OF INTEREST TO LOVERS OF THE TROTTING HORSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 932, 16 January 1908, Page 10

OF INTEREST TO LOVERS OF THE TROTTING HORSE.

ALL THE RECORDS. The following review of the American trotting season should prove of much interest to reinsmen in New Zealand: — The racing season of 1907 has gone down into history as being a great one in every respect; but it is a fact that horsemen have witnessed a campaign that has surely been remarkable and still they have not looked upon it with as much enthusiasm and excitement as they have other campaigns far less eventful. At ithe present time people are looking for such great things that they have become accustomed to taking great events with as much unconcern and with a matter of habit manner that they do not really realize the immensity of the happenings that are now accomplished. The racing season just finished has been a corker for new record performances, but still horsemen refuse to think what a wonderful lot of horses have just been sent to winter quarters. All told ten world’s records were broken and some of the other season’s records were of such sensational nature that it is doubtful if ever again such a season will be experienced. With the marks at the present low ebb it would be considered a great performance if one

world’s *ecord could be reduced each year, but to think that ten of them were established this year seems almost incredulous.

The secret for all this speed lies in the breeding, and the honour that is deserved for these great feats among the trotters and pacers should go to the right persons—the breeders. The attention that is now being paid to the breeding of equines should be kept up and the breeders given all encouragement possible, as this one thing will keep the keen interest in the sport.

The real great work during the past season has been accomplished by the youngsters of the two and three-year-old trotting and pacing divisions. In the two-year-old class there was Trampfast, who placed the race record for trotters at 2:12% while Helen Hale set the race record for two-year-old fillies at 2:13%, both are world’s records. In the pacing division the two-year-old colt Ray O’Light did not break a world’s record but made good time, his record being 2:13%. In the three-year-old trotting class, General Watts, of course, stands out head aand shoulders above all others. General Watts is made of that stout stuff that makes great horses and which made it possible for him to accomplish such a remarkable feat as to be considered among the three greatest performers in the history of the sport. When General Watts trotted his mile in the first of the race at Lexington in 2:06%, thereby establishing a new world’s record for three-year-old trotting stallions, this feat was associated with the wonderful performance of Lou Dillon when she trotted her first mile in two minutes at Readville, and also the event when Arion, as a two-year-old back in 1891 at Stockton, Cal., trotted a mile in 2:10%, the two performances that have stood above all other turf performances for years. Like some other cracka-jacks General Watts did not show much at the start, but his finish was so remarkable that he is bound to remain in the minds of horsemen as long as they live. General Watts won over 20,000 dollars in purses this year, capturing the Horse breeder, Horse Review, and Kentucky futurities besides winning a class race, and in doing so twice reduced the world’s record for three-year-old trotting stallions. Among the other world’s marks to be lowered was the half-mile track record. In an exhibition mile George G. 2:05%, trotted the Allentown, Pa., track in 2:06%, thereby lowering the record held by Sweet Marie 2:07. This mark still stands to her credit, though, as it is the world’s record for trotting mares over a half mile track. Sweet Marie also holds the world’s half-mile track record to waggon, having trotted the Allentown track to waggon in 2:08%. Then at Lima, Ohio, another half-mile track, Sweet Marie added her third world’s record by trotting to waggon, driven by George Webb, an amateur, in 2:09%. This is certainly a remarkable feat for any trotter. Ruth Dillon broke the world’s record for three-year-old trotters over a half-mile track by trotting the distance in 2:15%, while the pacer Kruger, ridden by H. K. Devereux, paced in 2:12 at Lexington, thereby establishing a new world’s record for such a performance. All through the various classes the work of the trotters and pacers has been sensational and performances which were never thought possible were accomplished. Following is a list of new records made this season:

World’s record for three-year-old trotters in a race —General Watts 2:06% by Axworthy, dam Carpet by Prodigal 2:16. World’s record for two-year-old trotters in a race —Trampfast 2:12% by The Tramp, dam Medium’s Last. World’s trotting record over halfmile track for mares —Sweet Marie 2:02 by McKinney, dam Lady Rivers 2:07.

World’s record trotting over halfmile track to waggon—Sweet Marie 2:08%. World’s record trotting over halfmile track to waggon, driven by amateur—Sweet Marie 2:09%. World’s record for two-year-old trotting filly in a race —Helen Hale 2:13%. World’s record for three-year-old stallion trotter two heats —General Watts 2:06%, 2:09%. World’s record for three-year-old trotters over half-mile track —Ruth Dillon 2:15%. World’s record for trotters over half-mile record —George G. 2:05% by Homeward, dam by Junio —2:06%.

World’s record pacing under saddle —Kruger by Mercury, dam Mary C. — 2:12%, ridden by H. K. Devereux. Best mile by trotter in a race — Sonoma Girl 2:05%. Best mile by trotting stallion in a race —General Watts 2:06%. Best mile by three-year-old pacing filly—Betty Brent 2:10% by Wiggins, dam Lucy by Patchen Wilkes. Best record for pacing mare in a race first season out —Laura Bellini 2.04% by Moquette. Best time by unmarked pacing gelding in a race —Hidalgo 2:04%, by Warren ~ dam of Moral. Best mile by trotting mare in a race, first season out —Sonoma Girl 2:05%. Best mile by trotting gelding in a race, first season out —Highball 2:06% by Doctor Hooker, dam Lena S. by Tom Covington. Best mile by pacing mare in a race —Citation 2:03%. Best mile by pacer in a race —Angus Pointer 2:01% by Sidney Pointer, dam by Grant’s Hambletonian. Best mile by green pacing mare — Reproachless 2:04%, by Direct Hal. Best time for three-year-old trotting filly in a race —Bell Bird 2:11% by Jay Time, dam Nancy Medium. Best time four-year-old filly in a race —Icon by Pe'ter the Great, dam Alberta W. by Albert W. —2:10. Best time four-year-old gelding— Codero by Bingen, dam Jolly Bird by Jay Bird —2:09 %. Best time for gelding in a race — Highball by Doctor Hooker, dam Lena by Tom Covington—2:o6%. Wilkes Heart by Great Heart, dam Baldy by Hambletonian Wilkes 2:06%, Axcyall by Axcyone, dam Lorene by Lonxia 2:06%. Best time for two-year-old colt, pacing—Ray o’Light by Searchlight, dam Carrie 8., by Alexander Button — 2:13%. Best time for three-year-old colt, pacing—Shakespeare by Jay McGregor, dam Miss Spears—2:o9%. Best time )for three-year-old gelding, pacing—Hymettus by Zombro, dam Silver Bell —2:08%. Best mile by pacing stallion —John A. by Eddie Hal, dam Mattie by Newsboy—2:o3%. Best mile by green pacing stallion —Straight Advice by Free Advice, dam Straight On —2:05%. Best mile for trotters against time —Major Delmajr 1:59% by Delmar, dam Expedition—2:o4%. Best mile against time by pacers— Dan Patch 1:55% by Joe Patchen, dam Zelica—l:s6%. Best time in three-heat race by two-year-old trotters —Binvolo by Bingen, dam Komuru by Kremlin — 2:13%, 2:15%, 2:16%. G. T. ROCKWELL. In the “Breeder and Sportsman.”