RACEALONG 23 



The first race meeting at Charter Oak Park was 

 held in 1874. In 1875 the association selected the 

 same dates as Springfield. Both had light fields as 

 fast trotters were not very numerous in those days 

 while pacers had not, as yet, become a part of an 

 association's race programme. 



In 1876 Hartford joined the Grand Circuit. At 

 that time it was called the Central Trotting Circuit. 

 This organization was started in 1873 with four 

 members. They were Cleveland, Buffalo, Utica and 

 Springfield. It was known as the Quadrilateral Trot- 

 ting Combination. In 1875 Rochester and Pough- 

 keepsie were added. Hartford, as has been stated, 

 was admitted in 1876. The next new member was 

 Pittsburgh. It joined in 1881. Providence was added 

 in 1883 and Albany the following year. 



The first Grand Circuit meeting at Hartford was 

 made memorable by the struggle between Smuggler 

 and Goldsmith Maid in the free for all trot. Smuggler 

 won the first two heats. In one of them he reduced 

 the stalHon record to 2:151/4. The third heat was 

 declared a dead heat between Smuggler and Gold- 

 smith Maid. Goldsmith Maid then went on and won 

 the race. 



In 1878 Rarus, who had been a winner at the three 

 preceding Hartford meetings, appeared at Charter 

 Oak Park and trotted in 2:1314. This was within a 

 quarter of a second of the world's record which he 

 made at Buffalo. Another engagement- was made for 

 Rarus the following year. When the day arrived all 

 of the followers of the trotters in New England were 



