Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26

ton by following up her brother in his sea-
sons campaign.
The Crabtrees come by their love Of
horses by inheritance, for the elder Crab
tree was an English gypsy, and 1t is well
known that gypsies are among the shrewd-
est of horsemen.
John A. Crabtree has demonstrated that
he possesses the hereditary traits of the
Zingaris by the horses he has purchased.
When he decided to plunge as owner he en-
gagged McHenry as driver and trainer.
Until McHenry took the reins over Nutboy
he was not considered much OF a racing
tool, although his speed was conceded. My
Star was considered fairly consistent 21O
PAGER when Crabtree purchased him for
50, 400, while sweet little Princeen went al
most begging recently at Baltimore when
he SNAPPED her up at $1,000. McHenry, the
suIky wizard Is liable to win Nutboy out
for Crabtree long before the season closes.
while My Star and Princeen cannot owe
their owners much at the present date.
Next to Geers, McHenry Is the greatest
finish-driver that has come out of the
west. Their methods, however, are some
what different, in that McHenry usually
drives the mile and is not given much
to the laying up of heats. Both men are
strenuous finishers, McHenry almost mount
ing his horse while he urges him along with
the most extreme cases. and only using
it when the horse really needs 1t to make
him do his best. There is something cleo
trio in the way McHenry brings from the
distance pole to the wire his mounts, es-
pecially when the other fellows horse is
at his horses throatlatch and the next few
strides must win the contest. Then the way
the western man with the sombrero rallies
his mount shakes the bit in his mouth
and cheers him on, fairly lifting him over
the plate, is something worth travelling
miles to witness, and when seen sends the
blood tingling in ones veins and brings the
most blase spectator to his feet. McHenry
and Geers are in class by themselves, but
there are others who get there sometimes
Much depends as to whether they have the
goods to deliver to begin with.
-
The death of Axtell CD PIP. the champion
stallion for age at the time the record was
made, removes from the breeding ranks one
of the greatest sires that ever lived. The
story of Axtell, his stable companion, AL
lerton, and that. of their breeder, c. w.
Williams, reads like a romance Their
dams were cast-offs from a well-known
stock farm in Illinois. Williams paying SIS
for the dam of Axtell and $3.50 for the dam
of Allerton. Williams, who had been a
telegraph operator, and who at the time
of purchase was managing a dairy farm at
Independence, Iowa, bred one mare to Will
liam L., a son of George Wilkes, out of
Lady Bunker. and Axtell was the produce
Of the union.
The other mare he bred to the roam son
of George Wilkes, Jay Bird and the foal
produced was Allerton. The day that AK
tell made his record syndicate of wealthy
gentlemen, comprising Fred T. Moran and
Alfred Brush of Detroit, Mich, and Mr..
Ijams Of Chicago, purchased the colt for
the largest sum ever paid for a race horse
be 1t stallion, mare or gelding-$105,0OO 1t
was upward Of seven years later that the
late Leland Stanford sold to the late NAL
| com Forbes of Ponkapog, Mass, the two
year-old Arion, 2.10A. for $125, 0OO-fgures
never since surpassed for a purely. light
harness horse.
For two or three seasons subsequent to
his purchase Axtelrs fee was $1,000 per
season for each mare and even at that
high figure so great was the demand for
| his services that at the close of three
| years he had practically paid for himself.
Axtell died the property of Mr.. Moran.
| Judged by the triple test" which includes
| siree which have sired 210 trotters and
| sired sons that have sired daughters that
| have produced 21O trotters Axtell ranks
among the greatest of them all, although
| the younger by seven years. There are
: just thirteen Of such sires. His death by
| spasmodic collie, disease stations are quite
often afflicted with, took place at Terre
living at the age of twenty, and before Mr..
| Williams retired him from the turf got
a record of 2.09A. Williams took the money
he received from the sale of Axtell and
| used the wad as a derrick to lift Independ-
| ence from its position on the map as tank
| station to a live town. In which there was
| something doing all the time. He built a
] kite track, an opera house and a trolley
| line at his own expense, and finally realized
l that he had bit or more than he could
| chew With few dollars only in money
| and the stallion Allerton as his principal
/ asset he fled to Galesburg, ILL.,. where he
pitched his tent. BY the aid of the stallion
and good management on his own part he
has recouped his fortunes.
M
Geers steered that wonderful old mare.
| Golddust Maid. to another straight heat
| victory at Readville Thursday last. win
| ming the $500 purse. Geers' winnings up
to date approximate 10000. and the season
l Is hardly half finished. The fast Mckinney
stallion, Mac Mac, got second money, and
/ the bay thirteen-year-old mare Roberta
! which has often in years past appeared at
/ Brightwood, scored third money. Roberta
i Is quite as wonderful q trotter as ts the
| Maid, considering her weight OF yearssyThe
Ithree-year-old PAGERS did not do as well In
the futurity class as did the trotters OF
the same age earlier IN the week.