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. i i . 1 ; . 3 1 1 f GOSSIP Of THE TURF. The recent death of Miss Woodford at Rancho del Paso brings to mind the almost complete failure in the stud of several of the best race mares that ever looked through a bridle, and also shows the uncertainty of breeding. No State, not even far-famed Kentucky, could boast of three such celebrated queens of the turf as Miss Woodford, Firenzi and Los Angeles. In the early 80s Miss Woodford scored many brilliant victories, yet, mated to stallions of reputation, she has not only failed to reproduce herself, but has not given the turf one racehorse of stake or even handicap pretensions. Firenzi was a grand race mare of the finest blood lines, yet she will never be remembered for anything she has yet given to the turf. Of course, Firenzi was a much younger mare than Miss Woodford and has yet a chance to redeem herself as a brood mare. Lcs Angeles, while not quite as high cIbbs a mare as Firenzi, was much more to the eye than tho Haggin crack. None of her progeny has displayed any promise. On the other hand, at the same ranch where Los Angeles is owned, Aloha, a cheap selling plater, produced Rey El Santa Anita, the winner of the American Derby. Marian, pre-eminently the grandest broodmare ever brought to California, had no reputation as a race mare, but she produced Emperor of Norfolk, El Rio Rey, Yo Tambien, Czar and several other crack horses. In spite of these facts the owners of stock farms are still mating stake winners with stake winners, with the expectation of producing record breakers. Before closing the subject of the uncertainty of breeding racehorses it would be apropos , to recall that, while Firenzi has been a failure as a broodmare, her full sister, Fleurette, who never shone as a race mare, has been a uccess. Perhaps, after all, the non-succes3 attending Miss Woodford, Los Angelos and Firenzi has baen duo to their seasons of hard racing San Francisco Chronicle. Writing of an excellent food for horses, Consul Hughe3 of Coburg says: "Potato bread is used by the natives of Thuringia to feed their horses, especially when they are working hard in cold weather. The animals thrive on it, and their health and strength are excellent. The method of preparation is simple and inexpen- sive. Tho potatoes are slowly stewed until they are soft; they are then maBhed thorougly, and an equal quantity of corn meal is added. It is mixed into a thick paste, with a small quan-l tity of salt. The paste is then divided into fonr-. pound loaves and allowed to bake until thor-1 oughly done. In the slow country ovens it gen- erally takes from fifteen to eighteen hours. When cold they aro fed to the horsoa and cattle doing heavy work at the rate of fonr loaves day viz. : one in tho morning, one at noon, one about four oclock, aud one at night. With the last about ten pounds of poor hay are givon. It is claimed for this method that horses can do much more work on the same amount of food, and that it is good for their teeth. 1 1 1 , 1 . I i 3 . 1 t . . . a a 1 a a t 0
