THE TROTTING RECORD

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 40

THE TROTTING RECORD

I have already given a full account of The Abbott's great race for the world's trotting record, which took place at Terre Haute, Indiana, on the 25th September, but my readers will no doubt be pleased to get besides the spirited and graphic account by the New York World : For six years Alix has held the I world's mile trotting record against time at 2min 3|sec. Many attempts have been made to take the laurels away from the "sweet little mare," but not until to-day was the feat ac- ' complished, when upon tlie famous Terre i-Haute track The Abbott, the sensa- ■ tional gelding out of Hamlin's stable, lowered . the record half a second, and it .now stands 2min 3£sec. Many 1 watches caught it at 2min 3sec. C. J. Ham- , lin, the Buffalo multi-millionaire, 8J years old, '' sat in a box in the grandstand, and had hia !, wish of years realised — to own the fastest trotter. It was about 5 o'clock when.Geers came ■ out in his effort to demolish the record. The , day was perfect — there was no wind stirring, and the track was like velvet. Two runners made the gelding think he was in a race. To the eighth The Abbott fiew in 16isec, and voices could be heard, "It will be a great mile." At the quarter it was 31|sec, and the stir was already beginning. At the half it was lmin 2-isec, and still the fastest quarter was to come. At the three-quarters it was lmin. 31fsec, and the crowd was on its feet. As the 1 gallant gelding whirled into the track the cheering began, and cries were heard, "He is ■ doing it ! He is doing it ! " John Dickerson, t with one of his runners, came up abreast of the game trotter, and it was neck and neck to the wire. Hundreds of watches caught the I time, and the wild cheering was renewed when I the official time was hung out. Geers got an i ovation, as did also Hamlin, and the crowd 1 gave three cheers, proposed by Starter Dufs term, tor the horse, driver, owner, and track. : The mile was perfectly travelled. This is the | second time since the day of Rarus's 2min i 13|sec that the world's trotting record has i been held by a gelding. Jay-Eye-See reduced 1 Maud S.s 2min lOdsec to 2min lOsec, and the next- day she trotted in 2min 9|sec. With this exception the crown has been worn by mares for more than 20 years. First of the | queens was Lady Suffolk, in. 1846, with 2mm i 26sec. She was the first horse to trot faster ! than 2min 30see. Years after Flora Temple : startled the world by reducing the record to 2min lQ^sec. Then came Goldsmith Maid, ; 2roin 14sec ; Maud S., 2min B|sec (by many \ still considered the greatest of all) ; Nancy ! Hanks, 2min 4s"ee ; and Alix, 2min 3|sec. The Abbot has only one dangerous rival— Croesus, I 2mm 4Jsec — and horsemen don't believe he j wil capture the title this year at least.