STALLION BREEDING IN THE STATES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 40

STALLION BREEDING IN THE STATES,

Turf, Field, and Farm reports that there was a- great crowd at Readville on September 27, to' witness the contest for the 20,000d0i pvrse for stallions offered by the New England Trotting Horsebreeders' Association. For 10 clays or more in advance it looked to the critical public as if Cresceus could not lose, ancl this fact unquestionably kept hundreds of gentlemen living at a distance from Boston from paying a visit to that city. II they had dreamed that the race would bs fought with stubbornness^ it would have been difficult to restrain them. Th& stallions which opposed Ceeseeus were Charley Herr, Grattan Boy, Arion, Lord Vincent, Benton M., and Jupe_ In the first heat the favourite broke after getting the word, and the earnest contest was between Charley Herr and Arion. The latter was in front to the three-quarter pole, and then weakened under the resolute challenge of Charley Herr, who led under the wire. Time, .31,' 1.2£, 1.34 i, 2.7*. Cresceus was third, Grattan Boy fourth, In the second heat Charley Herr had' the advantage of the inside position, and he out-trotted Cresceus, who finished second. The. time was .32, 1.3, 1.35, 2.7 A. Grattan Boy was third and Lord Vincent fourth. It now looked very squally tor the favourite. Ketcham was alert and determined in the third heat, and threw no chances away. Kelley'was just as vigilant and determined behind Charley Herr. He was in front at the quarter in 315 sec, at the half in 1.2|, ancl at the three-quarter pole in 1.34-|. Ketcham then moved up with relentless vigour, placing Cresceus on even terms with Herr and beating him to the wire by a nose in 2.7^. The favourite had saved aiin-

self from defeat by the smallest possible margin. The hard strain bsgan to tell upon Charley Herr; still, he made Oresceus go the t fourth heat in .SJ-i, 1.3, 1.34J, 2.7^. The ' tilth heat was easy ior Uresceus, who won in ' .32^, 1.4, 1.36 J., i!.B|. Grattan Boy was | third, Arion fourth, and Lord Vincent fifth ' place. The trac'-c was not as fast as some j others, and the time made is evidence of the i higii form of Cresceus and Oiianey Herr. Charley Jrlerr is a bay horse, five years old, by Alfred G., 2.19|, he by Anteeo, 2.16 i (son ol Electioneer and the great brood mare Coj lumbine), dam Bessie ixuntington, by ±lappy j Traveller, 2.275. Cre&ceus is a chestnut horse of 15.3hds, six years old, by Robert M'Gregor, 2.17^, dam. Mabel, by i\iambrino Howard; second dam. Contention, by Allie "W est. A. week later Cresceus was started at Glenville against his own record of 2min 4-gsec. • Mr ! George H. Ketcham drove the trotter, and : [Kelly rode a runner for encouragement. On j the first attempt he made a misstep near the | furlong pole, and was brought back. The | second time brought him to the quarter in j 3L}sec, not fast enough, but the half was reached in I.l£. Between poles another runner, ridden by Pennock, had joined in, and prospects of success were good. The third quarter, however, was disappointingly slow in 31-aaec, and hopes tell, especially as he had to lace a breeze on the home stretch. j. But the great son of Robert lu'Gregor was ; equal to the task. "W ith never-faltering stroke j tCtid wonderful speed he encountered the wind, j trotting the last quarter in 31sec, and the full i; mil© in 2.4. This makes him the king of j stallions. On the same course, in 1885, Aiaud j. 8. made the still unequalled record of 2.8J j to high-wheel sulky.