The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10
HISTORY OF CRESCEUS
MIR. KETCHAM TELLS HOW HE
TRAINED CHAMPION TROTTER.
Cresceus VIII Try to Lower His
Record of 2:O2 IA at indianapolis
Track-State Fair Races.

George H. Ketcham, breeder, owner and
driver of the champion trotting stallion.
Cresceus. 2:O21z. recently gave complete
history of his pride and as Cresceus viii
go against his record at the State fair
grounds in this city on Aug. q, the history
Of the great trotter is here given. In ad-
dition TO the record trial by Cresceus there
will be a few races to fill in the pro-
gTamme.
Almost every one who knows or cares
anything for Gods greatest creation in
the brute world" said Mr.. Ketcham,
knows Cresceus and his great accom-
plishments on the turf. They do not how
ever, know his early history. His breed
ing and early history is a chapter of acct
dents.
II was led to buy Mabel, his dam.
through seeing Nightingale as four-year-
old step mile in 227 which l then con-
sidered a very wonderful performance.
Shortly afterward James Dority. owner of
Mabel. died, and his horses were sold at
public auction in Toledo in 1892 l eX
pected to pay about q 800 for the mare.
My competing bidder DR.. j. V. New
ton, of Toledo o., who, with his partner,
Mr. Randall, of Genoa o., were bidding
Jointly for the mare. Through some con-
fusion on their part, one thinking that the
other was doing the bidding, and neither
down TO me for $3.50. each believing that
the bid was for their account; but that
bid was mine, and L secured the mare for
that figure. l sent her to the farm, and
she was bred TO a son of Baron Wilkes.
Shortly after that time 1 purchased Robert
McGregor, and the following year Mabel
was bred to him. Cresceus was the re-
Sulting foal-
LAS a yearling Cresceus had a severe at
tack of epiZootic, and he was blistered In
some manner he rubbed off the blister over
the half door OF his stall and sawed his
neck so that his windpipe was exposed.
He presented such a horrible appearance
that / ordered him destroyed. but as luck
or should say fate. would have 1t, Tim
Murnen, my trainer, was too busy or care
less, and 1t was put off until next morning,
when he was found to be so much better
that the trainer decided to give him
chance for life. He soon developed into
strong, husky but far from attractive look
ing &C, colt:
ing two years old. and l drove him quite a
little on the Snow, beating the best horses
we had In Toledo, among them Charlie
Ford, 2:12i2. He was started in two races
as two-year-old, and in the fall showed
very fast mile over the Erie Mich, track
L again worked him all the following win
ter on the snow, but he did not seem to
improve very much, lacking a brush Of
speed: but when 1 entered and started him
in two races at Tifin. o.. 1 found in
scoring for the first race that he seemed to
learn the game very quickly and came to
his speed rapidly. From that time he
learned TO race and developed speed fast.
WORKED A MILE IN 2:2o.
Feeling confident after this exhibition
that he had much speed I then started to
work him with the sole idea of so con-
ditioning him as TO carry his clip for the
entire mile. and during that whole year
he was then a three-year-old- worked him
heats of a mile and half, but never drove
him faster than a 2:SO clip with ore excep-
ton, and that was when 1 was preparing
him for his race at Columbus. 1 then
worked him one mile in 2:20 but ii took his
life to go that well. However l would
work him until he was tired in miles from
2:40 to 2:30 letting him step from the
seven-eighths pole around TO the next half
mile pole In this way he learned to come