Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-26
The Two Minute Trotter.

At last the two minute trotter Is with
us. For many years, horsemen have
been looking forward to the time when
this wonderful piece Of horseflesh
should be reality. 1t took a half CEN
fury to bring the mark down from the
3O's to the 2.O2A, which Cresceus did
two years ago. In this time devices OF
many kinds were invented to help the
trotter in his work. Practical perfec-
ton was reached in the building of
tracks; the pneumatic sulky followed
the old-fashioned high wheeled kind;
the running horse was used as pace
maker; and enthusiastic inventors
brought forth many strange devices to
lengthen and hasten the stride of the
horse. With the aid of all these, and
through the process of scientific breed
ing. the time in which the trotter was
able to travel mile was brought down
to within two and one-fourth seconds
of the two minute goal.
Some hopeful enthusiasts thought
that the two minute mark would be
reached before the dawn of the Goth
century, while others labored with
MANY arguments to show that such
speod was beyond the limit of posi-
bility. But now, in the third year of
the new century. the two minute trot-
ter is with us, and the wonderful per-
Torrance of the little California mare,
Lou Dillon, at Readville, Mass, Mon
day, is now the chief topic of CONVERSE
ton among hoIsemen throughout the
country. There seems to be no ques-
ton about the accuracy of the record.
The track has long been in use, and is
one of the best, and the judges, timers
and officials were all experienced and
reliable men.
The first horse of which we know as
making a record within three minutes
was Boston Blue in 1918. A decade
later Albany Pony established the 2.40
mark, and to this day, the expression
1.-TWO forty" remains a synonym of
great speed. In 1889 Dutchman
brought the record down to 2.2S, the
first to enter the charmed 2.3O circle. In
the sos came the wonderful Flora
Temple, who brought the record down
to 219%l. The next decade produced
Dexter, who lowered the mark two sec
onds. In the 70's came Goldsmith
Maid, Rurus and st. Julian, holding in
turn the record, the last named reduc-
ing it to 2.12% in 1879. From then un-
til 1891, full dozen years, Maud S.
was queen of the American turf, and
her mark of 2.OS%, made in 1885, re-
NAMED unapproached until Sonul in
1881 clipped a half second from it. The
following year, Nancy Hanks startled
the trotting world by clipping four full
seconds from Sonurs record. In 1894
for six years this remained the worlds
record until The Abbot lowered it to
2O3A n'19O0.
Then came Cresceus in 1901, and
knocked off another second, and his
record of 2O2A has been unapproached
until Lou Dillon came to the front this
summer. Her performance earlier in
the season gave great promise, and
her work of Monday at Readville was
not wholly unexpected to her admirers.
And so we have a two minute trotter
with us at last. Will the record go be-
low that limit? The owner and the
driver of Lou Dillon have faith that
tine wonderful California mare will
clip off at least another second before
the trotting season is over Possibly
the trotting record is destined to equal
or go below the pacing record before
fall.