CRESCEUS, 2:02V4 



Added to the unfavorable condition of tlie track was 

 the fact that only one running horse was available to 

 act as a prompter for Cresceus. 



A great crowd was present. It looked as if the 

 entire population of the county had turned out to see 

 the great trotter, while many horsemen from New 

 York and surrounding towns were there. Every seat 

 in the grand stand was occupied, the lawn was jammed, 

 and the crowd overflowed into the track. It required 

 the efl:'orts of several officers to keep the course clear 

 in front of the judges' stand. At 2 o'clock Ketcham 

 drove Cresceus his first warming-up mile. The cham- 

 pion was enthusiastically greeted, and then jogged 

 from wire to wire in 2 48. After being cooled out 

 he got another mile in 2 -.^2, which was later followed 

 by one in 2:17, the last half in i 107. These miles were 

 reeled ofif in the most matter-of-fact style, without 

 company, and as though such speed was mere childish 

 play. After each trial a crowd surged through the 

 grounds to the champion's stall and crowded about the 

 horse, so that it was a hard matter for the attendants 

 to attend to their duties. Just before going out to 

 make his attempt to beat the record Ketcham said that 

 he did not expect to do better than 2 104^ or 2 105, 

 while such experts as Jack Curry, W. J. Andrews, 

 Carll Burr and others said that if he sto])ped the watch 

 at 2 :o6 he would be doing better than they expected. 

 When Starting-judge Brush introduced Air. Ketcham 

 and the champion and announced that Cresceus was 



123 



