A GREAT HORSE 



decided to sliip tlie champion to Terre Haute and 

 make an effort to lower his record of 2 104. 



He made his first attempt on October 16, but failed, 

 trotting a mile in 2 105^, the fractional time being 

 :3o|, I :o2^, i 133^, 2 :o5J. Three days later the champ- 

 ion made another attempt, and again failed, but he 

 trotted the mile in 2 104^. The time by quarters was 

 130! , I :o2, I -.7^2^ 2 :o4^. 



It was late in the season, and under the circum- 

 stances his efforts were very remarkable. Each time 

 the pace-makers were driven by George Starr and 

 IMurnen. After these efforts Cresceus returned to the 

 Ketcham farm, and retired to his winter quarters, the 

 undisputed champion race-horse of the day. 



Directum's single heat in 2 :o5^ stood for a half a 

 dozen years as the best mile by a stallion. During the 

 season of 1900 Cresceus trotted three heats better 

 than Directum's best mile, and on another occasion 

 equaled it. The average of these four miles, in each of 

 which he equaled or beat the record of Directum, is 

 practically 2 :04h In addition to tliis Cresceus. on nine 

 different occasions during the season, in races and 

 against the watch, trotted better than 2:07, and the 

 average of these nine miles is just over 2 105^. One of 

 them was the second heat of a winning race at Cleve- 

 land, and another the third of a winning race at Co- 

 lumbus, in each case a formidable field being beaten 

 by Cresceus. When he returned home at the close of 

 the memorable campaign of 1900, he held the following 



102 



