The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-08-12

Great Horse .. ths FIrst ssniiiou 70
Hois %. WorId. R.csro-ts sen 81
Eobsrt Nesr.zsr Orssr EaIu.s
His Abo-. An ssB-y-Ose. KuIes
q BsF-
Cresce1s 2C'--t re chaupio- tfot-
- @ t5s uoTl1 t.elouss 70 on. ays
Clersltod 9 srctch to t5s New YORK
Ue-rL he is OLio tired an5 gec-re
~ Ketclam. his breeder. owner and
driver. ls a. otlo ra- lr1uut and
ttr1-rl TO Cleveland and Ccl-r- bus
bell1Es tie bouor cf possessing tie
tracks ~ which uifL 2 seven daTs his
worderfsi s'aluC1 las es-at.lsls-I cew
records coming within two and q quar-
ter seconds q touching fte tro minute
marx. az Ehich al lovers of the Ar-eri-
can lgrBe have tser looking cs The
goal
Crasct1s himself belongs % Toledo.
lr fll s11IrlE ~ -1ict city De- was
bred and trained Cresceus ls1 years
olL SIS sire was Egtert McCreGor.
Z.l7iz tte beet stallion o1 the trctt1g
t1rf ~ years ago. and 30 fast arl game
and rotie lo0E.ug faat L0rsemen loved
% call tim the monarch % the home
stretch"
During his career Cresceus has start
Cd lu - races. q which he las won 20
ard be has never failed 70 get q part
o. The money. He has won 81 heats a
20 or better. - 10 - or better. 81
10 2.iJ Or better and 81 in 2.l0 o. bet
FER. ln the last y months be has
trDtied q heats below POS and has
covered 9 heats IN 2OJ or better. He
now holds the worlds trotting record.
the champion stallion record. the cham
pion race record C20jl, the fastest two
beat race On record, the fastest three
heat race on record and lnnumerable
records Of minor note.
CresceUs rs the first stallion that ever
held the worlds trotting record. Lady
Sufolk. 2 2giz; lelbam. 2.2s; Highland
Maid. 2-27; Flora Temple. 2lgF.; Dex-
Ter. 2.l7it: Goldsmith Maid. PA; Ra-
rus. 2l3H; 81. julien, 2:ll5s; Jay Eye
See. 10; Aagd 5. 25OsF. SunOl. 2Osi!;
Nancy Hanks. 20i; Alix. 2O3Fs. and
The Abbot 2O3l., all the record hold
ers since 230 was first made By
trOtter. were either mares or geldings.
George II. Ketcbam. the owner Of
I Cresceus. Is 40 years Of age. lie is one
[ Of the sons Of the late Valentine
I Ketcham OF Toledo. who accumulated
large fortune In manufacturing and
I In the owning and sailing Of lake ves-
I sells. Several years before his death
/ Valentine Ketcham was asked why
I be continued 70 accumulate money.
I We'll" be said, If my boys get as
much fun out Of spending my dollars
as ! get out Of earning them, ! viii be
well satisfied" when the estate was
divided George got his share, which in
cluded a large farm near Toledo.
He had been a delicate child and no
body would predict long life for him
when be had grown 10 young manhood.
/ He took 20 the soil, and that gave him
health and strength. Always a lover
OF horses. II became bis ambition, when
possessed OF the means Of gratifying II,
10 own a famous trotter. That was
why be purchased Robert McGregor.
Then be conceived the idea Of breeding
q trotter Of his own. The colt Cresceus.
by Robert McCregor, out Of Mabel, was
the result.
Although be hired a man 10 watch
bis stables, be would permit nobody
else 10 handle his pet He has driven
him In all his races. and be now says
that he would "rather drive Cresceus
] a, q. a.. L.
Asked what the horse was worth, Mr..
Ketcham said his value 10 him was
entirely sentimental, which means that
there is no price upon him.
Mr.. Ketcham Is an impulsiye man, OF
strong likes and dIslikes. lie Is quick
10 anger, but ready 10 forgive, and mo-
body can laugh more heartily at Joke
than he. From a weak and puny boy
be has grown into robust man, with
broad shoulders and a strong, well set
head, with square jaws. His eyes are
bright aud twinkllng with good humor
and bis nerves and muscles are like
steel. lie never loses his head, and the
absolute control he exercises over bis
horse when on the track, combined
with the feeling OF comradeship be
tween the two. insures absolute obe'
dlence by Cresceus TO every word, pres
sure OF the bit or touch OK whip from
the master behind him.
Mr.. Ketcham believes that Cresceu'
Will be two minute horse before the
season ends. II Is not generally knowr
that Cresceus once killed one Of hli
grooms, yet such Is the fact. 1t was II
, bis 4-year-old form. lie inherits The
unconquerable spirit Of bis sire, anC
, when the boy who was leading him OF
the track at Springfield, o., gave
Jerk on the stud bride, hurting hl'
mouth, Cresceus suddenly struck on
! with his head, biting the lad squarel!
r between the shoulders and killing hin
almost Instantly. When well treated
he Is n kind horse, considering the fac
7 that he is q stallion, but woe 70 th
man who rouses the fire that Is In hin