The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-15

OltD AAao olll9 W stan lllt pdptIS udlly %
become convinced that the racing season
IS on with vengeance.
On more than thousand tracks, East
West North. and South. the American
light harness horse. the king Of his tribe
IS rapidly making turf history. 1t is true
that up to this writing in the three meet
ings held over grand circuit tracks the
sensations have been fewer than IN pre-
vious years and the thrills confined to
close finishes. The writer has already
cslled attention 20 the important fact that
thus far on the big rings the aged fields
have not averaged with those Of some
other seasons. Only one trotter has up
20 date entered the 2;1O list. most re-
markably display OF mediocrity as COM
pared with 1908 and for nearly q decade
Of years preceding that period.
II is quite possible, however, that the
futuritss WIKI bring forth something in
the younger division that will size up
with Carevna. Kentucky Todd, and Belle
+ Bird in the two-year-old class and with
Gen. Watts and Bisa IN their three-year-
old forms, but there is nothing in sight to
warrant the prophecy.
The light harness horse has gone for
ward with such leaps and bounds in the
matter Of speed. by reason Of more scien-
tifc breeding. that the public who patron
izc racing events require more speed and
yet more speed. as II It could be turned
on at VIII. 1t would seem in view Of
these facts that the American people had
grown speed crazy. Il Is illustrated in
various forms almost every day on the
FJgeets OF cities and on country roads (of
which a long list Of casualties bears pain
ful witnessl, and on our race tracks
wherever the public Congregate TO see
speed contests. There IS no need. how
ever. to become pessimistic over the fu-
tUre as far as the light harness horse Is
concerned. His course is upward and
onward He has not by several seconds
reached the limit Of his swiftness and
usefulness. II not this year. then some
other year he VIII again send the blood
tingling 10 nerve centers and continue on
his record breaking career.
Lou Dfllons and Dan Patches are not as
common as field daisies. nor ever will be,
thanks 20 a wise provision OF nature
Mares Ike Sweet Marie. 2.02A, who will
race consistently at extreme speed for
two or three seasons. are not numerous.
either. They only appear az long inter
walls, and when they do appear accentuate
the fact that no man is wise enough 10 set
a limit to the usefulness, endurance. ana
speed OF the equine race when bred IN
proper speed lines.
The fastest stallion before the public
to-day Is probably san Francisco. a prod
uct OF the Pacific Slope, whence so many
equine sensations have appeared for sew
eral years past He IS a son OF Zombro.
and he son Of Mckinney. 2:1lI.. who in
turn IS the son Of Alcyone, 2.27. and the
latter a son OF George Wilkes. .2:22. and
the half-bred Alma Mater Alcyone died
at twelve years. the property OF the late
Eleazur Smith. Of Highlawn Farm. Mas
sachusetts. and was a full brother 10 Al
cantara, also a noted speed sire On
Wednesday last In his race against
Uhlan in the 2:07 class trot. the Califor-
nia-bred stallion was beaten only a head
by the latter in a whipping finish in the
sensational time Of 2.03},, the fastest time
Of the year made by a trotter. Uhlan
was the best hve-year-0ld trotte- out ip
1908. and his performance OF last wednes-
the fastest gelding out this year when
right
He IS a New England product. by Bin
gen, 2:064, the greatest living early ex-
IRENE speed sire and by all odds the
greatest sire Of trotters ever owned with
IN the copfnes OF New England's rock
bound coast. Bingen traces in the pater-
nal line through May King TO Election
eer and in the maternal line through
Young Jim 20 George Wilkes. From the
speed shown by San Francisco at Cleve-
lana Wednesday Il IS not improbable that
he will soon equal. If he does not surpass.
the 2,Ods so long held by Cresceus Nc
Kinney. the grandsire OF san Francisco
already leads all sires I'm the matter OF
210 performers, he having up 10 1908 de-
fcated fifteen within the charmed circle.
and this season has several knocking at
the door.
The Eel, with Minor Heir, retired for
State fair exhibitions. seems 20 be almost
invincible in the pacing division I'm spite
OF the fact that he is troubled with a big
knee. At Kalamazoo week before last
the little mare Citation came very near
taking his measure in the second heat OF
the free-for-all pace. she having him
strung out to the last inch in 2:024i ana
was only beaten by him a head at the
finish. If ever George Gan0. Citation.
ANeen Wilson. now also owned in New
England; Hedgewood Boy. and The Eel
meet in race over a real good track be-
tween Cleveland and Columbus tho
chances are that some one Of the number
will lower the cOlors Of the little gray
stud
The track at Cleveland IS too new and
unsettled 20 look for phenomenauv fast
time. the old Chenille track. over which
Maud S. got her record, having long
since gone out Of commission. This taken
into consideration. Hamburg Bellies mile
In 2aSSa Wednesday last in an effort TO
beat 2:O2%. was a highly creditable one.
When the daughter OF Axworthy. 215I6
and Sally Simmons strikes the track az
Readville or that at Columbus and IS
asked TO lower her record. she Is liable 10
do things that win make people sit up
and take notice.
What about Washington-owned horses?
Well. as to some Of them our excuse
book has either been mislaid or stolen
therefore il is hard to account why. I'd 70
this writing. Miss Hobson finished at
Pocomoke last week in the summary OF
The 2:lS class pace in a field OF nine +.
Perhaps II was not her day: perhaps.
again. she did not have speed enough TO
better her position, and perhaps a few
other things. Certainly the time hung up.
2:l64, 2:1Gii. and 2:1SIi. was not too fast
for her II she got of well and was In con-
dltion 20 race. Sweetheart. the other
member OF the Hall stable. was in rather
hot company and did fairly well in a field
or eleven good PAGERS. she finishing in
the summary 6. g. g.
This was on Wednesday. On Thursday
Russell G. went down 60 defeat before
Baron Rogers in the 2.20 class trot after