The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-10
TIE CHAMPION TRoTTERs.

= = OE1fNifiF ! ~ ! EN1s
Cresceus is 50 odd name. even fer
a horse. that the winning OF the trot-
ting championship by the game, swift.
and stanch stallion bearing il has started
good deal Of discussion as 20 the ori-
gin Of his name. its pronunciation. and
the general appropriateness OF such an
unusual combination Of letters, says the
Cleveland Leader. Curiosity in such d
case is natural. and no guesses can be
much more. peculiar than the facts
There IS certain look o. triumph about
the word Cresceus. altogether apart from
It's associations One is reminded OF in
crease, OF the crescent moon growing
bigger every evening. Of the crescendo in
music which swells and rises with rev
power in every note. So the name Of the
new champion trotter has a NJ appear
ance- Il strikes the eve well
But none OF these associations with in
creasing and progressive things give the
splendid horse his name. Il vas intended
for Croesus. the king Of ancient times
most famous for his wealth. The spelling
was bad in the case OF the horse. and
the connection between his name and
that or the long ago monarch Of Lydia
might hardly be suspected by any one
The pronunciation used In turf circles
is stiil farther from historical correctness.
II the name Cresceus IS 10 be considered
a modification OF Crocsus. The man who
made the selection rhymes Cresceus with
precious. he called the fine colt pre-
ciOus Cresceus" long before he came any
where near the turf championship. Il is
not sound by analogy, but the master Of
a horse can do as he pleases in spelling
the animals name and pronouncing 1t,
also.
In the sense that old Croesus was a
great source of good fortune and gold 10
those who were his favorites the idea OF
deriving from the ancient monarch s
name one for the new trotting champion
was sound and fortunate. Such a horse
is 2 true gold mine. He is indeed pre-
cious," estimated by the simplest stand
ards Of money getting.
All things considered, the new king
Of the turf has rather happily chosen
name. Tt savors Of gain. progress. wealth
and power. The somewhat obscured his
torical significance hts in well with the
horses money-earning abilities, and the
form Of the name he bears suggests
swelling strains Of music, light growing
brighter. general expansion and progress.
In all these things "CresCeus' is an i'm
proVement upon the name of the horse
lately deposed as champion OF tratters.
There is not much in The Abbot" 10 sug-
gest triumph on the turf The name
smacks of headship, indeed, in a reli-
gious house, and that may imply a Ger
tain authority of manner. sickness of
person, and atmosphere Of success. but
as for the fame-winning struggles OF the
fine horse that bears the name. IL is far
from the Misunderstanding. muscle-testing
races he knows SO well 10 the theOlogi-
cal discussions and spiritual strivings OF
a monastery
The fact that the stable mate and
blood relative of "The Abbot" known to
the turf as The Monk" has a name stiu
less suggestive of the stress and fierce
contests of the race track makes il
more unlikely than it might have been
if The Abbott had been named alone
that his carly owner had the power and
dignity OF the head of monastery in
mind when his whim gave such an odd
name 70 a splendid colt.
Farther back, all the way. in fact. 70
Flora Temple, many of the champion
trotters of the United States have borne
names curiosity appropriate in some sug-
gestion or phase, II not in all respects
or from every point Of view. 'Alix is
the German form of Alice, and Alice
means noble. Nancy Hanks had a useful
name for il is unfortunately true that
many Americans learned through their
curiosity about the famous trotter that
Abraham Lincoln's mother was Nancy
Hanks before she became Mrs. Lincoln.
and however disrespectful il may have
woman, surely the suggestion Of great
service, primacy in the worth, and lit
title TO enduring renown which a proud
hOrseman might well desire in the name
of his fayorite trotter, was strong IN the
noble mother of the president.
The very word "Sunol had favor Of
quickncss. 1t fairly spoke of rapid work.
There could hardly have been a better
choice of euphonious name for fast
horse. 1t suggested getting there in
the slang of the streets and the track.
in its very sound MAUD s. was dif-
ferent and very commonplace That
name was a misdt for famous race
horse, though it doubtless pleased the
little girl, Maud stone, whose father
chose it for the horse which made him
more prominent than he ever was before.
Neither was there much appropriate
ness IN the name of st. Julien. Rarus
was better fitted with a name. He was
very rare in his way and day, as every
champion trOtter must needs be- Gold
smith Maid had a name which spoke Of
precious metal. and she certainly was
worker in gold for her owner as well as
q breaker Of records on the turf. 1t does
not matter that her name was derived
from other sources with no suggestion Of
bullion being made into money or trophies
of the track.
Famous old Dexter was surely entitled
to a name that meant right He was
right and all right. for ne seldom was
left behind any other horse on the race
track. Beyond him stands Flora Temple.
the first famous American tr0tter. IA the
modern estimation of turf celebrities. Her
name speaks OF garlands of flowers. APP
propriate for heroines OF great victories.
II is about as rich in suggestions Of
wreaths and inches IN the halls Of fame
as anything could be. So Flora Temple
was well named.
Altogether. taking due account Of the
immense multitude of blooded horses that
have been named By men who fancie1
that ia them they might fad champions
OF the turf it is remarla BE that tle
average Of curiosity significant ana nttinE
names should be 60 high among the
real kings and queens Of the race track
IN the case of the trotung champion
ship there may not De much ia name
hut the names have hit the mark well.
as q rule. This IS more than can BE-
said OF many more important selections
such as the names % cities, warshlrs,
and other great and enduring things /
much admired az men,
For Value Received.