The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-12

the United States-the breeding Of the thoroughbred runner and the thorough bred trotter and pacer, and the flying road horse, and the ladies beauteous sad dle animal. The vast breeding interests require for their full development, and demand the opportunity to race them without the obstacle of laws that ap- proach fanatioism, and their indignant voice Is raised in far off Massachusetts in no uncertain tone. Breeding the Amer lean light harness horse is leading in- dustry in almost every state in the union except the far southern states where it has been throttled and cholzed out by unreasonably strict laws. New England, on account of the fabulous wealth and the high social position of the leading breeders is next to Kentucky and New York, the very backbone of the light harness horse industry in the world.
 Romantic Oakley.
 Next week the grand circuit will make it's home at beautiful Oakley park, Gin cinnati. It was there that the queeny daughter of Harold and Miss Russell Maud S., 2:Osa, first exhibited that mar vicious fight of speed which made her the queen of them all and after twenty years, her record of 2:0S% to the old high wheel sulky still defies and mocks the high-bred kings and queens of the turI
 
 Captain Stone and his winsome dauBh- ter Maude for whom the great Ally was named, watched the high-mettled. mo- tionate little miss take her lessons un- der the patient and slSllful hand of George Bair, who finally drove her at 1 Cleveland to the worlds record of 2:0S% to a high wheel sulky, which stands to- day. On the opening day at Oakley there are four races, but the 2:S0 trot will like ly furnish the sensation sport of the day, for the marvel, Rythmic-an almost un- beaten champion in his class, fne mighty Chase, the ever-dangerous Dulce Cor, Patchen Maid, speedy Zephyr, and a dozen other cracks of the circuit will complete In the '30'' pace l expect to see the unbeaten Direct Hal. bred and raised by Ed Geers, wintered at Selma, and sold to the Hamlins for Sf0,0OO win with ease, although confronted by those mighty horses Free Advice, Miss Will amont, Elderone and Hary Anna. Dain- ty little Twinkle, if in form, should win the 2:12 pace from Her formidable field. The eyes are on the champion Cresceus, who will go against his record on the second day, but in my opinion he will not approach it, though very fast mile may be expected. I received letter from George Ketchum last week. saying; "Cresceus is right at record-breaking pitch and he will beat his record at Cincinnati; barring accidents"
 Lord Derby and The Monk.
 Viewed from all standpoints, in my opinion, the greatest race of the season was the gentleman's race for the 5000. Gold Cup at the Empire City meeting be- tween Lord Derby and The Monk driv- en by their respective owners, Messrs. Smathers and Billings, both millionaire horse lovers. The race was the most brilliant affair ever participated in by amateurs. It was a great, sensational racing spectacle. Only one race ever trot ted is superior to it; even if that Is SO; save in the small fraction from the time standpoint; and that was when sweet little" Alix immortalized herself by trotting the fastest three heats on record in 2:06A. 2:05lh, 2:06. In this race the time was 2:06, 2:0eb, 2:06; The Monk winning the first heat. No race among professionals can be said to be superior to this one, and that two amateurs should take part in a race that has only one equal in trotting annals shows how prominent and powerful has become amateur sport, and what ambitious heights the amateur aspires to. In the first gruelling heat, The Monk won by an eyelash, but in the second Lord Derby returned the compliment. Two closer or more exciting finishes were never seen on any track In any year since trotting races began. MT Billings well understood that to stand off the whirlwind finishes of Lord Derby he must have good lead when they reached the half mile post, for in those thrilling, electric finishes to the wire Lord Derby rests without the suspicion of a peer. In the first heat Mir. Billings did that very thing, and when they reached the back stretch he was four open lengths to the good, and, strive as he did, and as he only can in a home stretch finish, Lord Derby failed by a whisker to pass him. Had Edward F. Geers been in the sulky, the tale might be different In the second heat, MT. Smathers saw his game and sent his great gelding at a mighty clip from the wire; blanket would have covered them both from wire to wire-from "eend to eend," as old John Harper used to say about his glorious Longfellow when he