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SANTA ANITA. "No wonder good racehorses are bred on this place," is the usual comment of every visitor to Mr. E. J. Baldwins Santa Anita ranch, near Los Angeles, Gal. The ranch consists of about 38,-000 acres, right in the heart of the far-famed San Gabriel Valley. Mr. Baldwins ground is fenced in on one side by several big foot hills, on one of which there is a lake that irrigates the ranch. That portion of Santa Anita under cultivation is a perfect paradise. The orange groves, covering hundreds of acres, were in full bloom when I was there three weeks ago, and the magnificent palm-shaded boulevards, through which we drove, must be seen to be appreciated. Mr. Baldwins residence is surrounded by the most beautiful gardens in Southern California. They have nothing but sunshine and roses from one end of the year to the other in this part of the country. The lake, or moat, that surrounds the Baldwin residence atSanta Anita represents an outlay Of 0,000. Mr. Baldwin told me that it took 100 Chinamen 365 days to dig this trench. Some of the palm trees in the gardens tower as high as telegraph poles, bursting forth at the top into the most beautiful green plumage imaginable. Every plant that will flourish in the climate, which includes about everything known to botany, is to be found in the Baldwin gardens. Hundreds of the most beautiful pea fowl make their home on an island in the lake. Another sight worth seeing is the deer park, containing quite a large herd. The home of "Lucky" Baldwin is surrounded by a wall of hedge moss, the threads of which are as fine as silk. The hedge presents a solid front and is about four feet high. Think of racehorses being raised amidst orange, prune and lemon orchards and vineyards, and then you have an idea of the atmosphere in which thoroughbreds are raised at Santa Anita. The home of Qrinstead, where the stallions hold forth, is surrounded by hundreds of 20-year-old orange trees, which were j covered with golden fruit that glistened in the sunlight the morning Mr. Baldwin escorted me over the ranch. "The home of Qrinstead" is painted prominently over the entrance to the stud barn. Some reference of mine to the dead stallion brought back pleasant memories to the Master of Santa Anita and he launched forth at once into an elaborate history of the horses great achievements in the stud. "He was the greatest thoroughbred that ever stood in California," declared Mr. Baldwin, "his sons have demonstrated their ability to gat winners and his daughters are producing mares of the first class. I believe that Santiago will duplicate Qrinsteads success in tho stud. Santiago was a good racehorse. He raced until he was nine years of age and then retired from the turf as sound as a bell. The first of his get will be campaigned this year." The stallions at Santa Anita include Rey el Santa Anita, Emperor of Norfolk, Santiago, Amigo, Honduras and Chesterfield. Rey ol Santa Anita was campaigned in England by Richard Croker, Mr. Baldwin having leased the running qualities of the horse to the Tammany Chieftain. It is Mr. Baldwins intention to give this horse every opportunity to perpetuate his greatness, some of the best producing mares at the ranch being reserved for him this year. Beyond taking on some flesh, Emperor of Norfolk hasnt changed since he retired from the tuif. Many Californians consider the Emperor the greatest racehorse that ever carried the red and black Maltese cross to victory. Mr. Baldwin himself is authority for the statement that the Emperor worked a mile over the Washing, ton Park track in 1:38. Amigo is the sire of La Goleta, the best race-mare on the coast this year, barring Briar Sweet. Honduras is a full brother to the famous mare, Wheel of Fortune, by Gano. Wheel of Forturne is onejof the few great horse3 Baldwin ever let get away from him. She races in the colors of Joe Harvey of San Francisco, for whom she won the 0,000 Barns Handicap a few years ago. Chesterfield is au Australian-bred horse, twenty-three years old. Mr. Baldwin thinks pretty well of the old horse, on account of his having sired the good colt, Los Medanos. This year Chesterfield is to be given some of the best mares at Santa Anita. An admirable quality in all the horses at the Santa Anita is their pleasant dispositions. Even the studs are as gentle as lambs, and visitors to the ranch fondle and caress them as though they were house pets. Mr. Baldwin is very particular about the manner in which his horses are handled. In the estimation of Mr. Baldwin, no provocation is sufficient to justify the abuse of a dumb animal by any of his men. The strict enforcement of this rule is responsible for the perfect behavior of the horsea at the ranch. The grooms treat the animals kindly, and the horses seem to appreciate the fact by reciprocating in a like manner. Mr. Baldwin ha3 been waging a vigorous war on brntal grooms ever since he went on the turf, and the good he has accomplished in this respect entitles him to honorary membership in every society for the prevention of cruelty to dumb animals. The day I was at the ranch, Mr. Baldwin took me through one of the yearling paddocks. In the party was a little five-year-old child, the daughter of a foreman on the ranch. She toddled into the paddock after us, and every stranger in the party thought it rather dangerous to let her do so, expecting that some kittenish yearling would trample on the little lady. The Baldwin yearlings, however, are as well behaved as the older horses on the ranch. Some of the best producing mares in California are to be found at Santa Anita. In the bunch of yearlings already referred to may be found brothers and sisters to great racehorses. Among the colts that caught my fancy was a frisky bay by Emperor of Norfolk Miss Ford, one of the best mares air. Baldwin owned. She ran second to C. H. Todd in the American Derby of 1887. Another bay colt by San Venado, out of the dam of Magdalenes, is one of the fastest gallopers in the herd. San Venado, the sire of this colt, is a young horse in training at Frisco this winter. A brown filly by San Venado, out of Volantes dam, is one of Mr. Baldwins favorites. A full sister to the celebrated Rey del Careres ought to have speed to burn, if she takes after her distinguished brother, who will be remembered as one of the speediest two-year-olds of his year. Rey del Careres and Rey el Santa Anita wore taken to England the same year by Richard Croker. Rey del Careres raced on the other side of the big pond under the name of Ameri-cus. La Goleta is considered one of the best racing tools bred at Santa Anita in recent years. A bay filly out of her dam by Emperor of Norfolk is among the yearling crop of 99. Among the other relatives to distinguished horse3 in the 99 crop of yearlings may be mentioned a bay filly by Honduras, out of Celosos dam; a chestnut filly by Gano, out of Formeros dam, and a bay filly by Emperor of Norfolk, out of Los Medanos dam. Los Angeles, the greatest mare that ever wore the Baldwin colors, is still in harness on the ranch. She is heavy in foal to Rey el Santa Anita and the produce of this combination is expected to make a name for itself in turf history. Mr. Baldwin says she was best. On the other hand John Mackey says Firenzi was the queen of all American race-mares. Yo Tambien has her admirers also. In fact the question of which really was the best racemare in the history of the American turf is one that admits of too much argument to be discnssed here. "That old mare cost me ,500." said Mr. Baldwin, pointing to Los Angeles, "but she was well worth the money, having won in the neighborhood of 00,000 in the days when stakes and purses were small in value compared to what they were a few years after the old mare was retired. Things were coming my way on the turf when that old mare was at her best. Emperor of Norfolk and Los Angeles were 3-year-olds the same year, back in 1888. Volante won the American Derby for me in 1885; Silver Cloud, another one of my horses, annexed it in 1886, but Miss Ford, my representative, was beaten by C. H. Todd in 1887. In 1888 I came east, determined to win the big Derby for tho third time. The Emperor was at his best, and Los Angeles was a pretty sweet proposition herself. Ten Penny beat her in the Oaks at Louisville, but she redeemed herself grandly in the Latonia Derby, winning the run-off, after making a dead heat with White. Ed Corri-gans Modesty and Los Angeles have the honor of being the only two mares that ever won a Derby in this country. Modesty, you know, won the first American Derby, run in 1884." R. J. Collins in St. Louis Republic.
