The Detroit times., 1909-07-27
|K[N7UCK|ANsREAP
] BIG kILl|NG ON
COUNTRY JAY
Trainer Macy Accumulates Some
Evidence, incidentally, in
$4,000 Pending
Lawsuit.
Great Astonishment in the Stands
When Discarded Cripple Comes
Back Into His Own.
BY PAUL II. sRUsKE.

2J TNOk
The courtly Mr.. Macy from the
bluegrass put one over at the FAR
Grounds yesterday that Is likely 10
live In the annals or the turf aiter
many faster performances nave oeeu
forgotten.
With the old discarded trotter Coun'
try Jay, thirteen years old. on the
shelf for four seasons, concerning
with q law suit Is still pending on ac-
count OF alleged misrepresentation a.
the time OF sale. he won the I'll
trotting stake at the fair grounds, re-
/ ducing the horses record at which nc
was retired, supposedly all In, more
/ than three seconds and defeated As
fine a field as has ever started in the
famous Detroit classic.
People raved over old Country Jay
when he won heat at windsor. lhey
thought that performance really won
derful. Nobody had any idea that Ne
would ever lead the bunch home AT
the Fair Grounds, however. And yet
he did, making Penisa Maid and all
the other youthful wonders look like
poor limitations OF the real article.
The story of the little horse that
drought victory TO the Kentuckian has
been told in fragmentary style In
these columns before. Perhaps 1t will
bear repetition in view Of this, his
greatest achievement.
Born in Old Kentucky.
IN The blood OF trotting kings and
queens flows In the veins of the little
chestnut horse and his birth down In
the bluegrass was esteemed note
worthy event. His sire wssi Jayhawk-
err. one of the most potent OF the Jay
bird tribe. His dam was Paronella.
one OF the greatest broodmares OF his
tory. He came TO his speed early and
III was Mr.. Macy who gave him his
first lessons and record OF 2:lO IL.
At that time Country Jay was one
OF the most talked-os trotters in the
country. In the spring OF 1905. Ii
recollection serves correctly, Country
Jay vas worked mile on the Lexing-
ton track in close 10 2:06. and was
sold by Macy TO Isaac F. Eckart. OF
Philadelphia, for round $4,000.
The little horse could not race for
Mr.. Eckert. He developed lameness
in two legs and all that the most
skilled veterinarians in the country
could do, failed 10 help him. In dis
gust Mr.. Eckert sold the blue-bloode'
little trotter for a mere song and sued
Mr.. Macy for fraud, setting forward
the claim that the horse had been
cocained to make possible the fast
workout following which the pur-
chase was made. That suit, incident
ally. is still pending.
Mr.. Macy accumulated most
potent piece Of evidence for his side
Of the case yesterday.
The little horse was batted around
from pillar to post. never got to the
races, and was forgotten by the world
OF harness racing in general. Last
) year he was In the hands Of an eccen-
trio old chap who patched him up b
bit and got him so that, while mani
testify lame. he could once more trot
one or two pretty fair miles. The
little horse was started in an event
at Columbus and there Mr.. Macy.
then campaigning Spanish Queen and
the other Estabrook horses, ran
across him.
The Kentuckian loved the little
horse and suggested that Mr.. Esta-
brook buy him for matinee purposes.
II being believed that this sort OF
competition would still be within his
sphere.
The horse cost Mr.. Estabrook just
$500.
But the World Scored.
But the matinee program was post
poned when Macy, during the winter
at Denver, found that the little horse
was again making speed. The report
was received by the outer world with
incredulity.
~ Country Jay, most famous OF all the
cripples, to race again? Ii was alb.
surd. Macy was allowing his senti-
ment TO run away with his common
sense,
The Macy stable moved to Lexing.
ton early In the spring and the little
horse found himself back among the
old familiar scenes. Instead OF be.
coming lamer, he grew sounder right
along. Before he was shipped north
ward he had shown Macy a public
workout In better than 2:07.
The stake payments that had been
made on him were continued He
went good race at Terre Haute and
more than paid the oat bill In his
start at Windsor. And still he was
getting better. AT Detroit IL Is under
stood that the horses doubtful legs
were packed In Ice. thus giving him
\ the benefit Of the numbing sensation
which would permit him to take the
track at full speed without pain.
The word went down the line OF the
Kentuckians that Country Jay was
good again and the Kentuckians raj
lied as they always do. There was
always brisk demand for Country
Jay In the pools. He was never favor
lite. but he was ever a well played sec