The Washington times., 1903-09-24
PRINCE ALERT CLIPS
PACED MILE TO I.57
Great Gelding Makes Fast
est Time on Record.
DAN PATCH'S CoLoRS FALL
New King of PAGERS, Driven by Jack
Curry, Breaks, Two Other Records
in His Wonderful Trial.

A horse has Travelled. hitched to a
sulky. mile in 1 minute and 81 sec
onds. The phenomenal 1853 pacing
king of a few days ago is a poor sec
ord, and the two-minute harness won
der so long awaited. with confidence and
skeptieism struggling for mastery
among the prophets, IS hopelessly dis
tanced.
Prince Alert, long. rakish- looking
bay geIding from the banks of the
Wabash, paced the mile track OF the
Empire City Club at Yonkers yesterday
afternoon in 1857. two seconds faster
than Dan Patch's former worlds pacing
record of 1859. and three seconds faster
f, than Lou Dillon, the tFotting queen,
trotted her now historic mile.
And such a scene after the redoubtable
Jack Curry, who drove the gelding.
alighted from the sulky. Cheering men
and women rushed on the track. picked
up Curry and carried him TO the judges
stand. 1t was wild climax. and the
westchester County Horse Show ia the
center of the field was broken up.
A worlds record beyond the dreams of
the most sanguine had been established
and the joy of the multitude knew no
bounds. 1t was ten minutes before order
could be restored Prince Alert was now
King Alert.
Preparing for Trial.
Prince Alert. with Jack Curry in the
su1ky, was worked two warming up
miles, the first in 2:12as and the second
2:OS1k. The track was firm, smooth as
a table and fast-every foot of it. The
weather conditions were perfect. warm
and still.
A new wind shield was introduced, The
invention of Secretary Reeves. of the
Empire Club II was of sheeting AMI
was placed on the sulky cart Of the pace
maker 1t was a perfect wind break,
only the head of the driver of the run
ming horse being above the shield. Mart
Demarest. the regular trainer and driver
of Prince Alert. drove the pacemaker,
while Theodore Maxfeld was behind an
other running horse to assist in pacing
Prince Alert
1t was 4:30 o'clock when Prince Alert
came out 20 try and wrest the cham
pionshlp from Dan Patch, 1859. Twice
he scored down. but he was not going
TO suit Driver Curry and he tried again.
On the third trial he came straight and
true. and Curry nodded TO Starter Mills
that he was of for the great mile. Dem
Arrest, with the wind shield, was about
twenty-five feet ahead of the Prince as
they flashed under the wire.
How Mile Was Made.
The big bay horse reached the first
quarter in 2915 seconds 1853 clip-and
faint cheer went up. Sweeping into
the backstretch the gelding was pacing
like the wind. and when So seconds was
announced for the half mighty roar
burst from the watchers. Prince Albert
was going at 1855 clip. and Dan Patch's
throne began TO totter.
On rushed the record smasher. There
was no faintheartedness in his strug-
gle. At the three-Quarters in 1:261k a
new worlds record was in sight. and
the mass of spectators arose to their
feet and eheered with the intoxication
OF the thought Through the home
stretch came the PAGER like whirI-
wind. and as he went under the wire in
1:57 .bedlam broke loose. Hundreds of
watches had timed him, and all agreed
on 1:57 OF better
f. E Smathers. the noted horseman
and an expert timer, caught the mile in
1;56z. and be was the first to grasp
the hand of Driver Curry. James Han
ley, of Providence, owner of the horse.
and Mart Demarest, the trainer. were
also congratulated, while Munroe Sails
bury. the gray-haired Californian who
prepared the track. was not forgotten.