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SELLING YEARLINGS ABROAD Last summer when John Mackey Mickey was at Washington Park he told more than one of his friends that he had a band of Rancho del Paso yearling fillies that he wished to dispose of and hardly knew how to do so with any prbspect prospect of realizing anything near their real value Those conversant with racing affairs know that dur dour ¬ ing King the past two seasons an inexplicable preju prejudge ¬ dice against fillies has served to render them a drug in the horse market despite the fact that the splendid performances of Imp Briar Sweet Alice Farley Fairly Performance LAlouette Aflutter Irish Reel Cleophus Cloths and many others that might be named have constantly given the lie to the senseless theory that mares are any less valuable than male horses for racing purposes But Mackey Mickey felt that it was useless to try to stem a crazy fad while its sweep was so strong that it has this year led such an experienced breeder as Milton Young to unsdx unsex some thirty odd of this years crop of fillies So not caring to give them away he after much cogitation loaded his fortytwo forty equine misses on a steamer and went across the big water to see what our British cousins would do toward relieving his perplexities What the practical experienced English turf ¬ men thought of his case can be inferred from the fact that they snapped up his fillies last week for the very satisfying average of 886 and were ready to go on with the game but Mackeys Lackeys supply had run out It was not the best time of the year to sell thoroughbred year ¬ lings in England either Had Mr Mackey Mickey taken his fillies across in time for the great July sales at Newmarket Newark or the equally great September sales at Doncaster Downcast it is but reason ¬ able to infer that he would have secured even greater prices for his young daughters of Sir Modred Molded Salvator Salvatore Watercress Golden Garter and other lords of the harem at Rancho del Paso But the brainy manager of Mr Haggins Haggis great breeding establishment was no doubt abundantly pleased anyhow for last June he would probably have readily taken 200 per head for the fillies that have sold so well in England and been glad of the chance to take that price priceMr pricier Mr John Mackey Mickey is a very able man He has the deserved reputation of being able to per ¬ ceive civet a good thing about as quickly as any man in California and that is not baying a slight thing Having done so well in the English sales market with a few left over fillies this year it will not be in the least surprising if next year he gives our kin on the other side a chance at the pick of the peerless breeding ranche ranched the affairs of which ho so ably guides It will be a good thing for the breeders of this country at large if he does so And now that he has blazed the way it may inspire the breed ¬ ers of Kentucky aud Maud Tennessee to follow his example in an experimental way By combin combine ¬ ing King interest so as to offer at Newmarket Newark next July a choice selection of the progeny of such sires as Hanover Candlemas Candelas BenStrome Bestrode Order Domino Lamplighter Deceiver Dandie Dandier Din mont Iroquois Inspector B Hindoo Indoor Kingston Spendthrift and other stallions of high reputa repute ¬ tion ion a very important market may at once ba opened one that will absorb our surplus pro ¬ duction diction for one thing and for another bring about a sadly needed advance in the average price of thoroughbred yearlings It is a matter worthy of much and earnest consideration
