"Gene" Leigh On Training, Daily Racing Form, 1899-02-02

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"GENE" LEIGH ON TRAINING. "Gene" Leigh, writing from Louisville, where he is training a big stable, undor date of January 29, says: "I enclose you a complete list of the colts and horses I have here at Churchill Downs. There are fifty-eight head of horses, fifteen exercise boys, fifteen grooms, one cook, one assistant cook and one blacksmith in the crew. Frank Kelly and Ben Leigh are the assistant trainers. Kelly has been with mo fifteen years and Ben Leigh was raised under him. Kelly is one of the hardest workers in the business. No drone can follow him. While it is no childs play to handle so many horses, we have such perfect discipline that everything works like it was oiled. "The most successful trainers in England and Prance train publicly. They often have as many as I in training. Why shouldnt I be able to handle my lot? I predict that in a few years the majority of American horses will be trained in public stables. Why should an owner with from three to eight horses hire a trainer, exercise boys, grooms, jockeys, cooks, etc., when be can lead his horse into my stable with a halter on. Then if he doesnt like the way I handle his horae, he can come to my stable, pay the bill and send his horse to any one he chooses. He then knows exactly what Lis expenses are and doesnt have to guess. The other way he spends 00 the first month to pay his bills and finds that it takes 00 to settle -all expenses. There is no other sensible way to Tace a small group of horses and you will see that there will be a great many more gentlemen go into racing when they can see just what it will cost them for the pleasure, if it should be a failure. Of course, the trainer must be frank and honest and tell the owner when his Jiorse is ready and advise him to get rid of the bad ones early. There is no money in training bad ones. The harvest is from the winners. "I think you could make an interesting article out of this subject and do a lot of good for the turf. Why shouldnt Pat Dunne and many others like him open their stables to the public? There is no limit to their ability to handle a greater number of horses than they do. I .have heard many gentlemen that were able to indulge in the ownership of racehorses say they would like ro own and race a few good ones if they could get a competent, honest man to train them. Such men cannot afford to go into the details of stable management. "You will see by the owners in my list that I .have another lady client. Mrs. J. B. Ferguson, wife of the starter, has placed two very promising colts in my charge. They are the pick of twenty raised at the Kingston Stud. She shows good judgment at the start because she trains the best. The St. Qeorge is a bold, galloping chap and the Prince Royal looks like ready money. There are about 250 horses here now. Superintendent Welden keeps everything in apple pie order. We have missed but three gallops since January 1. There is not a sick horse on the Churchill Downs. "flow is our old Coulter? I think he must be dead or under cover with a bunch of good things. You can see what a bad trainer ho was. When he had Redskin ho was a 3 to 5 shot and won but few races. .Now Redskin wins at intervals and at long prices. Advertise ior Coulter." The stable with which Leigh starts out is one such as no other trainer in the west has ever undertaken to handle. It is made up of fifty-eight horses, of which fifty are two-year-olds. This great string isjnadeupof- horses belonging to Mrs. E. O. Pepper, Mrs. J. B. Ferguson, -Headloy and Norton, Catesby Woodford, H. P. Headley, Pat Dunne, C. J. Kelly, W. P. Norton, Samuel Levy, T. R. Hamlin, Dr. F. S. Derby, E. Leigh and H. Eugene Leigh. The managing, riding and training force is: Trainer, H. E. Leigh; second trainer, Frank Kelly; third trainer, Benjamin G. Leigh. Jockeys, N. Turner, T. Leigh and James Thompson. The horses are : Pacemaker, b. c, 4, by Kantaka Debut. OUie Dixon, b. f, 4, by Sir Dixon Ollie Glenn. May Hempstead, ch. f, 3, by Patron Lillie Hempstead. Theos, ch. f, 3, by Islington Racemede. College Boy, ch. c, 3, by Onondaga Beth Broeck. Headley, b. c, 3, by Harry OFallon Virginia Kinney. , Admiration, br. f, 3, by Kingston Hypocrite. Kinglete, ch. c, 3, by Kingstock Complete. The Joy, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka La Joya. Time Breaker, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka Nellie Stanley. Kings Courier, ch. c, 2, by Kingston Styli-tine. Golden Blaise, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka or Per-blaise Golden Fleece. Ringleader, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka Florence D. Federalist, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka Sadducee II. Homestretch, ch. c, 2, by Kantaka Florenta. La Venus, b. f, 2. by Kantaka Queenie. The Marchioness, ch. f, 2, by Perblaise Ellen H. Pink Pearl, b. f, 2, by Perblaise Suavity. Lady Kantaka, ch. f, 2, by Kantaka Lady Pepper. Blue Violet, b. f, 2, by Perblaise Cherub. Frivolette, ch. f, 2, by Kantaka Flirt. Merry Wanderer, ch. f, 2, by Perblaise Meander. Roxane, ch. f, 2, by Perblaise Ondina. Black colt, 2, by Kingston Libbie L. Chestnut colt, 2, by Kingston Arrowgrass. Chestnut colt, 2, by Kingston Ella Reed. Bro wn colt, 2, by Kingston Bayadere. Brown colt, 2, by Kingston Kittie L. Brown colt, 2, by Kingston Servia. Brown colt, 2, by Kingston Lillian L, Bay filly, 2, by Kingston Stapella. Bay colt, 2, by Burlington Lola A. Bay colt, 2, by Candlemas Beth Broeck. Bay filly, 2, by Sir Dixon Morina. Bay colt, 2, by Hindoo Brenda. Bay filly, 2, by Longstreet Ossnta. Brown filly, 2, by Dandie Dinmont Harvest Time. Black filly, 2, by Tremont Tomboy. Bay colt, 2, by Major Domo Latent. Chestnut colt, 2, by Order. Bay filly, 2, by Sir Dixon. Bay colt, 2, by Prince Royal. Bay colt, 2, by St. George. Brown colt, 2, by Bramble Lady Wayward. Chestnnt colt, 2, by Bramble North Anna. Brown colt, 2, by Bramble Caledonia. Chestnut colt, 2, by Bramble Queen Beluga. Bay colt, 2, by Bramble Perhaps. Chestnut colt, 2, by Bramble Red Dress. Bay colt, 2, by Bramble Virgie Wright. Brown colt, 2, by Strathmore Kelp. Bay colt, 2, by Iroquois Ogarita. Bay colt, 2, by Hindoo Miss Hawkins. Bay colt, 2, by Leonatus Meddle. Bay filly, 2, by Leonatus The Widow. Bay filly, 2, by Leonatus Mary C. Black filly, 2, by Hindoo Menden. Chestnut colt, 2, by Donatello Greylock.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1890s/drf1899020201/drf1899020201_1_2
Local Identifier: drf1899020201_1_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800