The San Francisco call., 1904-06-25
California Develops Another
Speed Marvel of Which
Much Is Expected.
PleasantOn Track Turns Out
Two-Minute Trotter Again
This Summer.

Only a few short months ago the
wiseacres among the trotting horse
fanciers throughout the country were
saying there would never be another
trotter like Lou Dillon. California, the
land of promise for the horsemen, has
upset all these predictions while the
laurel is still fresh on the proud neck
of the trotting queen by giving to the
world another two-minute trotter in j.
r. Springer's Sonoma Girl.
A year ago Mr. Springer came down
from Idaho, broken in health, and
bought the mare, which is by Lynwood
w (2:20) Maud Fowler, partly as an in
centive TO keep him out of doors. At
the time there were many sly winks, as
the trainers at Pleasanton thought he
had purchased a goldbrick. How far
from the truth this is may be judged
by the following extravagant praise ac-
corded the unexpected rival to Lou
Dillon by a writer in the Breeder and
Sportsman:
That's Sonoma Girl. Amt she peach?
Shes goou looking mare, but tney tell
me she'll stop.
They say she'll stop. do they? What
makes them think she II stopT'
"Oh. because she pure gated, Too
n.achlne-like; trots too easy 10 be game.
On, wouldn't that jar you? Trots too
easy TO be game. We'll, that's the best l ever
heard there, she's scoring with RaJah. she
can keep him company pretty easy. / hope
he stay on his feet but they are not going
any, only i: :15 10 the nail. Now tney are NOV =
ing up a little. oh, that PAGERS broke. She )
waiting for him; It's pity he won't stay on
his feet; you would see a merry halt. IS
up to her again at the three-quarter pole.
There he goes-another break; that's too pad.
Amt she sweet going thing? She's only
jogging. What did you get It
Half in :O3i Say, how fast could she
trot a half on this track II she was turned
loose?'
Well. I'll tell you Faster than it was
ever trotted by any horse, and George G
stepped 1t in l :01. She beat him doing
anything you can mention 1 would like to see
her trot the Memphis track next fall when IT
is in record breaking condition. i believe she
would step faster than any trotter has ever
done. bar Lou Dillon. and she might give the
queen pretty close rub. She has more speed
than Lou had with the same amount of work.
She can step a quarter now better than :29.
She did it the other day in :29A. just buggy
ridin..' Mr.. Springer had no idea he was
going faster than 81 81 - till he looked at
his watch. 1t was mistake; other watches
caught 1t the same. / saw Lou Dillon trot a
quarter here last April a year ago in :29h,
when Millard Sanders thought her perform
ance would sell her to Smathers, who was here
at the time and II he could have gone any
faster he would have done l saw Judge
Greene do the distance in the same time
(no faster) and both he and his driver were
G. beat 80. l have seen many PAGERS step in
80 and better, but never saw any horse, trot-
ter or PAGER, do a quarter in 80 or better
with the consummate ease with which that
little brown mare did the trick the other day.
No man ever a trotter that could beat a
ZOO gait with such case. She is the most per-
feet line trotter that ever stepped a race
track; can speed to her limit without boot
on and never touch hair, wears only six
ounces in front and four behind, and an open
bride. How you beat her? She is better
bred than any trotter or PAGER that has ever
gone in 200; she is full OF nervous energy,
stamina and courage, and / want to know
how you going to beat her? She can step
any part of this track from an eighth TO a
mile out faster than it ever done by any
of the many champion trotters that have
worked on It, If owned Sonoma Girl would
not go bushwhaclVing her up through Oregon.
Washington and Idaho, but would take her
East, where the kings and queens of the trot-
ting world will be assembled, and measure her
speed with theirs and perchance win a crown
for the daughter of Lynwood w and Maud
Fowler