Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-11
WELL We're Still Up There and the Going Steadily Getting Better
HAL M'KINNEY
HANGS UP RECORD
Famous Stallion Steps Fastest Mile
Ever Paced on Half-Mile
Nebraska Track.
MAKES DISTANCE IN 2:O7 TX

Stepping the fastest mile ever paced
over half-mile track in Nebraska,
and then Gaping his brilliant per-
Torrance in the first heat by showing
his heels to Columbia Fire and Frank
lin Pierce in the other two, the great
Hal Mckinney, owned by Tom Dem
nison of Omaha and driven. by Bob
Sebastin, was the super-star per-
former at the last days races OF the
Benson meeting and the cynosure OF
the eyes of the thousands who attend
ed the afternoons turf sport.
The interest of the crowd was keyed
up to high pitch as the time for stag
ing of the free-for-all pace, the final
event on the program, drew near.
Three famous PAGERS, two of them old
rivals on the middle west turf, were
to meet in a battle royal,
Interest Keen.
The names of Hal Mckinney, that
sleek, handsome stallion, sired by Hal
B., and Columbia Fire, crack geld
ing by Pactolus, were on all lips. Not
so much interest was taken in the
presence OF Franklin Pierce, a Missis-
sippi horse--a finc-looking gelding,
though, by Avoca Wilkes, and well
known in middle west horsedom, 1t
was the first appearance of Franklin
Pierce on local track. AS they
came to the wire in the first heat, Hal
Mckinney, Bob Sebastin up, had the
pole, with Columbia Fire, William
Stantz up, to the right of him, and the
Franklin Pierce horse, w. s. Pike
driving, on the outside.
Driver Sebastin allowed his chief
rival Reinsman Stantz, with Columbia
Fire, to set the pace, As the speed
merchants began to eat up the track
it became apparent that the race was
between these two, the Mississippi en-
try failing to show the class of the
Nebraska PAGERS.
-f Spurts to Fore.
In due time Hal Mckinney spurted
to the front, and as the PAGERS
Numbered down the home stretch, the
Omaha favorite had a comfortable
lead over Columbia Fire, the Franklin
Pierce contestant trailing.
When the big crowd had cheered
itself out, as far as it knew then, just
from the pure class Of the heat,
Starter Van Pelt electrified the ex-
pectant standSby announcing that Hal
Mckinney had just negotiated tho
fastest mile ever paced on half-milt
oval in this state, and incidentally
clipped one-fourth of second off his
own mark Of 2:07M. =.
Seeming super animal effort on
the part of Columbia Fire to redeem
himself in the second heat, the thou
sands were sitting on edge and stand
ing on tip-toe when the three fliers
logged onto the oval again. y ! I
Mckinney Draws Pole.
Hal Mckinney drew the pole posi-
ton again in the second heat, Frank
lin Pierce coming down to the wire
to his right, with Columbia Fire
elected to travel the long mile. Up
setting the railbirds' predictions bit,
Hal Mckinney leaped to the front at
| the start--and remained there. Frank
lin Pierce didn't have it in him to do
better than a third, and the three
PAGERS finished as they did in the first
heat.
In the third Hal Mckinney, the
gods favoring him all the time, but
apparently not needing it, found him.
self cast for the pole again. Driver
Stantz's steed was on Hal McKinney's
| right, the outside position going to
the southern starter