A GREAT HORSE 



present knew that the race would be one of the greatest 

 of a sensational year, and they were not disappointed. 

 The star of the great Village Farm, the brniiant New 

 England champion and the stalwart young Buckeye 

 hero met that autumn day, and engaged in a battle 

 which will always live in turf history as a battle of 

 kings. 



Bingen won the first and second heats in 2 107^ and 

 2 109, and the superb Cresceus was a close second each 

 time. The Abbot had apparently not been moved in 

 earnest in the opening heats, but he stepped away from 

 his rivals, and won the third heat from Bingen in 

 2 :o7^, with Cresceus back in third position. He re- 

 peated the performance in the fourth and fifth heats, 

 winning in 2:08:^, 2:10^. Cresceus was second to the 

 Chimes gelding in each heat, and while he did not 

 succeed in snatching victory away from the winner, 

 he proved that in point of speed, courage and racing 

 ability he was the equal of either The Abbot or Bingen. 

 This race ended his campaign of 1899, and he returned 

 to winter cjuarters sound and vigorous, with a reputa- 

 tion as a race horse second to no living trotter. He 

 retired with a record of 2 107^, one of the most likely 

 candidates for championship honors. It was a grand 

 campaign, full of honors, in which, in the most decisive 

 manner, he met and conquered nearly all of the best 

 horses of the year. 



64 



