The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-21
SPORTING NEWS.
Harness Horses Move on to
Memphis TI1is Week.
One of the Greatest Meetings
for Bike PuIlers.
CRESCEUS AND PATCH.
Onward Silver, Major 5Delmar
and McKerrOn Billed.
Lord Derby Will Meet The Monk
in Special Contest.

Chicago, Oct. 21.-"On to Memphis is
the slogan in the harness horse world.
1.-THE last big meeting of the year." as
the programme book puts. it. began
there today. It will last ten days, clos
ing Friday of next week, and during
its course the eyes of the entire trotting
fraternity will be turnd toward Ten
nessee.
Everybodywho isanybody seems to be
going. The hurrah with which the sea-
son wound up at Memphis last year was
so tremendous that it has excited an
immense amount of interest and Curl
osity about this years meeting. Ac-
cording to prospect, this expectation
will probably. be gratified to the point
Of satiation.
One horseman who attended the Mem
phis meeting last year said that he had
had a racing debauch. This year he is
going back, and he will have bigger
one.
The Memphis meeting VIII. in fact, be
the most many-sided ever given. There
are twenty-five. regular class events in
which there is an enormous entry of the
pick of the grand circuit. There are
among which is the $1,000 Memphis gold
cup, in which The Monk and Lord
Derby Will finally settle the amateur
trotting championship.
There is an extra day which will be
entirely devoted to dash racing, over
which Secretary Howe is enthusiastic.
There are the great and only Tran
sylmulla, free for all male and female
mules of good reputation" And there
Is a galaxy of special events sufficient
to glut the most Unsuitable harness
horse lover.
First of these is the attempt of Cres-
ceus, 2:02A, the trotting king, to lower
the worlds record. This is down for
next Thursday. Later during the meet
ing the champion will be sent to beat
the wagon record of 2;0515, held by The
Abbot.
Dan Patch, 1891, will make his fare
well effort to lower Star Pointers
worlds pacing record on Tuesday of
next week.
John A. AIcKerron. 2:O614, the winner
of the Boston Challenge cup, will be
sent against time twice during the
Prince Alert. 2:OOH. will be sent to
beat the worlds record for pacing geld
ings, which is his own. He will also at
tempt to lower this worlds pacing rec
ord to wagon, the 2011z of Little Boy.
Connor 2:G3A, and Darrell, 2:05A, team
record 2:0S3l will start to beat the
worlds team record for pacers-the 2:0S
of John r. Gentry and Robert J.
Major Delmar,. 2:06, and Wilque, 2:09A
will start to beat the worlds record for
trotting teams-the 2:124 of Belle Ham
lin and Honest George.
Onward Silver. 2:0S, who last week
lowered the twO-rnile record from 4:32
to beat that record
Ever since last years meeting when
records went to smash there in such a
phenomenal way, the Memphis track
has been acclaimed the fastest in the
world But the management has not
been satisfied with this. and has en-
deavored to make it still faster The
veteran, Seth Griffin, who built it, fin
ishing it barely in time for the races
last fall has for the past two months
hear, hard a hrin If RI the
best possible velvety finish. The entire
track has been virtually resurfaced and
the footing perfected to the utmost de-
gree. 1t is predicted that the way the
records win go during this week and
next will be unprecedented. Only bad
weather can mar the meeting. And it
is said that the weather man has con-
fidentially agreed to duplicate last
years stretch of golden Indian summer
days
While the outlook is for so many broken
records, the talent agrees that the che
most important record of all will not be
disturbed. They do not expect Crescehs
to succeed in his attempt to beat 2:02A
The king of trotters has gone a number
OF exhibition miles previously this season.
and has not beaten 2:04 in any of them.
This is set down as the reasons why he
will fail.
Still. the chestnut champion, who has
now been at the track for two " se,ss pre-
pairing for his essay. has been working
grandly. He may do something aslonish-
ing-as he has so often IN the past
One of the men who does not looh for a
very fast mile by Cresceus is r. E.
Smathers, the owner of that sensational
gelding. Lord Derby, 2.O5z4. Some time ago
he offered to race 'the Derby against
the champion for money, marbles or
chalk anything up to $4,000 a side. As
Mr.. Ketcham had previously announced
that Cresceus would not start in a race
this year, and probably never again. q
great many people denominated Mr.
Smathers' def as a cheap bluff How
ever, it wasn't. 1t was deadly earnest,
for the New York pIunger really. believes