contest in the history OF that race
len Gays ago appearances indicated that four OF
the pest young trotters seen were 10 measure
strides for the blue ribbon OF the trotrtnE turf"
Henry s. 4 green horse OF rare promise had
shown mile in 210-a in private at the Empire CITY
track and had won his maiden race az Glens Falls
Win seeming ease IN 2L3A- Sagwa- the entry OF
Thomas ". Lawson, OF Boston had rrotred in
Z15l4 quite handily in his first race at the New
England breeders meeting and was believed 70 be
capable Of beating 210. The Bondsman another
FAST young horse without record. had worked q
mile in 2u over The Lexington track and was
known 20 De a sterling racehorse
Battlesign, owned BY General Charles Miller and
Congressman Joseph c. Sibley. OF Franklin Penn
had been driven a mile in PIP BY his trainer the
veteran Charles Marvin, and had gained a record
OF 234 in the third heat OF his first race at Wind
scr. Ont AL four Of these remarkable young
trotters were the grounds AZ Detroit and II was
believed that they would be the leading factors in
the contest But the proverbiaI uncertainty Of rae
ING prevented three OF them from starting nd
every one Of them from finishing the race SaSwa
wrenched his ankle in trottinE slow work or1-
mile and had 70 be scratched. The Bo7dsman's
hind leg gave out in similar fashion Henry 5
after having been brought out 70 score for rhA
first heat found TO be 50 lame thai the Judges
ordered his driver 70 take him or the track Bat
tesign, the favorire. the first heat in 2I5-.
then calked himself the dnish OF the second
heat, necessitaring his Withdrawal With all OF the
prominent horses thus disabled Lady Geraldine
E~-zr Id
GoT, OF Providence, won the race AZ the end OF
six heats. the average time OF which was 9Th.
The winner is a daughter OF ". E D Suokes's
handsome stallion Constantine (21212) and her
dam is Alaska (2-271a). Dy AIcyone C2-Z7. As Con
stantine is a grandson OF George Wilkes and
Alcyone a son of that horse the winner OF the
$4,000 race is closely inbred TO the great trottnE
progenitor. Just before the Detroit race Lady
Geraldine was placed IN the hands OF Edward
Geers, the trainer Of c J. Hanlfn's horses. and
II is said that she was sold 70 q New-York horse
man whose name has not been disclosed
TINE BELOW THE STANDARD
Bonnie Direct. winner OF the $500 Chamber Of
Commerce Stakes for PAGERS OF the Pa class az
Detroit, is a four-year-old black colt by Direct
2051z the noted pacing sire owned by James Butler
whose breeding farm is in Westminster County
near the Bonner farm. Mr. Butler is not the owner
OF Bonnie Direct. has been reported The fast
colt belongs 10 c. L Griffith OF san Francisco a
son OF the man who owned Flying Jib 2-e4
NJ r.
McHenry drives him He came out green at the
Windsor. Ont, meeting and made record OF 2I4l.
in his first This mark he lowered 70 2I2a4
in the sixth heat OF the Detroit contest He is
entered al Cleveland and all the meetings in the
Grand Circuit, and II the stories told about his
speed be true he is likely be widely known as
one OF the big winners Of the year
The speed shown by the trotters in the faster
classes at Detroit was something OF a disappoint-
ment 10 horsemen. who had looked TO see many
records lowered when Tommy BrltIOn John
Nolan and kingmond in the 26S race; when Dare
Tbs n TIE 2.10 SIaSs and vhe0 Bo-sI 1aI1s 20
ured strides with &c Lock and Georgeanna in the |
these Classes that reduced his record Tommy Brit
ton, the Chicago stallion that was hailed the
coming champion last winter. met defeat in the /
commonplace time OF 20sl7 and 2:0S1ss with both /
anish Daredevil won the 2.Io race without being
forced beat his old record while the best that
los. The only new record Below 2:1o made 6y
Jrotter al the meeting was made BY the seal brown
mare Letah 5. She won heat from Daredevil [
III The mare was bred at Alexander y y bv
]. 3 & B R stannard' and Was foaied a in ISL
She came out in the 500 class last season, cam
then in the Grand Circuit and gaining record OF
211l4 in hard fought contest at Glens Falls Her
the sire OF Daredevil, winner OF the race. Both |
The average rate Of speed made by the trotters
az Detroit was 214ls in the thirty-three heats |
PAGERS was 2IlI5 FOR thirty-four heats This speed
rate might have been regarded as brilliant a few
the best meetings. in the Grand Circuit nowadays |
rate OF speed for all races was better than 2I0
a BETTER CHANCE AT CLEVELAND
Better speed may be seen at Cleveland where
the second meeting OF the circuit IS scheduled 10
open to-day In the EOS this afternoon John /
Nolan the winner OF the fast class Detroit. is |
to meet S9 s9@Pe' s95 e. hs h5 o2 S
II any OF the EOS horses are capable OF trotting |
Il