New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
Host of Horses Eligible
For the Fduorite 7rot

returning to form in the late season
and wntering we'll.
Probably Guy Lee, who is one of the
best of the half-mile track drivers and
has done few notable things on the
big line, will have the mount on her
this season, and her performance will
be watched with interest. Lucille
Spier's dam, by the way, was the mare
Lucille c., by Brummel, that C. X G.
Billings drove a mile to wagon in 2:O7.
Thomas w. Murphy whose skill be-
came acknowledge through his clever
ness with James Buffers PAGER Hetty
L., has been a regular Grand Circuit
driver for nine years, during which he
has won no less than $697, 1865 in stakes
and purses. This is the greatest
amount to the credit OF any man who
ever climbed into a sulky, and when
this year ends he is likely to have
average $4,000 year.
From his start with Hetty G. in 1903
Murphy broke into the Grand Circuit
now and then and did things to the old
guard: His reputation kept growing
until he built up first class table, and
in 1909 he made everybody take notice
by heading the list Of money winning
drivers-which. until then. had been
Geers's portion with regularity-his
A Wonderful Record
During the nine years Murphy has
been first seven times and second only
in 1910 and last year. His banner sea
son was in 1915, when his stable won
$l28,42O, the previous high-water mark
being $116.3T0 set by Geers in 1902.
Several things stand out among the
accomplishments of Murphy. For in
stance. he won $50,535 with Peter Scott
in 1915, which is the largest amount
ever won by q trotter in one year, Muir
phy having bought that Boston bred
horse from Cox the year before for
$4,000.
In the matter of world records Muir
ply is hog, so to speak. He has set
the marks for two-ycar- fllies with
The Real Lady, 2:04A; for two-year-
three-ycar-old hllies With The Real cal
Lady, 2:03; for three-year-o colts
with Peter Volo, 2:O3ls, and for four
year-old colts with Peter Volo, 2:O2
Add to this the championship record of
Directum l. Frank Bogash, jr.. Anna
Bradford, Hetty G. and independence
Boy, and his collection is formidable.
Murphy and Cox, who are the young
est of the great drivers, are exponents
of the theory that Northern training
is good enough; there is no occasion
for wintering in the South Pough-
keepsie suits the Long Island man to
nicely, while Cox enjoys the heavy
snowdrifts at Dover, N. II. Geers
sticks to Memphis, Andrews likes
Thomasville, Ga; Mcdonald thinks In
dianapolis is the best of training
camps, and Valentine stays in his home
town, Columbus.
The Murphy stable now at the Hud
son River track is one of the largest
and additions are coming from distant
parts. One that will be closely watched
is the Canadian trotter, Chilcoot, that
recently joined the cavalcade. This
horse is by San Francisco and out of
Chimes Girl, and his granddam is the
famous Minnequa Maid, that was we'll
known in the days of the c. J. Hamlin
establishment at Buffalo, whence came
most OF the early winners of the Geers
stable
Chilcoot, aptly enough for his name.
trotted into public notice on the ice
tracks of Canada in the winter of 1915
'1G. beating all the horses of his gait
so handIly that he was hailed as a
coming champion. In 1916 a lonp
campaign was made with him by Nat
Ray, the former steeplechase Jockey.
who has grown into big winner on
the small ovals. and he won seven Of
eight starts on the half mile tracks
and made a record of 2:1112 u, showing
that be could beat 2:10 at that game.