Evening journal., 1914-11-09
WONDERFUL Mile
By DIRECTUM |
Great PAGER Over Kirkwood
Track Showed Ability to
Beat 1.55
ANOTHER TRIAL
HERE ON SATURDAY

A performance that stands out as one
of the most remarkable on record was
witnessed by more than HOO horse
lovers last Thursday at Kirkwood
Driving Park, when Directum I paced
a mile on a windy day, with the ther-
mometer around so, in LOO l2. The
horse started in an attempt TO beat
the record behind a Windshield, made
by Dan Patch, and the chestnut stall
lion showed that il will be only a
question of proper paeemaking next
season to acquire the record. In prep
aration for this event an automobile
had been rugged with q Windshield on
the side, but in rounding the turns on
q level track the auto skidded so far
from the pole that the horse lost the
benefit Of the shield when most needed.
BY lowering the canves attached TO
the back of a jogging cart pulled by
running horse that had worked mile
to harness In l.52 it was thought the
runner would be able to negotiate the
first half in 90 seconds, but the strong
wind held him back 2 l-2 seconds, and
Driver Snedeker had to tell "Smoke,"
who was driving the runner, to pull
away and let him through. Directum
had been fighting for his head, and he
shot past the fast firing runner, beat
ing him to the wire by 90 yards, pac-
ing the last eight in l3 seconds. Di-
rectum will make another trial
against time at WRwaset Park on next
Saturday.
Exhibitions of speed in this part Of
the country have been so unsatisfactory
that the management was more than
pleased with the popular outburst of ap-
pIause that was accorded horse and
driver. The mile displnces the former
Delaware record of 2.O5 3-4, made by
Saladin, when some of the people pres
ent were only youngsters, and b the
fastest mile ever paced as late in the
season as November. it is considered
too cool for racing in the east after
fair time, which ends the latter part OF
September in this section.
Directum I is a compact chestnut
colored stallion, standing cose TO Is
hands 2 inches high, weighing, in rae
ing condition, $50 pounds. He wears
light knee front shin and quarter
boots, closed bride, no extra rigging
and was hooked to a 27-pOund sulky
James Butler, one of the busiest bust
ness men in New York. bred and still
owns the horse. He won the $4,000
NJ. and M. stake at Detroit with his
sire, Directum Kelly, 2.08 Ia, now
making an enviable record In Russia
as a sire Of speed. and also raced his
dam, Izetta r., 2.1S IL. by Pactolus-
John Ryan, Jr., Chester, Pa, waf
Directum rs first driver, and on his
FIRST public appearance as a 4-year-
old. at Wawaset track, ne showed abil-
fly to pace In 2,10 on a half-mile track
From then on he was practically un'
beatable and stands today the most
talked-about horse.
DR.. j. c. Mccoy, proprietor of Kirk
wood Farm, who raced Lord Dewey
200 "a, last years fastest trotter
was selected TO manage the horse this
season and G. Raymond Snedeker, his
son-in-law, to drive. What they have
accomplished is too we'll known fol
repetition. What they will do nex'
season is what lot of owners of free
for-all PAGERS would like to know, 81
as to enable them TO ship in another
direction.
william, the great 4-yeaE-old, by
Abe j., 2.10, unbeaten until this sea
son, seems the only horse able to give
him an argument. II both horses
train to championship form next sea
son. A. Earl Van Alta. owner OF VIII
liam. has expressed his willingness e
ship East and try to regain the lau
rels lost at Columbus in the most sen
sational race ever paced.
As Directum !, in his last perform
ance against time, trotted under Ameri
can Association rules, his Performance
will not be accepted by the N. T. A.