The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-16
KING OF TROTTERS
CREsCEUs BEATs THE ABBOT AT
BRIGHTON BEACH.
BEST TIME MADE 2:o3 IA.
THIS is WORLDS RECORD FOR
TRoTTING RACE.

The First Heat n Battle of Giants,
with Only Half a Length to the
Winners Credit Mt End of Mile.
The Abbot's Disastrous Break In
Second Heat Put Him Out of Bust
ness-Betting Spirited at 100 to 80
on Crcsceus.
New York, Aug. 15.-The trotting in
terests of the Empire City have not
received such a boom in quarter of
century as was developed to-day at the
Brighton Beach track, when under the
auspices of the New York Trotting AS
sociation the champion stallion and
champion gelding Cresceus and The
Abbot came together for a purse of
$4,000. The Abbot. with his record of
2OSA of last season, and .Cresceus with
his mark of 2:02A, made at Columbus
recently, were to decide the question of
which was to be the one to go down in
history as the fastest trotting horse
now living.
There was a larger crowd present
than ever seen on a New York trotting
track. 1t was estimated that fully I5,-
P~CPAS
was simply perfect for the great trial
and the track was like velvet, though
probably a second slow. Several times
during the afternoon both horses put in
some preliminary work and each time
they passed the crowd there was great
enthusiasm.
Luck With Cresceus.
1t was about $3.50 o'clock, when the
drivers, Ketcham and Geers. appeared
before the grand stand and obtained
their positions for a start by the flip
OF a coin. Luck was with the driver of
Cresceus, as he secured the pole a de-
cided advantage when two horses so
nearly equal in point of record are con-
sidered. When, little later, the horses
came from the paddock they were
wildly cheered and they looked fit for
the work before them.
Each was driven up and down the
stretch for warming up and when
they reached the starter Cresceus was
slightly in the lead and they were call
ed back. The next time down, how
ever, they were nose and nose. Then
Cresceus rushed to the front and had
a lead of a length, which he held to
the quarter, making that mark in :304l.
This lead The Abbot had slightly re-
In l:0lH and he was a very close Sec
ond at the three-quarter pole in 1:32N.
Coming down the stretch 1t was a bat
tie royal. with The Abbot very close
up. but Cresceus with his bull dog grin
kept on with nostrils distended and
just managed to beat his opponent by
a half length, in 2:03A the worlds
trotting record in a race. To say that
the announcement created tumultuous
nraIxr FoE.
meaning of the expression.
The Second Trial.
A little over half an hour had ex-
plred when the two grand horses came
out for their second trial and were
started under the same conditions that
existed in the first heat They were
sent away beautifully. but The Abbot
had not Travelled a hundred yards be-
fore he made a disastrous break AMI
before he could recover his gait Cres-
ceus was in front The Abbot once
settled. made a grand effort to over
take his opponent, but the son of Rob
ert McGregor was out for victory and
kept on, passing the quarter in 3fX
seconds. the half in 1:021s. the three
quarters In 1:35 and came rushing
home the last quarter in 31H seconds.
doing the mile In 2:06A, with The Abb
bot back of the flag.
AS the race was best three in five
ketcham consented that Cresceus 20
another heat. This he did shortly be-
fore o'clock. accompanied by a run
ner for the first half, where he was
Joined by another runner, and he did
the mile in 205. the quarter in 30l5, the
half in 1:O1z and the three quarters in
1:34.
The betting before the race was 500
to $50 on Cresceus, and II was lively,
there being many of the followers of
The Abbot and of his driver. Geers,
who were willing TO take the short end.
Summary regular events:
2:20 Trot-Nevo Simmons won first.
second. and fifth heats and race. All
Right second, winning third and fourth
heats; Helen Grace, third. Best time
2:11A.
2:10 Pace-Sphinx won second, third
and fourth heats and race; Carmine,
second. winning first heat Little
Squaw third. Best time 2:07A.
210 Trot-Jaggles won second, third
and fourth heats and race; King
Chimes second. winning first heat:
Temple Wilkes third. Best time 2:09A.