The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-18
BIGGEST YEAR FOR
HARNESS HORSES
RECORDS BROKEN DURING SEASON
JUST CLOSED IN GRAND
CIRCUIT.
BADEN EARNS $50 500
TWENTY-oNE YOUNGSTERS MAKE
RECORDS WHICH AsToNIsH
THE WORLD OF HORSE
MES--HIGH PRICES PAID.

The season Just closed ranks as the
greatest in the history of light har-
ness racing. Baden proved that he
was the champion of the Grand cir
cult meetings He won $4,000 This
is the largest sum ever won In one
season by a trotter or PAGER.
During the year twenty-one of the
youngsters made records under 2:30,
an achievement that overshadowed all
previous performances. Until this year
only thirty-two yearlings beat 2:30
during period of twenty-five years.
In conjunction with the yearlings'
performances a worlds mark for
youngsters Of that age was establish
ed. Airdale, Il brother of Lord AL
len, IN his second attempt at record
smashing. reduced the record from
2:19 TO 2:15 ga
That the harness horses Of the
present day possess more speed than
the old-time famous champions, Ii Is
only necessary to look back I'd the
year 1875. when the noted Smuggler
defeated Goldsmith Maid In 2:l5 Ia
over the Giensiile track.
1t viii be seen by these records that
a yeariing trots mile within half
second OF the mark hung mp by an
old campaigner.
Baden won eleven races out OF six
teen starts this year. He made his
first start at the Lansing meeting.
curtain raiser for the Grand circuit
AT the circuit opening the next
week at Grand Rapids, he was
starter In the $4,000 stakes for 3;1s
trotters. and won. beating the Cox
mare, Esther W., q sensationaily fast
but very erratic trotter, vino was des-
tined to be his greatest rival In the
battles for the big stakes throughout
the circuit. The pair met again the
foafoWifig wetk III the SIC, 900 stake
Al Kalamazoo, and this time the Ia
hles were turned, Walter Cox for
the first time driving the winner of
"a sI0.o0o stake The following week
at Detroit the stallion met Chatty d.
rect and ether fast ones. and The Cox
mare won.
The $4,000 ohio stakes at Cleve-
land found Baden In front, but he was
up against some hard racing luck at
Pittsburg. and the race went to Oak
dale. a fairly good trotter. but not to
be compared TO the stallion from New
Jersey He won $4,000 stakes at both
Buffalo and Rockingham Park. but at
Readptits was beaten by Esther W. in
n hard fought contest for the classic
Massachusetts stakes, They met the
following week IN the $4,000 Charter
Oak stakes. and 1t went five heats.
but this time Baden won. repeating
the following week In AN event Of the
same value at Syracuse, where he re-
dueed his record TO SOS 3-i. He
won the s:Ia trot at Detroit eassy.
but in the Hester sic. 600 stakes, dur
ing t.fte first week Of the Columbus
meeting, Was defeated by the brown
colt Dave Halle. sliga class colt. put
not the equal of Baden when the lat
ter was really AT hts best This was
shown in the SECOND week OF me
meeting. when Baden defeated HAZE
and others in s5.eQ0 stakes ana
trotted two of the heats In Eva Is.
During the trots at Lexington. ia
dc, started three times, and each time
was returned the winner The 3d.
GOO Transatlantic stakes was very
easy for him. Cheeny being has most
formidable antagonist. and she was
not able to make the stallion extend
himself On the opening day or the
secnnd week he was started In the
Castleton, Gun race. The stallion was
off, but his trainer and owned ngnreo
that the race would not pc haro
one. ana he was started. He won the
the first two heats, then he was aoie
to show when right. Only the rank
est sort of q mistake by Esther w.
when finishing the NTH heat. enabled
him Ia win the least creditahle OF all
III his victories. II seemed almost
madness to start him two days later
for the $4,000 october prize, where
he met such stars as Anvil. 2.os, ana
Helen Stiles 206 Ia. yet he showed
that he was clearly the master wnen
right, after hf- had hroken and lost
the first heat to the mare,
There were some very good three
year~oids In the Middle West, par
t,cuiarly Mildred Togo. 2:ll 81,
which n. ]. Mackenzie. owner OF
Zoe Patchen IL, has bought for the
Grand circuit stakes next year, ana
Mediumore, ale IL, colt Thomas
w. Murphy has bought for the slo,-
600 stakes In preference 10 all otneI
good trotters that he has seen TINS
year.