Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-16
us Distances Him on the
Brighton Track.
OVER $4,000 PERSONS WERE PRESENT
Rain Prevents Game at American
League Park
CURRENT SPORTING NEWS

he defeated The Abbot in straight heats,
leading him to the wire nearly three parts
of a length in the first heat in 203 IA, the
fastest mile ever trotted in a race, and dis
tancing him in the second heat in 2:06 IA.
At no time in the race did The Abbot
lead, and only at the start did his brown
muzzle lap the blonde name of the great
chestnut. He was beaten stride for stride
by the best horse, and there is lurking
belief in the minds of thousands who wit
messed the race that, if pushed harder,
Cresceus could have equaled the worlds
record time of 200 IA, made by him in
exhibition. There is no knowing what he
can do when at his topmost speed, and the
oldest experts predict Cresceus as the two
minute trotter if this long-looked-for per-
Torrance is ever realized.
While the race had an unsatisfactory
ending and The Abbot may not have been
considered at his best, the result was none
the less creditable to the winner, as he
beat the "Hamlin boss" in as fast a mile
as the latter has ever trotted (203 Id
which stood as the worlds record until
twice lowered by the "OhiO wonder" From
what was seen of the two horses together
Yesterday Cresceus appears the master, his
willingness and courage never faltering
while his bulldog ambition to get as far
away as possible from his pursuer stamps
him as the greatest trotting phenomenon
the harness world has ever known. His
staying qualities are unuuestioned and
while many think The Abbot might beat
him a heat. if at his best, the consensus
of opinion is that the trotter does not
exist that can head him to the finish in
nVe-heat race.
The Attendance.
trotting race near New York never
drew so large a crowd gathered to wit
ness the battle of the champion stallion,
,;tl, u
Abbot, the champion gelding, with a mark
of 2.03 IA. The trotting kings met for
the worlds championship and purse of
$4,000, which, it was reported, was di-
Vided, $1,000 to the winner and $1,000 to
the loser.
There was a larger crowd present than
ever seen on a New York trotting track
The grandstand was simply packed, and
this despite the fact that reserved seats
with admission cost 81, while boxes holding
four persons were all disposed of at $50
each. in addition to the regular admission
While the seating capacity is but $500, it
was undoubtedly a fact that close to 5000
persons were damned into the structure.
Every available space between the stand
and the track was packed, and the pad
dock, infield and cheaper admission field
contained legion of people. The attend
ance was VariOuSly estimated at from To-
600 to 10000. 1t was different crowd from
that which goes to Brighton Beach to see
the running horses. 1t was Sedate, more
staid assemblage, and there was little dis
Cusson about the odds and great deal
about the breeding of horses.
Cresceus the Favorite.
The first auction pool that was sold went
500 for Cresceus and 800 for The Abbot.
Then some brave man ran Cresceus price
up to $500. Such effrontery stampeded The
Abbot's hackers who were slow to respond,
but by dint of much coaxing finally raised
Cresceus' stock steadily gained, while The
Abbot was hammered down.
The auction pool finally settled down to
$3.50 for Cresceus to s75 for The Abbot,
les" started their heat betting they nat
urally picked up the price that had been
made in the auction pools.
ketcham Draws Pole.
Before the race George Ketcham, the
owner of Cresceus, and Ed Geers, the
driver of The Abbot, walked on the track
in front of the judges stand and became
the target for half a dozen cameras The
starter announced that Mr.. Ketcham and
Mr.. Geers would settle the important mat
ter Of position for start in the first heat
by Tipping a coin. 1t went into the air
and Mr.. ketcham turned away with
broad grin on his face.
He's got the pole" said a bystander,
when he saw how pleased the owner OF
Cresceus looked, and it was a good guess.
Loud applause greeted the horses as they
made their appearance at half-past
o'clock. They scored down past the stand,
and the smoothness of The Abbot's gait
was freely commented upon. He is a
pretty horse" said one fair enthusiast
Il don't care If he does get beaten" This
was just the opposite of the stallion. He
looked big, ungainly and everything but
the piece of machinery he has often
proven himself to be. His stride was long
and sweeping and he dug his toes into the
earth as if to stamp defiance to all who
opposed him.
The weather was simply perfect for the
great trial and the track was like velvet,
though probably second slow. Just prior
to the race a slight driZZle of rain fell, and
those in the crowd without cover made a
scramble for a dry spot. Heavy clouds
hung threateningly only for few minutes,
when they cleared away and the sun shone
brightly during the rest of the afternoon. =
First Heat n Wonder.
1t was just 1886 when the horses came
from the paddock for the great trial. Each
was driven up and down the stretch for q
warming up, and when they reached the
starter Cresceus was slightly in the lead
and they were called back. The next time,
however, they were nose and nose. Then
CresceuS rushed to the front and had q
lead of a length, which he held to the
quarter, making that mark in .3OA. This
lead The Abbott had slightly reduced at
the half, which was reached in 1.01A, and
he was a very close second at the three
quarter pole in 1.32A.
The vast crowd realized that a worlds
record was about to be made, and the
grand stand arose to it's feet, while the
multitude, which was in the space between
the stand and the track, cheered wildly
Coming down the stretch II was a battle
royal, with The Abbott very close up, but
Cresceus, with his bull dog grip, kept on
with nostrils extended, and just managed
to beat his opponent by shade over a half
length in 2O3A, the worlds trotting record
In a race.
The Second Trial.
A little over half an hour had expired
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 Abbott had not travelled hundred
yards before he made a disastrous break
and before he could recover his gait Cres-
ceuS was in front. The Abbott, once set
tied, made a grand effort to overtake his
opponent, but the son of Robert McGregor
was out for victory and kept on, passing
the quarter in 31a4, the half In 1.02h, the
the quarter in BIN, the half in 1.02h the
home the last quarter in 31A seconds, doing
the mile in 2O64, with The Abbott ten
yards back of the flag