The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-08-20
COLUMBIA HORSE
WON RACE AND
BROKE THE RECORD
eEERs DIRECT DISTINGUISHED
HIMSELF At LINCOLN coUN-
TY FAIR.
OWNED Bi Or. EOL5RIDGE
Competition Was Of The Hottest
Kind Ard The Sport was Fit For
kings-Took Two Heats Out OF
Five.

That special train from Fayetteville
Friday night pulled in with the hap
piest crowd of jolly fellows that was
ever seen in one bunch. Satisfaction
was written all over their faces.
Geers Direct had won, and won
against the hottest competition that
could be arrayed against him. He
also lowered the half-mile track rec
ord of the south. Opal Wilson held
the record, which was made at Co
lumbia in 1908. Another thing, they
had seen a horse race. They had been
amply repaid for the time and money
spent in going to Fayetteville. 1t was
worth going five hundred miles to see.
John P. McGaw, one of the greatest
admirers of Geers Direct, witnessed
the great feat and was seen by Her
aid reported this morning and asked
what he though about the horse. Mr.
McGaw was enthusiastic over the re-
suit of the race Mr.. McGaw said in
part:
"Yes, Geers Direct not only demon
strated that he is a speed marvel, but
further demonstrated that he is game
to the core; possessing that undaunt-
ed courage so essential TO make
truly great race horse.
1T was known that the great son
of Walter Direct, 2:05A, was not IN
his best form, but his loyal friends.
who had journeyed to the capital OF
Old Lincoln, never wavered in their
faith, and the final outcome OF what
is thought by many to be the greatest
turf battle ever seen on halt-mile
course in Tennessee was received
with unbounded applause by his loyal
friends from Maury county, after the
finish in the final heat.
"A glance at the summary will show
that Mick Thomas and his charge sim
ply had to out-last and out-general the
entire field as it was well known by
all the drivers participating that by
combination only they hoped to
defeat the game cock from Maury.
This fact was clearly demonstrated
after the word go" was given in the
first heat to a beautiful start, that
Birth Mark was slated TO carry the
Direct chase. When they went down
to the half at the heart-killing pace
of :0315 like double team, blanket
would have covered both horses the
entire route. They held this position
well into the stretch, when it was seen
that it is the pace that kills, and
Geers Direct flashed under the wire
like a meteor two full lengths to the
good.
1T was evident to the vast crowd
assembled that the track record had
been lowered and when the time was
announced 2:10A, cheers rent the air
from FIVE thousand enthusiastic spec
tators. The popular young knight OF
the sulky, Mick Thomas, not only re-
ceived the congratulations of his ad-
mirers for accomplishing this feat, but
was also awarded the fifty dollars
offered by the association to the driv-
er who lowered the half-mile track
record Of Tennessee.
I'm the second heat Opal Wilson,
with George stiles up, was selected by
the combination to do the carrying
act, which was accomplished in the
fast time OF 2:12A, with Geers Direct
landing the heat with something to
sparA
AT this juncture it was clear that
the kil!irg ,c@ hGd erceptibly tired
every horse in the race.
In the third trial Birth Mark, who
had laid up the previous heat in
fourth position, was again selected to
carry Geers Direct. They were sent
away by starter Fuller Geers Direct
getting little the worst of the start.
The heat was raced to the three.quar-
II nw.mI