The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-04-02
NOTES ABOUT HORSES.
IMPROVEMENTS AT THEBRA NFORD
 
 TR-4 CK.
rIore Facts About Maud S-Reference to High Wheel Record-Trotters mt and Conviction of n Horse Thief.

WOodbury, Conn.-Pursuit, Arrest
 and Conviction of Horse Thief.
 l.. A. Fisk, proprietor of the Bran
 ford Driving park, is busy with i'm
 provements. that will make the park
 one of the most attractive trotting re-
 sorts that can be imagined. It has
 been estimated that when the first race
 of this season is held there the park
 property will represent cost of $30,GOO,
 which will probably make it the most
 expensive half-mle track in the knoWl-
 edge of campaigning horsemen who
 visit this section. New and expensive
 gates with several ornamental posts
 are being constructed at the main en-
 trance. The mason work is so eXten-
 sive and the iron and other decorative
 work so costly that the expense at the
 gateway is estimated to cost about
 $1000. Another gateway to cost about
 the same amount is to be constructed
 at the northeast corner of the park.
 Work will soon be commenced on
 the new club house, which is to completed in time for the races to be held on Decoration day, May 30. The club house is to be erected on the south side of the track on a line with the home stretch, so that it's windows will
 command a good view of scoring for the word and the finish of the heats
 The turns to the track have recently been improved and raised on the out side so that horses can speed around them at a faster gait. Nineteen meet ings are on the programme to be held this season at the track, which is now a member of the National Trotting as sociation Three stake races, each for $500 purse. are to be awarded during the season. The first stake race is for 2:20 pacers and is to be awarded on July A. The next stake race is for 2.l5 pacers to be decided on July 18 Trot- ters are to compete in August for the last stake race.
 ABOUT MAUD s.
 Since the death of Maud S., 2:OS&, much has been written and published about her, so much in fact that the history of the trotter has been revived in the memory of race patrons, horse men and others Her history, briefly stated for the benefit of those who have not read it, is as follows: She was bred by A. J. Alexander Spring Sta ton. Ky, and was foaled on the 2Sth of March, 1874 Her sire was Harold, a son of Hambletonian x. Her dam was the large gray mare, Miss Russell, by Pilot, jr., second dam, oally Russeli by the thoroughbred runner Boston She was owned successively by II. Buger, Captain George Stone, w. Ii. Vanderbilt and the late Robert Bonner, who paid $4O0O0 for her, which was re- earded as a small fortune in those days. The last public appearance of the trotter was at Madison Square Gar den on the 18th of February, 1890, when she appeared to be in good health and condition.
 The best record of the chestnut color ed trotter was made at Cleveland In 1885. since which time she has had home in the elaborate stables of her owner, the late MT. Bon- her. where she was provided with ex- ercise and attention calculated to keep ! her in the best condition. After the death of her late owner, who had made several unsuccessful attempts to breed | her. the sons of Mr. Bonner sent her to the Shults far, near New York, where | she was to be bred to Axworthy, 2:15A, | a son of Axtell, 2:12. As stated, the | [rotter took cold on the trip and was troubled with cough which skilled | were unable to cure It is probable that Maud s. missed her comfortable stable and was homesick n her new location. During nearly fif .een years of her old age she had been to the comforts of her for ner home, which she missed at the shults farm. Many horsemen are lware that horses are sometimes so lomesick that they refuse to eat when irst located in a new home.
 The death of Maud S. occurred on the 7th of last March, when she was near y twenty-six years old.
 Maud S. was the first horse to become whose name terminated with tn initial letter. A few other horses were named in that style, but they were lot prominent At that time the name seemed incomplete, as if the last part # the name was wanting, but people became used to it as the trotter brought Ter fame before the public by her many ecord breaking performances. During ecent years the same style of name has ,een given to thousands of horses
 Maud S., 2:0S%, has been many times orrectly referred to as the champion rotter to high wheel sulky. It is pre- umed that she remained the champion or the reason that the high wheels were abandoned for the use of bicycle wheels. The difference in speed be- ween the two wheels has been estimat- d at three or four seconds, and with hat allowance it may be possible that
 few of the fastest trotters would have ethroned Maud $. if the high wheels ad been in place of the smaller wheels .mong the fast trotterS to bicycle ,heels may be mentioned Nancy Tanks, who made several fast miles nd finally took a record of 2;O4. Alix rotted in 2;O3% Directum had a hard !. nd wearing campaign in his four-year- Id form, when he trotted in ? :05A. Had ', e been allowed to mature and been in ne hands of more careful trainers, -it probable that he would have won
 faster mark Ralph Wilkes, 2:06%, jed so young that his speed limit was ( ever reached. So much progress has cen made on race tracks that it is robable that the record of Maud $. ould have been lowered if the high heels had continued in common use. JhV there has been so much reference 1 \