The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-03-17
FOUR old TRAINERS LEFT
THEY ARE BOWEN, TURNER, FEEk
AND D0BLE.
Bowen is Still in the Sulky, Although
He is 81 Years Old-The Others
Are Well OH and Can Afford to
Rest-Great Western Circuit the
Most PretentiOus Ever.

MOSJ frctenuOuS Ever.
Three of the four old-time trainers,
who were among the famous reins-
men of the Grand Circuit 40 years
ago and who were also driving trot-
ters years before the Grand Circuit
was brought into existence, were in
New York during a recent sale of trot
ters. These three were j. j. Bowen of
Boston, John +. Turner of Amber,
Penn, and j. G. Feek of Syracuse. The
fourth one of the quartet of trainers
is Budd Doble, who is living in Cali
fornia. OF the four old-time driv-
ers, only one still drives horses for q
living and that one is the Oldest of the
four. Mr.. Bowen. The Boston trainer
is now about So years old and for the
last few years he has acted as as
sistant trainer for some one of The
prominent reinsmen of the present
era Although Uncle Jack, as he is
known among horsemen has always
been man of good habits and hard
worker, he did not have the capacity
for saving money and he is the only
one of the four old-time trainers who
is not in good circumstances.
Among the noted performers Of
long ago which Bowen piloted in
their races were the two Morgan bred
trotters Gomez, 2.19A, ami Camors,
2:1J%, which he raced from 1872 10
1876 when 2:20 trotters were fewer
in number than 2:10 trotters are now.
His last really great performer was
the trotter Jean Vatican, 2:14, that
he had during the period from 1880
to 1892 and with which he made II
killing ut Buffalo during the Grand
Circuit meeting in 1892. Mr.. Bowen
is still a well preserved man and can
still drive trotter with his old-timc
skill, although, on account Of his age,
he has not attempted to do any race
driving during the last few years.
John r. Turner who, when he was
one of the star reinsmen of the coun-
try, was known as the general, is
rich. Always llnancier of ability, he
invested his money in Philadelphia
suburban real estate and reapcd a
fortune when the city grew out to
it, Turner always dressed in the best
Of taste, wore glasses and when out
of the sulky looked and appeared
more like college professor than a
race driver.
I2:17$4, and Santa Claus, 2:17ia. were
among his first great performers, but
afterwards he mad Harry Wilkes,
'2:13H, Rosalind Wilkes, 2:1t1a, and
Bilini 2:13H, the latter being me sire
whose get made such a great show
ing on the Grand Circuit last season.
Turner was one of the waiting kind,
and he would often spend two sea,
sons in getting a horse ready before
he would attempt 10 win a race with
him and when he considered the horse
READY his winner could back him to
win with the chances in favor of lis
making good.
Jack Feek is ALSO rich. fer when
the Syracuse multi-millionaire, J. Ed
ward Grouse, for whom he trained
horses many years, died some | ) ears
ago, he left the Syracuse reinsnlan
| S10C ,00C and since then Feek has paid
no more attention to horses in a pro-
fessional way, although from love OF
good ones in his State. One Of the
best of Feeks earlier race horses was
the stallion King Almont, 2:2IA, but
the most noted of his later day pupils
was the bay mare kitefoot, 2:17A
with which he won a lot of money
down the Grand Circuit line in 1882
Turner but he is considerably past
the 70-year mark.
Budd Doble, who during his career
| drove more worlds record trotter;
than any other trainer of the period
reaching from 1867 to 1892. is com
fortably fixed financially. Three OF
the holders of the worlds record for
trotters were driven to thei' records
by Doble, Dexter 2:174, in 1861
Goldsmith Maid, 2:14, in 1874 and
Nancy Hanks, 2:0f, in 1892. After a
retirement from the sulky OF several
years duration Doble reapLeared in
1909 with the stallion Kinney Lou, by
Mckinney, and raced that htrse down
the Grand Circuit, giving him a rec
ord of 2:07A but it was motto al
he was not the Budd Doble of old, foi
the dash and vim which character.
lied his driving in his earlier day
was absent, in fact ne was decidedly
timid and kept on the outskirts OF his
fields as much as possible.
After that season Doble returned tC
California where he has since keut
Kinney Lou in the stud and has never
SINCE driven professional race. He
Is now about 20 years old and vii
probably spend the balance of his
days in California where his daughtel
lives.
These are the only trainers left o
the brilliant galaxy of reinsnlcn WHOSE
skill assisted so much in the devel
orment of the American trotter at