The New York herald., 1921-09-04
Peter Manning the Third
Horse to TrOt in 200
Chance Now Looks Good to
Lower Worlds Record, Held
by Uhlan, :58.

Peter Manning's mile in 2 100 at Bos-
gives the gelding lasting place In the
story OF harness racing as the third
trotter to make a record of 2 100 or bet
ter under nornal conditions. The first
horse to accomplish this feat was Uhlan,
whose mile In 1:5s% at Cleveland on
August IL. 1910. started the legitimate
$500 list. Two years later. on October
8, 1912, he lowered this record to :5S,
where 1t has stood unequalled longer
than that Of any other champion since
Boston Blue, the horse that set the mark
at AN more than one hundred years
ago. Lee Axworthy. the second horse
to trot in 2 100 without artificial aid.
and the only stallion that has accom-
plished the feat. did 1t five times in
six weeks in 1915. showing pretty
clearly that he was the greatest trot-
ter ever foaled, but failing by a quar-
ter of second to equal the worlds rec
ord of Uhlan. He was then only Ave
years old and was suddenly and unac-
countably retired to the stud just when
he appeared to be on the point OF beat
ing 1853.
The Windshield Champions.
Seven years before Uhlan reached the
two-minute goal Lou Dillon and Ma
jor Del Mar beat 2 100 with the aid
of wind shield in the form of run
ming horse In harness driven in front Of
the trotter to break the natural resist
ance Of the atmosphere. Both horses tried
repeatedly under the most favorable
conditions to trot In 100 without this
artificial aid. but the mare could never
beat 2:01A n, while the geldings best
legitimate record Is 2 :01 u.
Peter Manninss performances this
season appear to be quite as promising
of new record as were those Of Lee
Axworthy at the corresponding period
in 1915. The stations first start
against the watch was at Cleveland on
August 22, when Ben White drove him
mile in 200A, precisely the same
as the official time of Peter Manning's
mile there on August .. He tried again
three days later. but the watches again
stopped at 2:O0A. After this effort Lee
Axworthy rested until September Is.
when he started over the fast track at
the New York State Fair In Syracuse
and reeled off a mile in even time. just
as Peter Manning did last week over
the Readville track.
Lee Axworhty's Lost Chance.
1t was not until the Lexington meet
ing on October that the great son OF
Axworthy was turned for another trip
against time. He made his record
:591a, and three days later beat it by
tie wide margin Of second and a
quarter, convincing nearly everybody
vrith In,
grasp. But his owners and his trainer
made the mistake of shipping him away
to Atlanta at this important juncture.
and there, on october 20, he failed to
beat :59A. the track not being as fast
as the one In Kentucky Quickly re-
turning to Lexington he started there
on October 26, under very favorable
conditions and finished his mile in
:59A Cold. stormy weather followed.
and Uhlan's record stood unbeaten.
Thomas w. Murphy. the trainer Of
Peter Manning, is making more use OF
his horse than White made Of Lee Ak
worthy. but Murphy is generally
credited with knowing what he is about
The gelding's mile In 100 at Boston
was reported to have been a compara-
lively easy one, and nobody believes
that Murphy Is going to split him wide
open in both heats of Tuesdays race
at Hartford. No announcement OF fur
ther engagements has yet been made.
but 1t will be surprising If Murphy does
not start him against the watch at
Syracuse next week, and at Columbus
the week following IL the horse Is fit
and right Lexington. however, is the
place where everybody expects to see
him make his supreme effort to lower
the record.
Like most Of the great trotters of the
past Peter Manning has not always
been regarded as a coming champion.
]. l. Markey. who was instrumental in
selling him for $1,000 to his present
owner Irwin w. Gleason. of Williams
port, Pa. tells this story Of his first
acquaintance with the gelding:
wv. M. Wright, Of Chicago. his
breeder. was showing me his horses at