Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-08-11
ROCkLAND RACES.
Rex Wilkes Takes ee-For-An and
Lon Wilkes the Consolation.

| Rockland. Me-, Aug. 10.-(SpeciaD.-
the Knox Trotting park, Saturday, went
home satisfied that they had seen the
most interesting races of the season.
In the free-for-all Belle p, 2171s, ch.
NJ, owned by Fred Berry of Rockland.
and driven by Mr.. Kirby of the same
town. was hot favorite with the local
| talent. The black gelding Rex Wilkes.
2.151a, by Johnny Wilkes, 2171a, owned
and driven by Chas. Ridley of Oakland, f,
| had a few followers who backed him
| literally, and their judgment proved to
be good. Belle p. showed in better
form than Rex, but in the first two
heats she tried all the way to beat him
and had the pole to go away with. He
won out in both by very narrow mar
gin in 2.20 and came back strong in
217 in the second mile.
Belle p. took the third and fourth
heats in commanding style, Rex carry
ing her some heartbreaking halves, but
he did not appear to have a show FOR
the fifth. They went under the wire
for the word on nearly the same terms,
that Rex was going for his life and the
mare 2.30 gait, resulting in Rex being
able to snatch the coveted pole on the
first turn. Belle p. soon got to his
wheel. and in this manner they raced
up the back stretch and around the
turn. swing around on the last turn
and just before they hit the stretch
Rex went up. Kirby had his mare SO
close that he had to take her to one
side and Rex may have swerved trilie
on the break, but when the driver of
the chestnut mare pulled over, she lost
her stride and made a disastrous
break. Mr.. Ridley waited for her for
a full quarter of a mile, making no ef-
fort to distance her, winning the fifth
and final heat in 2.47. 1t was great
disappointment to the Rockland folks,
but she is very erratic mare, to try
to win money with. When the judges
awarded the heat to Rex, there was
more or less kicking, but the general
opinion was that the mare got all that
was coming to her.
In the consolation race Lon Wilkes
was picked by the talent for the real
good thing, and in five hard heats,
with two eyelash finishes, he managed
by the skillful driving of Mr.. Webb to
land the race. This young horse is
owned by H. +. Cummings of Augusta.
He went these five heats as steady as
clockwork. not making a mistake of
any kind. In the fastest heat (2.26A)
he was beaten by nose, and came
back good and strong in the fifth heat.
The contending horse was Ned Nor
rison, 2.26A, b. g., by Regal Nelson,
2.1SA, by Nelson, 2.09, and he was
driven by the skillful trainer, Ed Ire
land of Bangor. Ned Morrison is
owned by Mr.. Morrison of Boston, but
his horses are Maine products, being
reared in Livermore Falls, on his stock
farm. He is colt with a great turn
of speed and without doubt viii take
a record of 2.20, this fall, and after Mr..
ireland gets him a little steadier, lie
will he a very difficult proposition for
the trotters in his class.
The summary:
FREE FOR-ALL-PURSE s4C0.
Rex Wilkes. bl e. (Ridley) ....1 2 II
Belle F.. ch m, Q<irby) ........2 l .
Morley King, bl g. GrelanO...3 8 dis
Time-2.20, 2.17, 2,17l2, 2.2lA, 2.47.
CONSOLATION RACE-PURSE($15O.
Lon Wilkes. bg, OWebb) ........2 /
Ned Morrison. b g. 0reland) Il . 2
m n q