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i LOUISIANA AN OLD BATTLEGROUND. Such Thoroughbreds as Peytonia, Lexington and Boston Raced on Metairle Course. New Orleans, December 19. The anti-racing crusade here, which, by the way, appears to be losing some of its force, has set people to thinking, and much digging up has there been, of the history and traditions of the turf in this good old state of Louisiana. The early French settlers raced thoroughbreds here more than 100 years ago, or before the War of Independence. The turf here has had its vicissitudes, but racing has been practically continuous except during the period of the civil war. The first early Importations of the thoroughbred were Into the Carolinas and Virginia. The breeding and raising of thoroughbreds rapidly spread southwestward, and it was not long before the Virginia and Carolina sporting gentlemen of Colonial times were running their horses at Mobile and New Orleans as well as the home race courses. While racing since the civil war has languished on the south Atlantic seaboard, it has continued to flourish with ever-growing interest at New Orleans. Louisiana may therefore be justly called the premier state of the Union, If not in the breeding of thoroughbreds, at any rate in the racing of them for prizes, and it is of historical note that nearly all the great contests of the early days took place here at the Crescent City. It was here at the old Metairle track that such famous runners as Peytonia, Fanny Washington, Planet, Lecompte, Lexington, Arrow, Boston, etc., met in keen competition in notable equine duels that were the talk of the entire country. The record of Louisiana In the turf world is a proud one, and it is small wonder, born and bred to the sport as the people have been, if down deep In them is a strong-rooted fondness for this form of outdoor recreation. Already the conservative element is rapidly leaning to the conviction that the reformers may go too far, and that a decided revulsion of feeling will take place before the discussion is carried much further is reasonably certain.
