CRESCEUS, 2:02V4 



preliminary warming--up mile they were both liberally 

 applauded, but when they came out with the drivers 

 up there was more cheering, the Chicago stallion seem- 

 ing to have a little the best of it. In the draw for 

 position Tommy Britton got the pole, and with little 

 scoring they were sent away for the first heat on even 

 terms. Britton's forte is getting away from the wire 

 at a speed which had heretofore discouraged many of 

 his competitors, and he sprinted away in great style 

 when the word was given. But he never got away 

 from Cresceus. The great young champion was at 

 his wheel around the first turn, and, as they passed 

 the quarter pole in 131 f, and swung into the long 

 back-stretch, he moved up to Britton's shoulder, and 

 they raced that way like a team to the half in i 103^, 

 the pace for each quarter being exactly the same. A 

 2 :o7 gait to the half-mile pole portended a good mile, 

 even with the wind blowing strongly against the 

 horses through the home-stretch, as Cresceus was 

 known to be a game finisher. As the horses rounded 

 the third turn and it was seen that Britton still held 

 his own, some enthusiastic partizans of the Chicago 

 horse imagined that he was going to win and sent up 

 a cheer for their favorite. But those people did not 

 know Cresceus. Once straightened into the home- 

 stretch Ketcham gave the chestnut stallion his head 

 and the race was over in a few strides, for with a great 

 burst of speed Cresceus swept by Britton and finished 

 alone in 2 :o6^. For the last two hundred feet he was 



79 



