THE TWO-MINUTE LIST

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 130, 3 June 1936, Page 13

THE TWO-MINUTE LIST

TROTTERS AND PACERS To breed or own a pacer or a trotter that can cover one mile in two minutes or faster is the height of ambition of devotees of the light-harness sport all over the world. In America, which- is the home of the trotter and pacer, many wealthy men have been deeply interested in the breeding and development of trotters and pacers, and have experimented in numerous ways regardless rff expense. At first the sport was strictly confined to. northern America, which centred in and about Long Island and New York. Orange County was the cradle of the American trotter. That was due to the southern part using many pacers or "rackers" as they were then called, for saddle purposes. These horses were bred from the once so famous Narragansett pacers that originated in Rhode Island. Crossed with thoroughbreds, the produce made ideal saddle horses, with great speed at the pace.

DECLARED "BLACKLEGS." The thoroughbred, of course, reigned Supreme, as he has ever since the early days, and racing was carried on according to the "aristocratic tradition" which held that trotting contests were beneath the notice of the "upper classes." So strong and so widespread was this feeling that when it was first attempted to introduce light-harness racing in 1840, the leaders of the thoroughbred sport attempted to outlaw it and prevent its being carried on, under the plea that it was neither "respectable" nor, worthy of attention and the horses were described as "wretched screws" and the men who raced them as "blacklegs." But with the pacer, especially in the New Orleans sector, it was different. Many of the leading thoroughbred Turfmen and breeders preferred the pacer f6r saddle purposes, and even kept pacing stallions on their farms for breeding purposes. As is well known, the most potent strain of pacing blood that has become a basic factor in the modern trotting fabric is that of Pilot Junior 12. And his sire was the "old" Pilot, that was taken to New Orleans to race, from the north, over 100 years ago. It was said that he paced a mile in 2min 26sec, with 1651b on his back, and that he could also trot very fast for that day. Since then trotting has made phenomenal progress, and the trotter and pacer of today favourably compare with the thoroughbred in physique and character. From the humble record of a mile in 2min 26sec by "old' Pilot the official roster from America to hand contains the names of no fewer than 67 horses that have covered a mile in two minutes or faster. Of that number 22 are trotters and 45 are pacers. The list is as follows: — Trotters. mln sec mitt sec Peter Manning 1.5f1% Charlotte Uhlan 1.58 Hanover 1.59% Lee Axworthy 1.58% Hanover's' Js'edda .... 1.58% Bertha 1.59% I Lou Dillon .. 1.58% Major Delmar 1.59% Guy • * 1 Rose Scott .. 1.59 ,4, McKinnoy 1.58% Spencer ... 1.59% Tilly Brooko . 1.59 Una Signal .. 1.59% Mr. McElwyn 1.5914 Calumet Protector .. 1.59% Evelyn 2.0 Scotland .. 1.59% Greyhound . 2.« Tl lc Miss Bertha Marchioness 1.59% Hanover 2.0 Arion Guy .. 1.59% Tara 2-0 Pacers. mln «ec mln sec Pan Patch .. 1.55V4 Cardinal Directum .. 1.50% Mnco 1.50% Winnipeg .. 1.07% Grattan Margaret ® arl j. Dillon 1,58% Prince Alert 1.59% Ml S3 Harris Raider .... M. 1.58% Sandaro .... 1.59 V; Colli Cash . 1.58% Calumot Louis Direct 1.58% , „ Adam 1.59% Minor IToir . 1.58% His Majesty . 1.59% KltiKle (i .. 15S 1 ". .T. K. Voniun 1.59% William .... -1.58*4 Lady Voulan 1.59% Kiniicy Mc-I-Wln »• I»j9v4> Dlrcct 1.59 Napoleon Anna Brad- Direct 1-^9% ford'B Girl ].59Vi Star Etawah 1.59% Audubon Boy 1.59% Chief „ Bort Abbo .. 1.59% „ Abbedalo 2.0 Calumot Colonel Tom . <-'-0 Evelyn 1.39% Dominion Di c l { Grattan 2.0 Reynolds 1.59% Louie Frank Grattan 2.0 Bofc-ash Jun. 1.59% Princo Loree 2.0 Highland Merrimon .... 2.0 Scott 1.59% Napoleon Laurel Grant -.0 Hanover 1.59% Theo Guy .... 2.0 Mary E. Widow Grattan 1.59% Grattan 2.0 Sir Roch .. 1.59% Zambro Star Pointer 1.59% Hanovor --9 Braden Heir 1.59%