FRED CROCKER. 115 



Even in tnese fast days two-year-olds that can trot; 

 in 2:25^ are rather scarce, and when we remember that 

 the record of 2:31, which So So made at Lexington, 

 Kentucky, in 1877, stood unchallenged for three 

 years, it is easy to understand the sensation made by 

 Fred Crocker and Sweetheart in ISSO, for untd that 

 3'ear no one had ever seen a two-3^ear-Gld that could 

 beat 2:30. 



Fred Crocker was foaled March 23, 1S7S, the son of 

 Electioneer, and Melinche, a mare by old Saint Clair, 

 whose history we have already referred to. He was a 

 well-shaped bay colt, and has developed into a tall and 

 stout good-looking horse. I broke him in the winter 

 of 1880, little having been previously done with him, 

 as Governor Stanford had decided not to trot any colts 

 under three years of age. The summer previous he 

 and Eentonian, son of Gen. Benton, had shown the 

 best of all our yearlings lot-trotting, and it was exer- 

 cising these youngsters in this way that we first 

 thought of the idea of the miniature track that has 

 since plaved so great a part in our system of training. 

 At the proper place the evolution of this " kinder- 

 garten" will be fully related. In the spring of 1880, 

 the directors of the California State Fair advertised a 

 stake race for two-year olds, and then Governor Stan- 

 ford reconsidered his resolution about not trotting 

 colts under three years old. AYe pitched upon Fred 

 Crocker as the most likely one of our two-year-olds to 

 represent the farm in the stake, and, on June 5th, I 

 began preparing the young gelding for the event. I 

 found that he could brush fast, but could not go a 

 quarter faster than forty-five seconds. I worked him 



