The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20
CRESCEUs, TR0TTER THAT FIRST
LOWERED THE TWO-MINUTE RECORD.
Tucky George kecham Owner and Driver Getting His Horse
Ready to Face Lou Dllon--Story OF Stock Farm.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPC BLIC.
Notwithstanding the fact that Lou Dill
Ion has since lowered by Il second and q
quarter the new worlds record made by
Cresceus ut Wichita, kas.. his splendid
performance at that time In doing easily
all that was required OF him leaves the
great stallion factor In the trotting
world yet TO be heard from.
After years absence from the track,
from which he had been retired to the
breeding farm, Cresceus reappears in the
lists when the long awaited record Of two
minutes has been made by the fast little
mare and by Major Delmar and promptly
wipes the slate in his own favor.
Whatever may happen in the future,
Cresceus was the first horse to lower the
two-minute record. and his brilliant re-
appearance brings into new prominence
the great horses owner and driver, George
II. ketcham, one Of the most interesting
characters On the American turf.
To any one who knows air. ketcham 1t
will be readily understood that the two
minute performances of the before men
toned horses came only as welcome
challenge to the owner OF Cresceus.
The interests Of the stud and the inter-
ests of his own pocket were bound to be
ignored by Mr.. ketcham when the record
of Cresceus was tempered with.
Wherever Mr.. Ketchams friends might
be they could be quite sure that the new
record was only the signal to put the
chestnut stallion in training over the sand
roads of the Ketcham farm.
They could see Tim" on the cart jog
sing his favorite ten miles in the mornin s
over heavy roads with an occasional burst
OF speed. and then a rub down and n
cool off. with a bite of grass. before going
into his box, and the same thing in the
afternoon.
SECRET OF VICTORIES.
The great secret of Cresceuss victories
aside from his splendid courage and capac-
ity TO take punishment in a struggle as Il
prize figher takes it, lies IN his powerful
legs, that from their perfect modelling
look SENDER TO the casual observer. but
are really pig boned and hugely muscied.
for which the ketcham farm sand Is part
Is responsible.
Cresccus is Of a sanguine temperament
and so Is his master. Mr. Ketcham Is an
Optimist. and so Is Cresceus, and both are
full of sporting blood, ready TO take all
sorts of chances and abide by the result.
and both have confidence in each other.
Mr.. ketcham knows that the plucky
stallion Will strain every nerve to WIN,
and Cresceus knows that he will have
every advantage that skillfui handling can
give him.
1t may be. safely said that the two never
had but one serious misunderstanding
which was after the great race with The
Abbot.
In that struggle Mr.. Ketch;lm. ambitious
10 Increase his lead on the home stretch,
and Knowing that the stallion would never
break under the whip, struck him fierce
blow as they came laundering down the
track.
at the time. except perhaps. to answer it
with an increased burst of speed. but he
treasured the insult IN his memory. He
had never been struck before.
He was surprised. but he had more
weighty business to attend to for the mo-
ment than rcsenting his personal wrongs.
That evening Mr.. ketcllam went into mis-
box to congratulate his favOrite on his
splendid victory over The Abbot, and for
the first time in his life Cresceus went at
him like an enraged lion. with open mouth
corner of the box. from whence he was
rescued with difficulty by the grOoms.
CreSceuS. while he Is a stallion of high
spirit. with tremendous .combativcness. is
horse of kind disposition, but he has
playful way Of rearing and striking at the
empty air when he is led out of his box
that cost one groom his life some years
ago. Nothing would induce Mr.. Ketcham
TO handle Cresceus in this way. and yet
the horse Is so kind in harness that sir.
ketcham's little daughter of Is was al
lowed to drive him TO road wagon l.,
Toledo
CRESCEUS'S HOME.
The Ketcham farm is Il level tract of a
thousand acres, seven miles from Toledo
and close to the Michigan line.
Cresceus. from the trolley station at the
farm To brands of cigars, bottles of whis-
ky, dogs. cabbages and babes
= Cresceus's box is house Ivy itself. which
he inherited from his sire. Robert Nc
Gregor, whose name is stnl painted on the
shingles Of the roof. The bones of Robert
McGregor lie under a granite monument
near by. alongside a farm avenue bordered
with poplarS.
The stone hears the simple inscription.
Robert McGregor. sire of famous race
horses" This box. twenty feet square,
has rack for hay in one corner and three
windows, high up in the sides. Here Cces-
ceus abides winter and summer when he is
not on the track, and the half doors are
never locked OH Il horse that earns more
than 10000 year.
Between the gambrcl rooted farmhouse
and the great barns stands Mr.. Ketcham's
office. with the hOsI table decanter and
the inviting glass always on the table. and
the walls covered with racing pictures,
Sunday is a gala day at the farm where
many visitors are entertained About 10
O'clock Mr.. Ketcham goes bowling down
the poplar avenue in a cart with the Cres-
ceus mascot q dimnutive brindle bulldog,
on the seat beside him. a little later Mrs
ketcham and the little daughter of the
house arrive in another cart with more
at the farm-to hobnob with Cresceus. to
look over the gardens and read the Sum
day papers in the office.
Out in the great pastures are brood
bot.
from Canada. some with young foals at
their side. In the old orchard the
hiSh-brcd mares and colts against a back
ground of apple blossoms are dainty sub
1ects for artist 10 paint. On week
days the grooms arc always in evidence
leading blaBketed trotters about to cool
OFT under the trees after morning jog or
allowing them Il bait of fresh grass. They
may lie Leland Stanford flll!es from Calf
animals at years Of