From Ranis to The Abbot jj 



E. F. Geers, began to work him, the fall he was 

 three years old, he was a trifle discouraged. The 

 gelding was rough-gaited and inclined to amble. 

 A square-toed shoe on the left front foot and the 

 right hind foot helped to untangle him, and he 

 made a severe campaign in 1897 and went into 

 winter quarters with a four-year-old record of 2.1 1^. 

 As a five-year-old he again was severely cam- 

 paigned and acquired a race record of 2.0S. In 

 1899 he defeated all the best horses before the 

 public, including Cresceus and Bingen, and re- 

 duced his record to 2.06J. In 1900 his fight was 

 against the immortal scythe-bearer. Time, and 

 fraction by fraction he rose to the top — 2.05!, 

 2.04f, 2.04, 2.03J. The latter performance was 

 at Terre Haute, Indiana, September 25, 1900. 

 The Abbot was sold at public auction for $26,500, 

 and purchased by John J. Scannell ; but he had 

 reached his limit and was a disappointment to his 

 new owner. He died early in 1904. 



