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THE BARD GOES HOME TO DIE IN EASE, 1 a History of a Veteran Which Won Twenty- 1 seven Stakes and Over 0,000. i The Bard, a star in Ills day and unquestionably Hie host race horse that ever carried the colors i of A. J. Cassatt, the lately deceased president o the Pennsylvania. Hailroad Company, was, on the order or Mr. Cassatts son shipped from Lexington, Ky., , JUonday night to Chesterhrook Stud, near Uerwyn, , la., to pass the last days of his lonj; life in ease. The Bard has been in Kentucky for several , years in the care of William Steele. A few days ago Mr. Steele wrote the younger Mr. Cassatt that the old horse was too inlirm for further use and requested erniissIon to destroy him. Mr. Cassatt replied Hint it was his fathers wish that The Bard bliould come to ids end naturally and in comfort, jiinl ordered him shipped forthwith. The Bard is a , bay horse by Longfellow Brademante, by War Dance, son of Lexington. He is twenty-four years , old. having been foaled March ISSo, at Charles Heeds Fairview Stud in Tennessee. He became the property of Mr. Cassatt as a yearling and never raced in any other interest, though in 1SS3 Mr. Cassatt was using the liom de turf Mr. Kelso. The Bard made his llrst start as ji two-year-old at Sheepshead Bay June IM, 1SS5. It was in an allowance race at three-quarters of a mile for a purse of 00, the only race other than a stake in which he ever started. It was won by Inspector 15., which was sold a few days ago to a farmer in Kentucky for iflo. The Bard linislied fourth. Fawn and Shamrock being second and third. Three days later The Bard was second for the Great Post Stakes to Portland, which lieat him a length in a whipping linlsh. Next lie was unplaced In the Hopeful Stakes, won by Ben AH, at Monmouth Park, July -I. Ten days later he was fourth in the Tyro Stakes, won by Portland, with Electric second and Salisbury third. It was a bad start, Portland getting away with a big lead. July 25 he was third to Electric and Buffalo lit the Seabright Stakes. Then on July 150 he scored his lirst victory, in the ,Ked Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park. He ran the three-quarters of a mile in 1:101, defeating Buffalo by a short head, it was a good race. Following this The Bard was unplaced In the Moot and Chandon Champagne Stakes, the "Select Stakes and tke Autumn Stakes, was third to Charity and Hen-Drop in the Flalbush Stakes, witli Ben All and Portland behind him. Next he defeated Inspector B. a length and a half for the Bouquet .Stakes at Coney Island, September 17, running the seven-eighths of a mile in 1 :;!$. This was followed by his third to Dew Drop and Winifred in the Eclectic Stakes at Baltimore October 17, and two days later he was third to Bess and Elk wood for the Arlington Stakes at Washington. He wound up the season by winning the Capital Stakes at a mile in 1:IS, carrying 115 pounds over a heavy track at Washington October 22, defeating Bess, Biggonet and Silver Cloud. The Bard began his triumphant career as a three-year-old by winning the Ireakness Slakes, one mile and a half, in 2:15, over a fair track at Baltimore May 21, 1SN!. He carried lis pounds, won easily by three lengths from Euros, with Elk-wood third ten lengths farther back. Then Inspector B. beat him a length for the Belmont Slakes, a mile and a half in 1:11 at Jerome Park. He was unplaced to Dry Monopole when that good horse won the Green Grass Stakes from Inspector B. at Coney Island. The next time out The Bard was beaten three lengths by Inspector B. for the Stud Stakes, one and three-eighths miles hi 2:2.!j, and two days later, June 21, he was beaten a head on the post by Winifred in the Emporium Stakes, one and one-half miles iu 2:K!. He was giving Winifred nine and one-half pounds. At Coney Island, June :0, he met Dew Drop, Con Cregan and Ilusa-tonic in the Spindrift Stakes at one and one-quarter miles, Dew Drop, which was carrying 115 pounds to The Bards 111, made it a dead heat witli htm iu 2:001. Dwyer Brothers declined to run again, and The Bard walked over for the stakes, $.",125. This was followed by his victory in the Barnegat Stakes, one and one-half miles, in 2:15, at Monmouth Park, July 15. He beat Quarto by six lengths in a canter, Winifred third. He hooked up witii Dew Drop in the Stevens Stakes at Monmouth Park, July 20, each carrying 11S pounds. Jimmy McLaughlin was on Dew Droy and out-linished Fisher. Dew Drop won by half a length, the one and live-eighth miles being run in 2:511. Charity, in receipt of twelTe pounds from The Bard, beat him a length and a half for the ltaritau Stakes four days later, the one and one-fourth miles being run in 2:1-1. But from that time to the end of the season and -well on into the next year no horse showed his heels !o The Bard. He won twelve races in succession from July 27, ISSli, to June 25, 1887.. The eight straights in 18S5 were the Freehold Stakes, one and one-half miles, in 2:15; the Omnibus Stakes, beating Dew Drop hi a canter by four lengths, one and one-half miles, iu !!:, Dew Drop carrying 120 to his 118; the Choice Stakes, In which he gave Dew Drop live pounds and beat him a neck, the one and one-half miles in 2:9; the September Stakes, one and three-quarter miles, with 125 pounds up, hi J5:05; the Jerome Stakes, one and three-quarter miles, no Jinie taken; the Dixie Stakes, cantering away from Blue Wing by four lengths at the end of the two miles in the Breckinridge Slakes, 111 which he gave Blue Wing live pounds and heat him eight lengths, two miles, iu a.SCi, and the Potomac Stakes at Washington October 0, in which he met only Elkwood, carried even weights, 118 pounds, and beat him the one and three-eighths miles in a canter by eight lengths in 2:27. The Bard came out for his first race as a four-year-old at Brooklyn June II, winning the June Special, one and one-eighth miles. In 1:55, from Telle Doe and 15a run in. He was pulling up at the end, six lengths in front of the mare. Two days later came his ridiculously easy victory over Ilidal-.So, Banium and Elkwood in the St. James Hotel Handicap, one and one-quarter miles, in 2:0Si. By the scales hetwas giving weight to the others. At Sheepshead Bay, June 21, The Bard, carrying US pounds, met Troubadour, then live years old, carrying 122 pounds, and beat him easily by three lengths, one and one-eighth miles, in 1:55, for the Coney Island Stakes, Hayward riding The Bard and Garrison piloting Troubadour. June 25 he won the Coney Island Cup, one and three-quarter miles, in 3:03, cantering three lengths in front of Bar-num. Elkwood was third and Uataplau fourth and last. At Monmouth Park, July 1, Troubadour " turned the tables on The Bard. It was for the Ocean Stakes, and they had the same riders and were weighted the same as for the Coney Island Stakes. Troubadour passed The Bard iu the homestretch and won in a canter by three lengths, the one and one-eighth miles being run in 1:50. For the Monmouth Cup, July 14, these two were again the only starters, and Troubadour was easily the vlclor by a length. They had the same riders, but The Bard carried 123 to Troubadours 121. The time for the one and three-quarter miles was 0:01. The Bard got his revenge when he won the Freehold Stakes at Monmouth August 4. Barnum came into this race with Fitzpatrick as his pilot, and J 1 a 1 i i , , , , , finished second, three lengths behind The Bard and length in front of Troubadour, the time for the one and one-half miles being 2:303. He ran again at Monmouth, August 0, and won the Eatontown Stakes by a length and a half from Preciosa, to which he was giving fifteen pounds, the mile being covered In 1:432. This was his last race as a four-year-old. The Brooklyn Handicap, at Gravesend, May 15, 1SSS, was the first of The Bards seven successive victories as a five-year-old. In this race he defeated Hanover by a length, with Exile third and eight others behind them. Hanover was a year younger than The Bard and they each carried 125 pounds. The time for the one and one-quarter miles was 2:13. Next he beat Sir Dixon and Banbury for the St. James Hotel Stakes, one and one-quarter miles iu 2:08, May 21. Two days later he defeated Volante, Hanover and Fenelon for the Brooklyn Cup, one and oue-half miles in 2:12. By this time they grew tired running after him and The Bard walked over for the Second Special at Gravesend May 30, and the Coney Island Stakes at Sheepshead Bay June 10. Hidalgo and Elkwood essayed a contest with him for the Coney Island Cup June 21, and he easily showed them his heels, the one and three-quarter miles being run In 3:00. The Bard scored his last victory hi the Ocean Stakes at Monmouth July -i. defeating Kingston ami Fircnzi. He won easily by four lengths, running the one and one-eighth miles in 1:55. His career on the turf ended when Firenzl, ridden by Garrison at 113 pounds, defeated him in a canter by three lengths for the Freehold Stakes at Monmouth August 2. Firenzl ran the one and one-halt miles iu 2:31. The Bard carried 120 pounds and was ridden by Hayward. The tabulated record of his performances and winnings is as follows: Year. A. Sis. 1st. 2d. 3d. Unp. Won. 18S5 2 u :; i l ; ? o, i:;o 1880 3 17 11 5 O 1 10,200 1887 I S 0 2 O 0 11,125 1S8S 5 S 7 1 0 0 lO.SlO Totals 17 27 0 l 7 0,805 The Bard entered the stud at Chesterhrook in 1SS0, but his success as a sire was not iu keeping with his performances on the turf. His opportunities were limited. He got several good race horses and Gold Heels was the best of them all.
