Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-03-02
NJ. T. GRATTAN WRITES
Web Known DEBORAH Horseman Has
Interesting Article in Trotter
and PAGER.


nj. t. Grattan, of DEBORAH, is per-
haps one of the best known horse
man in Iowa, and has held the reins
over some good ones in the past
Years and still continues to do so.
He is not only a good horseman, but
a fluent writer, as well on topics per-
tanning to the racing world. The fol-
lowing from his pen appeared in a
recent issue of The Trotter and Pac-
er, published at Clifton, N. j.:
Henry Eldridge, of Waukon, Iowa,
who owned and campaigned the good
trotter Cory Kilvert, by John R..
Gentry, will move his stable to Ham
line April l to prepare for the early
meetings in North Dakota. AT the
head of his string is that elegant
PAGER, May Scion, 2:11A, winrace
on half mile track, by Scion Grattan,
dam May Neville, that Eldridge has
raced so successfully for Secretary
Geo. Hall, of the Waukon fair. Ed
ridge also was big winner with her
dam, the trotter May Neville, also
owned by Mr.. Hall. Sold to eastern
parties after her best campaign and
a winters let up, her new owner gave
May Nevill as sharp workout be-
fore she was ready, including mile
in 2:10, which retired her to the
brood mare contingent,
Next comes the trotter Rex Trev-
.erbyn, 2:12A, by Treverbyn, 2:14&.
AS / bred Rex and sold him to Mr..
Hall as a yearling | will not brag
about him but tell little story.
had raced his sire at the Waukon
fair-where he holds the trotting re-
cortland won with the colt in a
fine bunch of yearlings when Mr..
Hall asked for price. He thought
/ asked too much. At midnight he
came and rousing me from a sound
sleep led the colt away. Last year
Rex beat my trotter, Tell Sir, 2:17A
for place, showing speed which prov
ed that the price was too low and
that Mr.. Halls midnight bunch was
a good one and that i should have
asked more. The dam of Rex was by
Lodaller, whose death was stun
ming blow to me, and his grandam,
bred by Mr.. Veech, st. Mathews, KY,
was by Robin, one of AxtelPs best
Princeps; Lulu Wilkes, by Geo.
Wilkes, etc.
Third in the bunch is General
Luther's Baby, pacing mare, with a
winrace record of 2:14A which Ed
ridge did so we'll with last year that
her owner, the Hon. o. Gilbertson,
of the Iowa legislature, recently said
to me: Henry is the honestest and
squarest driver ever had deal with"
His exact words, and in my opinion
a deserved tribute though | have had
many clash with Eldridge who is
no pacifist He should be by this
time with capable and clever grand
choldren But don't presume too much
on his age for like that great chief
tain of his race, "Old age ne'er cools
A. tl11v
A number of promising green ones
complete the string with which Ed
ridge in 1921 will interest his COM
petitors and entertain the crowd. For
lit has never been denied that when
Eldridge starts there will be horse
race. This reputation helps attend
ance and | have often been asked:
l"What day does Eldridge race
l"Do you start against him - "Can
you beat him." And my answer to
the last query is sterotyped: "You
know damned well | will try" And
the result in the past has been sc
strenuous that | people imagined
Henry and | were bitter enemies
One thing sure, he is not afraid OF
the cars and knows the short roaC
round.