The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-05
.CRESCEUS REFUSES
TO Be TRAINED
Worlds Champion Trotting
Stallion Will Work Only for
His Old Master.
WITH OTHER TRAINERS
HE SULKS AND BALKS
Ketchum Makes An Interesting
Explanation of Cresceus's
Remarkable Actions.
Tribune Special Sporting Service.


ST. PAUL, MINI, Aug. 2,-Cresceus,
2:02M, the world 8 champion trotting
stallion, now owned by M. w. Savage
of Minneapolis, who bought the horse
for $2l 900 at an auction sale in this
city, has positively refused to be
trained or given any fast work by b.
c. Hersey, who trains for Savage,
The Minneapolis man is also tho
owner Of Dan Patch, 1:55A, the pacing
king, and it was his intention to OK
hibit the two horses throughout the
country at prominent race meets and
county fairs. Hersey figured that Cres-
ceus had more than an even chance to
reduce his record this year,
George II. Ketchum OF Toledo, Ohio,
who bred, owned and trained Cresceus,
received word from Savage recently TO
the effect that Cresceus had refused
to be trained, and he asked Ketchum
If he would take n trip to Minneapolis.
The latter promptly acceded to the re-
quest, and upon reaching the Mime
sofa town Savage and Hersey OK
planned the exact conditions to him.
Horse Knows His Master.
Upon reaching the luxurious homo
provided for Cresceus, Ketchum went
to the stall door and 1T required but
ono call of his voice for the champion
trotter to recognize the man who had
driven him in his many wonderful per.
formances, and the horse gave every
evidence of pleasure upon again seeing
Ketchum.
After having the harness put on the
trotter Ketchum got into the sulky,
logged him and worked him several
slow heats, tho horse performing in his
usual prompt and cheerful manner and
apparently taking pleasure in showing
his former trainer that he still retained
the speed and manner which earned
him championship honor,
After giving Cresceus several heats
Ketchum requested Hersey to take the
reins and work the horse a mile, but
the latter had no sooner got into the
snlky than the great trotter refused
TO be driven OF led onto the track, and
he continued to sulk until ketchum
again took the rcins.
Ketchum's Curious Explanation.
When Ketchum was asked to explain
Cresceus's remarkable actions he
turned TO Savage and said:
~ understand, Mr., Savage, that the
early years of your life were devoted
to constant and strenuous toll and that
year in and year out you devoted all of
your time to business duties strictly,
Now that you have acquired sufficient
means to enable you to gradually with
draw from the more active and exact
you relish giving up the present mode
Of existence and going back to the la,
Dor and humdrum of your earlier man
hoodf
''Cresceus, ever since his two-year-
old form, has had one of the most
strenuous careers of any harness horse
living, meeting and defeating the crack
trotters every year for FIVE seasons, re-
poatedly lowering the world g records,
being shipped thousands of miles from
coast to coast. He has performed over
all kinds Of tracks and proved himself
the gamest, fastest, most consistent
trotter that tho world has ever seen.
"After seven years of such perfor-
mances he went into retirement with
all the laurels that have ever been ac-
corded a trotter, and to be asked to
step into the limelight Of the trotting
world again and repeat what he con-
sidered was q matter of historic record
has undoubtedly influenced the old
horse to refuse