Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-18
TIE FIVE TIMES
IN THREE RACES
OLD TIMERS RECALL GREAT
HARNESS RAGING
TROT DEAD HEATS FIVE TIMES
IN EIGHTEEN
Remarkable Turf History Recited to
Refute Argument Advanced
Against Old Sys=
tenn


NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE present
day idea that it is ruinous to trotting-
horse breeding industry as well as a
cruelty to youngsters, also aged horses,
to race them under the old and elon-
gated system, was discussed by
group Of oldtimers who happened to
meet in this city the other day. They
remembered three Of the most bitterly
contested events in turf history, and
while none of the veterans appeared to
be in favor of the old system, yet all
talked of these special events as the
most interesting speed competition
ever seen or perhaps ever will be re
peated in turf annals. OF the eighteen
heats trotted by seven starters in
three separate races, five were dead
heats and each required six heats for
a final decision.
The breeder, racing man and fol-
lower of the harness turf OF present
day." said a turf veteran, may talk
of the cruelty of racing youngsters as
well as aged trotters under the long
system of racing, but few can tell from
experience some of the most famous
turf contests in which the winner had
to win not only three heats, but five
out of six.
Il remember that most gruelling con-
test between three 3-year-olds at Lex
ington twenty-three years ago, when
the winner won five heats technically
before he topped the race summary,
while the contender placed second won
three heats. The race, of course, was
to high-wheeI sulky and the result
showed that every one of the six heats
was contested closely.
1T was not for a rich futurity as
we have at the present day, and al
though known as a stallion Produce
stake the value was only $535. 1t was
the longest and most bitterly contested
event in a field of three starters, and
with the exception of one other event,
was the most unique in the history OF
harness turf"
Had to Win Five Heats
"On October 2, 1885," added the old
timer, "the Stallion Produce stake, now
known as the Lexington, was called
and only three youngsters appeared,
but as all were of the best Of the day,
each found plenty of following. The
two opening heats were as much of
dead heats as any living horseman
ever saw and as the third heat was
won by the eventually beaten horse,
the winner had to win succeeding
three heats in order to get first money
of the $535 purse. The summary was
as follows:
bermuda, blk. c. by Banker. l l
Nutbreaker. b c. by Nutwood., l :
sphinx b h. by Electioneer....
Time-2;24A, 2:242, 2:26, 2:25 e, 2:26s4'
2;29.
"These look like slow times, but in
those DAYS they were equal to what
Ip ha1 k.
the fact that there was only a quarter
of a second difference in the two dead
heats is sufficient proof that 1t was
great contest.
THE present day record of this trio
of Youngsters shows that the gruelling
race did not the least impair the pro
ducing power of any of them, as at
the close of the past year Bermuda is
the sire of tWenty-eight trOtters and
five PAGERS, has four producing sons
and that many producing daughters,
and Nutbreaker is credited with SIN
teen trotters and ten PAGERS, while nine
of his sons and twelve of his daugh-
tors are producers.
Before participating in this famous
race, Sphinx was the best yearl1ng ana
-year-old of his day. yet today he
is among noted speed sires with eighty
trotters and ffty-siX PAGERS TO his
credit and ranks high among the very
best speed progenitors through his sons
and daughters
Another Remarkable Race
The Lexington race referred to was
an cxict repetition of one which took
place at Buffalo four years previously
or in 1882. This race was between two
horses, and hence is the only one of its
kind in harness turf history
1t took place on August 3, 1882, and
was for a purse of $500, the contest
ants being Jerome Eddy, then owned
at Buffalo, and Black Cloud, the for
mer being odds ON favorite, selling as
high as $50 to his opponents SO 1t
was one of the most desperately con-
tested races between two horses ever
recorded, and the result was as fol-
lows:
Black Cloud, blk h. by Ashland
Jerome Eddy, b h. by Louis
T@S@si1sl TnRSe2H s:is%, s:io 2:eo, sGs,s,
2:l9 IA.
Another noteworthy race between
two trotters took place at Lexington
later that same year, in which there
was only one dead heat, yet the pair
had to go six heats before the winner
could be decided. The contestants
were Monroe Chief and Rosa Wilkes,
the defeated starter again being odds
on faVorite with betting heaviest on
record in a two-horse event. The pair
stood tied at the finish of the fifth
heat and the final result was decided
by an almost heads-apart finish. The
summary was:
Monroe Chief, br h. by Jim
Monroe ,.......'..,........' l
Rosa Wilkes m. by George
Wilkes ...................... , l 0
Tme-2:19h, 2:19", 2:19%, 2:20, 2:21&.
Unfortunately neither Wallace's
year book nor Chester's gives the time
Of one heat, which is supposed to be
that of the dead heat. Eighteen heats
in three races with seven contenders in
all and five dead heats, is a turf in
cident which perhaps never again will
happen.
INTERSTATE RETAINS