PATRON AND HARRY WILKES 93 



$352.78. Among the horses catalogued, but not offered, 

 there was a seven-year-old bay gelding by Ernest with a 

 mark of 2 132. He was called Protection, and as Fasig 

 had sold Boston Davis he made a deal for this rugged 

 looking trotter from the Sciota Valley. After a few trials 

 on the road Protection was put in training and started 

 for the races when the Grand Circuit meeting had been 

 disposed of. After winning at Wellington and Medina, 

 where he made a record of 2 127, Protection was unplaced 

 to Embassador at Cleveland in September and stood 3-2 

 in the summary of a race won by the Xugget filly, Xettle 

 Leaf, at Detroit in 2:2314, 2:27^. His next starts were 

 at Ravenna and Akron, where he finished inside the 

 money, both races being won by Lynn W. He was then 

 shipped to Lexington, where he was distanced by Wil'kes- 

 brino. After this performance. Fasig did not consider 

 Protection a "howling success" as a turf horse. He sold 

 him and the new owner placed the gelding in John S plan's 

 stable. The following year Protection made good by 

 winning at Philadelphia and Hartford, where he trotted 

 to a record of 2 :i9/4, after making no end of trouble for 

 J. B. Richardson and Frank Buford on the trip from 

 Cleveland to Charter Oak. 



The special race between Harry Wilkes and Patron 

 was the feature at the Grand Circuit meeting in 1887. On 

 public form it looked as though the Forest City Farm 

 horse was over matched, as his mile in 2:16 in the third 

 heat of a winning race the preceding week at Detroit was 

 the fastest he had shown in public, while at the same 

 meeting Harry Wilkes in a race with the champion pacer 

 Johnston, who was handicapped to a wagon, showed that 

 he had all his speed and was in trim for a severe combat. 

 The records also showed that during the seasons of 1885 



