Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-09-06

/ "hiCh DlTectum nus nPlu lOr seven
years and a day, for II was OH the
fourth day of September, 1893, that
John Kelly drove the black son OF
Director the mile in 2:05A at Nashville,
Tenn, was grandly taken from him
Wednesday by the chestnut son of
Robert McGregor, at Hartford, Conn.
1t was wonderful performance and
one that those fortunate enough to
witness will never forget. 1t was no
scratch mile, but clean reduction of
half second in the stallion record.
There was no difference in the timers,
watches and half. those on the outside
caught the mile faster than 2:OiN. 1t
was splendidly rated mile, the quar-
ters being 31h. BIZ, 3034, 31A.
A remarkable thing in connection
with this record breaking performance
| is the fact that Cresceus was driven
| by the man who bred him, a feat un-
equaled before in all the long list Of
championship records The racing
card had been cleaned up when Geo.
Ketchum brought Cresceus out for his
trial. Half an hour before he had
given him an opener in 2:15, three
| false scores We're made. then Just at
five minutes of six, Frank Walker
shouted go" and the match with
time was on. The horse was stepping
fast but we'll within himself as he
foved away towards the turn. John
Dickerson kept the pacemalSer a cou-
pie of lengths back and made no ef-
fort to get near Cresceus
up" shouted thousand voices as
the yellow head was in line with the
three furlong post. Quarter in 31A
second" cried Walker from the timers
stand. Ketchum did not hurry his
charge in the second quarter. and the
half was made in 1:O2M. At the half
Ben Walker was waiting with a sec
ond pacemaker and here Ketchum
"yelled" for both the runners to come
on. Up they came and away. Cres-
ceus trying to beat them. The trio
appeared to fly around that long turn.
"Three quarters in 1:33la.' shouted
Walker. and the crowd scarcely
breathed for they began to realize that
they were witnessing mile such as
no other stallion had ever made,
The tension was great and the sew
en-eighths semed mile long to the
people in the stand. They stood 1t as
long as they could, then almost as one
voice suppressed cries of He can't do
it," arose. but it was a lion-hearted
trotter who was coming down that
stretch. horse who was gamer than
the people watching him, for, although
fighting against heavy odds, he was
winner. Walker and Dickerson, one
one either side of him. were Yelling
like Indians, while Ketchum helped the
grand horse all that any man could
with voice, touch of whip, and shift
of bit. On he came, true as an arrow,
strung clear to his limit, but as willing
as when he started on his hard jour-
ncy
At the short distance it was ,appar-
ent that Directums reign as stallion
king was short and up, and mighty
shout continued until the king was
we'll past the finishing post. The horse
was almost out at the finish, but he
did not waiver mite, trying like
bulldog until Ketchum pulled him In.
Cresceus is rather ordinary look
ing horse unless seen at top speed,
then he is Il very impressive looking
trotter. He Is six years old and first
began to gather in the money when
two wears old. He was carefully
ra aised then and escaped without fast
record. AS three-year-Old he made
a sensational campaign, beating Dlg
field of aged horses at the Grand Cir
cult meeting at Fort Wayne in a long
drawn out race. Three times that year
he trottcd in 2:1lA. the race record for
three yeal-old stations. held Jointly
by the late and the present stallion
kings. When he was four years old
he raced WE'LL closing the season with
n record of 2:00M In 1880 he was n
great horse, winning heats at both
Glens Falls and New York i'm 2:0IH.
The present season shows him up to
he every inch the king he crowned
himself yesterday.
Cresceus opened the campaign July
4. at Pittsburg. where he put i'm
couple of miles in $40, He next start
ed at Cleveland. winning in 2:o7la,
2:0GA. The following week he was at
Columbus, again winning in 2:O7i%,
2:O6, 2:O6 the fastest three-heat race
for trotting stallion. His next ap-
pearance was over running track
at Chicago, where he defeated Tommy
Brtton in 2:06la, 2:07h Last week he
was at Syracuse, n. y making
track record of 2:06k. Cresceus was
bred and is still owned by George
Ketchum. of Toledo. Like the de-
throned king, he has neither Wilkes
nor Electioneer blood. being a son of
Robert McGregor, 2:lT1a, and Mabel,
by Mambripo Howard second dam
Contention by Allie West. When,
Cresceus started out on his record
breaking trip the stallion record was
2:O5G. made by Directumiin 1898, and
until Cresceus' 2:O6 Mt Columbus no
other trottlng stallion had beaten
2:OGA. The great mile came in n
nature of surprise, for there was
ONLY one man on the ground who be-
lievcd that Crescells had chance,
that was John SpIan, of Cleveland,
who. when Keicbum asked him to
drive one of the paeemakers replied:
~ am going to stay on the ground and