view raw text
GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Ashland Thoroughbred Stock Farm, which Mrs. John M. Clay has advertised for lease, is one of the most noted breeding farms in the country. It has belonged to the Clay family since 1807. It was purchased in that year by Henry Clay. In 1830 he began breeding thoroughbreds on a small scale for pastime. In 1812 his son, John M. Clay, took up the business of breeding and training, and had a long career of success until his death, in 1887. On his death Mrs. Clay continued tho business and has kept the reputation of the Ashland up to tho mark it had attained. Mrs. Clay has three Derby winners and one Realization winner to her credit. The farm, which consists of 242 acres, adjoins the city of Lexington and is perfectly equipped for both breeding and training, there being a double mile track on it. Year by year the stable of James McLaughlin increases both in numbers and quality. The reason of this is not hard to find, since the ex-jockey makes the utmost of the material at his command, and annually wins more races than the majority of his fellow trainers Owners show a partiality for trainers who win races, be they big or small events, and it is not surprising, therefore, to find McLaughlins stable at Morris Park full to the brim, and the occupants mostly breadwinners, or in case of the two-year-olds likely breadwinners. He has thirty-three horses at present in hip stable, and in the course of a few days this number will be increased by nino of Dr. J. G. Lymans, which are at present at Lexington, in charge of Walter House. These nine consist of the three threo-year-olds Monte Carlo, Kentucky Rose and Tantalus Cup, and six two-year-olds. On Friday last he received an addition to his string in the shape of seven two-year-olds from Colonel Pepper, which arrivod east in care of John Miller, with another twelve which the Colonel eent to the care of James, Fray ling, who is wintering his horses at Lakewood, N. J. C. E. Darnell, who was suspended in France two years ago, has received the agreeable information that his suspension wonld be removed by the French Jockey Club. A. Coulois, editor of the Paris newspaper Le Sport, who is visiting this country, brought over papers with him from the French turf authorities, including an application for a trainers license in France. These will be signed by Dnrnoll and forwarded to the French Jockey Club. In due course Darnell, according to the statement of Mr. Coulios, will receivo notification of his reinstatement. This will moan the removal of that bar against him both at San Francisco and in the oast. It will also mean that Mc Chesney and the other good horses of the Durnell and Herz string will be raced in the east, at least a portion of the coming season. Speaking of thf matter Durnell says that he was greatly pleased with the turn of affairs with regard to his relations to the Paris Jockey Club: "I felt at the time that I was unjustly sus-ponded," said Dnrnoll. "The day the stewards suspended me I rode the first four winners, and that I got left in the other race vas not my fault. If reinstated by the French authorities I do not suppose there will be any valid objection to our racing in the east, and we will very likely ship bur string therj, though how soon I cannot now state. We have made entries in the western stakes and may race in the west during the early part of the eason." The first foal dropped in New Jersey this year is a bay colt by Peep oDay Reve Royal, owned by A. Albright, Jr., of Easton Stud. McChesney, the sensational horse of the west; Savable, the Futurity winner; Wyeth, the American Derby winner; Red Robe, the Cumberland Park Derby winner; Abe Frank, the Tennessee Derby winner; Bardolph, an unbeaten colt, and such horses as The Lady, Glen Water, Aladdin, Runnels, Jack Hattlin, Lady Strathmore, Golden Rule and fifty others, have been named in the Citizens Handicap, to be run at the coming spring meeting at Nashville. This stake has ,500 added, and will be worth about ,500 to the winner. This stake will be run on the last day of the meeting. Eugene Leigh, through his American agent, Gus Straus, has loased to Catesby Woodford of the Raceland Stud, Lexington, Ky., for a number of years his fourteen-year-old bay stallion, Tanzmeis- -.er. by Saraband Mizpah, by McGregor. Tanz-meister won many stakes as a two and three-year-old, among them being the Michaelmas Stakes at Sandown Park, the twenty-eighth biennial stakes it Bath, and the Park biennial stakes, at Kempton and the Machell 8takes at Gatwich. He was sec- nd to Watercress, now owned by J. B. Haggin, in; the Ascot Prince of Wales Stakes, conceding him ten pounds. Tanzmeister arrived at the farm of, Sir. Woodford at Paris last Monday. -, W. C. Whitney will run a string of horses in the west next season. St. Louis will be the headqnar-rs of this string and most of its racing will be done there. John S. Bratton, the East St. Louis horseman, will manage the stable. It will be trained by one f Mr. Whitneys eastern men. So far it is not mown what particular horses Mr. Whitney will send to St. Louis, but the string will be twenty strong, according to Mr. Bratton. Mr. Whitney will be a heavy nominator in St. Louis stakes this year. He will also be one of the larg st nominators in the great 0,000 Worlds Fair Stakes, which was originally open to horses of all ages, but which Secretary Hachmeister of the Fair Association has lately been calling a D Qjjbj.
