THE AMERICAN TROTTER AND PACER 6 1 



The number of trotters and pacers with records has steadily 

 increased, until at the present day the list makes up a large book. 

 At the end of the 1917 season there were recorded a total of 

 33,695 trotters with records of 2:30 or better and 25,475 pacers 

 with records of 2:25 or better. Even the select 2:10 list has 

 grown in a remarkable way, so that at the completion of the 

 1918 season, according to the Horse Review (November 12, 1918), 

 there were 993 trotters in the 2:10 class and nearly 450 pacers 

 in the 2:08 list. 



The money winnings on the race track by light harness horses 

 mount up into considerable sums. While there are thousands of 

 horse races each year on different tracks in America, what are 

 known as the Grand Circuit races represent the most important 

 held. These races begin in the more northerly section of the 

 country in July, as at North Randall, Ohio, and end the last of 

 October in the South, at Atlanta, Georgia, and many of the same 

 horses follow the circuit from start to finish. In the Grand Circuit 

 of 1918 were the following places, in the order the races were 

 held : North Randall, Kalamazoo, Toledo, Columbus, North 

 Randall, Philadelphia, Poughkeepsie, Readville, Hartford, Syracuse, 

 Columbus, Lexington, Atlanta. At the above thirteen meetings 

 two hundred and sixty-one races were held, eight hundred and 

 twenty-five heats were recorded, with an average time of 2:07.89, 

 a remarkable showing. A total of $471,742 was awarded to the 

 prize winners. The four leading families in the 1918 circuit, 

 according to the Horse Revieiv, were the following : 



Bingen (2:06^), with 192 winners, secured $70,091 

 Peter the Great (2:07^), with 134 winners, secured $69,858 

 Axworthy (2:15^), with 96 winners, secured $67,692 

 McKinney (2:11^), with 108 winners, secured $59,595 



Up to 1918 inclusive the get of Peter the Great have won 

 over $800,000. 



The prices paid for standard-bred horses represent in some 

 cases remarkable valuations, while a long list might be given of 

 animals that have changed hands at $10,000 or more each. The 

 highest price ever paid for a trotter was $150,000, paid by 

 Mr. J. Malcolm Forbes of Boston for Arion (2 :07|), by Electioneer. 



