The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
BY L. d. SALE.

| The week that is past has been, one o
thrills, and then more thrills.
ssrs
Three events of the hour tower like &
mountain above the plain-Uhlan's mill
in two minutes to wagon, driven by hi.
owner. w. C. K. Billings. a nonprofes
sional. on Tuesday, Sopranos fast mile
on Wednesday, and the mile of Inde'
pendence Boy and Earl, jr., on Thurs
day. Even as we write, Uhlan may be
In the act of setting a new worlds rec
Grand Circuit ended but yesterday ant
yet worlds record, as we write. has
been equaled. Soprano has cut her rec
ord of 2:o5 1-2, gained at Detroit, tc
2:03 3-4; Independence Boy has lowered
his record of 2:04, earned at Detroit, tc
2:01 1-2, and Earl, jr., has cut his record
of 2:o4, gained over the same track, to
200 IL.
The above events are glory sufficient
for the North Randall track, near Cleve-
land, which would seem to be quite as
fast as the abandoned one where Maud
S.. upward of thirty years ago. trotted
to a worlds record of 2:OS 3-4 to a high
wheel sulky. Every person interested in
the onward march of the light harness
horse will rejoice that Cleveland has had
so much honor reflected upon her by
the events of the past week. For half
century she has not only been the CEN
ter of light harness interest, but one OF
the main props of the Grand Circuit. 1t
has been characteristic of Cleveland, as
OF Detroit, that her best and most re-
sponsibIe citizens early took part in the
regeneration of the turf, and, with the
aid of others equally as respectable.
founded what is now known as the Grand
Circuit.
The leaders in the great movement Of
regeneration were men fitted to handle
large affairs. They were such men as
the late Col. William Edwards. father
of Gen. Clarence Edwards, head OF the
Insular Bureau, who stood for Cleve-
land; Daniel ]. Campau and Fred c.
Moran, who stood for. Detroit, and Cic-
ero j. Hamlin, who stood for Buffalo.
These were not only men of wealth and
influence in the communities in which
they Hved-they were also men of great
moral courage. They early recognized
the fact that II harness racing was to
survive and become a sport that respect
able people could patronize that the men
who had heretofore controlled II must
be given rear seats. They further recog-
nized that the rules of harness racing
earnestly bent themselves to the task of
working out these important reforms.
These men We're the fathers of the
Grand Circuit of to-day, and every
horseman in the Union owes to them a
debt of gratitude for their work.
The stars of the Grand Circuit of 1911,
trotting, are worthy of more than a pass
ing notice. They are Soprano. owned by
John E. Madden, driven by W. ]. An
drews: Jean, owned by David Shaw, of
Cleveland. and driven by McDevitt;
r. T. c., owned and driven by Thomas
Murphy; Argot HAL, owned and driven
by ]. r. Jones, of Memphis; Lewis For
est, in the hands of Mcdonald; Bel
varia, in Murphy's; Dude Archdale.
owned and driven by Mr.. Jones, who is
a Memphis street car magnate and who
owns and drives horses for his indi-
vidual pleasure, as well as incidental
profit, and last but not least Gold Dol
lar, Anvil, and Charley Mitchell. On
Mr.. Jones' staff is the peerless Tenn
essee trainer and reinsman, E. F. Geers,
and between Mr. Jones' wealth and
equine sagacity and Mr.. Geers' knowledge
and skill in the sulSy they are combi-
nation hard to conquer.
In the pacing brigade Earl, jr., is
easily the star PAGER of the year, and,
while he is being hard pushed by the
wonder of 1910 Independence Boy, his
strength and power of endurance are SO
superior to the last named that he prom
ises to go far into the racing season
without having his colors being in ma
terial danger. From the day he faced
the starter at indianapolis his improve
ment has been gradual, although II must
be admitted he has on some occasions
given his admirers and hackers some
severe cases of heart failure. Inde
pendence Boy and Earl, jr., are right
now two-minute PAGERS in a race, and.
IL they do not stale by reason OF the
fast pace they are going, they may
reach or even beat the two-minute mark
by the time the horses reach Columbus
or Lexington.
It will be a great day for the pacing |
when the Earl, Independence |
Boy. The Eel. Vernon Mckinney, and
Brauham Baughman meet each other in |
, race The two last named have two |
minute or better speed, but have the |
reputation of being unsteady. With a |
rood day and good track, the horses fit |
md the weather and stars working all |
n conjunction, 1t would be an event |
worth travelling across the continent to |
witness. In the second division Of side |
yheelers are such fast ones as Ernest, |
n Coxe's stable; Zulu Hal, Eddie Dill |
ard, Hal Akin and G. The Limit. Some |
If the PAGERS In the second division may |
,ass into the first one before Lexing- |
on is reached; or, possibly, by the time |
he horses reach Columbus some PAGER |
nay creep out of the tall grasses of |
he prairies of the Middle West and give |
he best Of the lot in the first division |
race for the money, and perhaps send /
hem into winter quarters with their
all feathers plucked.
The disappointment of the season up
o date is the champion four-year-old of |
he season OF 1910, Joan. When. last |
winter, John z. Madden flung out his /
challenge on the part of So
rano, and particularly mentioned Joan /
s one of the horses he expected to beat,
hose who had seen Joan perform could l
ot repress a smile Evidently the Sc
ere racing of last season has served to |
tale Joan to such degree that she Is /
ot now the mare she was. At Column
us and Lexington she was a star Of l
he first magnitude, unapprpachable for
er years, and the fondest predictions 1
rere made as to her future. As for So Il
rano, seasoned by two years Of racing, II
is quite evident that Messrs Andrews
nd Madden think that In her. they have
mother Hamburg Belle, and II may well /
e. that they have Mr.. Madden Is one
the wisest men on the turf, in either
he trotting or the running game, ard his
of Judgment are few.
The fastest trottine sfaliion of the sea-