Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-24
NEW PACING RECORD

Thus Becomes the Champion PAGER
Of the World, Breaking Dan Patch's
Best Time.
New York, Sept. 24.-Harness rec
ords have been swept aside SO fire.
quently Of late that each new champion
hardly sweeps across the horizon OF
fame before new one appears to dim
the luster Of all that have gone be-
fore. 1t seems almost like yesterday
that Dan Patch, the PAGER, on cold,
bleak day at the Brighton Beach track,
lowered the then worlds harness record
that had stood for a year and put the
figures at 1853. Today the crowd at
the Empire City track saw these fig
ures wiped out by two seconds, and
:57 went on the records to the credit
OF the PAGER, Prince Alert, handsome
bay gelding by Crown PrinceTill.
This great PAGER has been recognized
by many as a coming champion. Last
year he reached the two minute mark
and paced half mile with three quar-
ters of second as fast as the mid
die half of his mile today.
One important factor in the great
mile was a track without doubt faster
than any horse ever before stepped
over in a record breaking effort. Mon
roe Salisbury took the the track In
hand yesterday. and work on 1t was
superb animal scored for the effort that
hi ri r~f IL y.
1t was the first day of the autumn
meeting OF the Empire City Ttottir Z
club, and, in addition to a strong card
of four races, Prince Alert was billed
for what looked like the impossible
feat of beating the record. But Prime
Alert had recently won the half mile
track championship in 2:03h, which
had been won only the week before
by Dan Patch in 1904, and good judges
were sanguine.
The weather and track were perfect
and the wind, which was high early in
the day, subsidized so that all the con-
ditions We're favorable
When the runner came out to make
the pace in front and break the atmos-
pheric resistance he drew cart on
which a half circle shield had been
built in front of the seat with two aper-
lures for the driver to reach the reins.
This was higher than the drivers head,
completely sheltering him. Between
the wheels below was another strip of
canvass. reaching nearly to the ground
1t was an odd looking contrivance. and
caused no end of comment.
Quarter in 0:29 1-2.
D,{v,o -
ner and the wind shield when the
judges started him on the journey that
was destined to be the fastest ever
made by a horse In harness at har-
ness gait. The quarter mile pole was
reached in 0:29A, and it was easy to
see that j. C. Curry, who was in the
sulky. was saving the horse and keep
ing him in hand. Down the back
stretch over the fastest quarter mile
of the track the pace was faster and
here a second runner joined as a
prompter
The half mile pole was passed in 0:5S,
making the time for the second quarter
O:2S1a 1t was plain that the horse
was still under restraint, and shout
went up Hell break the record!" Then
the runner closed in on him and the
race began In earnes The three
quarter pole was reached In 1925 ",
making the time for the third quarter
0:2Sia, and for the middle half. 0:57.
the fastest half mile ever seen in har-
ness on any course.
L AS they swung into the home stretch
and the crowd read the figures that
meant new record the excitement was
at fever heat The three horses were
punched now and each driver was
shouting words Of encouragement that
were taken up and repeated by the
excited spectators
AS Prince Alert reached the wire,
hundreds of watchers. without waiting
for an official announcement. knew that
all former records had gone by the
board not by fractions of a second, but
by' two full seconds, and the scene was
q stirring one even before the judges
hung out 1:57.
Enthusiastic friends carried Curry
from the sulky and lifted him into the
iudges's stand, where he made brief
acknowledgement of the greetings.
Then Mart Demarest, the regular train
err of the horse, was called before the
delighted crowd. and last of ala came
James Hanley, Of Providence, owner
OF the horse.
AaApRiE FIRMS RESUME