The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
MADDEN LOOKS FOR A
TROTTER TO MAKE lI50
Believes This Mark Will Be Made
on the Track Within Twen-
ty Years.
HAS OWNED TWO SIRES

LEXINGTON. Ky, Dec. 2o.-John e.
Madden was in a mood the other night In
conversation with a party of horsemen to
revert back to other days. 1t is not often
the hustling and busting master OF Ham
burg place will allude to things that are
past. The present and future are generally
subjects which ii Is easy to draw him out
on. but what has happened In times gone by
generally finds him a listener. not an enter
tainer. Said he:
81 once thought / would never be out OF
the trotting horse business. and at that I
did not do so bad at the game, as / sold
two horses that got champions. L at one
time owned both Robert McGregor. 2:l7le,
and Delmar. 2:16ih. The latter gave the
turf Major Delmar. geo. champion gelding.
and the formers contribution to sensational
trotting annals is Cresceus. 1884. champion
stallion OF all times.
"Abdell. champion yearling. s:23. which
cost me $4,000 at auction. is the last great
trotter owned. In my opinion had he lived
he would also have sired a champion and
something sensational may even come from
the few youngsters he sired before his un-
timely death. Once in while feel the old
fever come oyer me and l imagine that 1
would like TO be back among the boys OF the
light harness brigade. Then / recall many
of the faces so familiar TO me in old days
tnat are no more ana am remluoco tndI
my long withdrawal from the trotting game
has permitted time to give the Grand Cir
cult many changes.
"Orrin Hickock, on whose judgment 1
have many times staked a fortune, is gone.
as is my old friend, Counselor Crawford,
and my old chum. Ira L. Bride. the prince
or pool box managers. Scores of others
could name as my friends are also now
among the missing In trotting circles. death
having been unusually busy in the last ten
years in their ranks and the big persons
fn-6Qv "A % m q
the same as those mingled with decade
ago
ever be broken. 1 should say sure as
believe that, like our race horses, trotters
are being bred speeder every year. Tracks
are faster, sulky appliances and equipments
are hourly being improved upon, and with
continued Improvement in the breed OF
trotters twenty years from now 1:50 may be
the champion mark and two-minute horses
by no means OF unusual appearance.
81 look also for expansion in trottfng
horse racing In the near future. The bril-
liant performances Of stars like Lou Dillon.
Major Delmar and Cresceus in one season.
with Dan Patch and Prince Alert among
the PAGERS as side issues has given the
game great boost, and the next few years
Will see much new capital invested in the
light harness horses. But i figure that 1
would be little green in that line now.
and reckon had better stick to my thor
oughbreds and see If I can't win the Fu-
turity again In 1901
DOUG THOMAS AFTER MATCHES.
Doug Thomas has aroused much interest
in trotting circles here by the announce
| ment that he is not averse, IL her owner
is willing. to let Katherine A, the two
year-old Kentucky Futurity winner OF 1902.
meet K. E. Smatherss sensational $4,000
Sadie Mac In a series of four-year-old
races In 1904. While the daughter of Peter
| the Great defeated the Clay FLY in both
| the Futurity and Kentucky stakes. her
| trainer still Is not willing to concede that
Sadie Mac Is superior TO the Bourbon coun-
| ty bred and owned FLY. Thomas says the
sickness Katherine A. passed through last
year makes il remarkable that she ever
raced as a three-year-old. and he Is conf
dent in another season, having now even
| recovered from her severe illness of last
| season, that she will prove her superiority
| over Sadie Mac or any other four-year-old
| of 1904
Since being turned out she has spread
and grown In every way even in this short
time. but, at that. he will not hurry her
preparation next season, hardly taking her
| up before the LIST or May
| al will be ready in September and October
| to meet any four-yeer-old, Thomas said,
land a race at Oakley. Lexington ana
Memphis with Sadie Mac would just suit
| me- I would not object to an arrange
| ment OF three races at the places named.
one a mila dash, one mile heats, two In
three. and the other mile heats. three In
| five, the winner OF two out OF three events
to take all the money hung up for the
Mr.. Clay will give his consent, I will trot
Katherine A. against any four-year-old in
| the world"
Those Immediately acquainted with
James K. Clay incline TO the belief that he
will not stand I'm the way of his sensational
| daughter OF Virgins meeting Smathers's
| FLY in a series OF races. His only reason
| may be on account Of Katherine A. mark
/ Of 2:l4. She will be eligible when a five
| year-old TO all the rich slow class purses
4 and he may decide 10 lay her over next
/ season for a heroic campaign In 1906 for
/ the big events which enabled Billy Buck
| TO be such a star money winner the past
/ racing season.