Breeding as a Lottery, Daily Racing Form, 1911-04-15

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BEEEDJNQA8A LOTTERY. Lexington, Ky., April 14. If breeders of thoroughbreds had some way of knowing whether thevyoung-sters of their establishments would turn out good or bad it is a safe bet that many yearlings which later have shown amazing speed and undoubted class would not go for a song under the hammer. For instance, Novelty, winner of last years Futurity, which was bred at James R. Keencs Castleton Stud, was among the yearlings discarded by the New York millionaire against the advice- of Maj. F. A. Dain-gerlield. The well-known master of Hamburg Place, John E. Madden, purchased the colt for a small sum and later sold him to S. C. Hildreth, retaining a half interest in his Futurity prospects, it is said that Novelty did not cost Mr. .Madden more than 00, and his share of the Futurity Stakes was over 2.000. The 1910 Kentucky Derby winner, Donau, is another example of a yearling being sold for little or nothing, and the lucky purchaser finding In his possession a horse of good class and speed. Donau was purchased at Col. Milton Youngs dispersal sale in 1907 for 25 by William Gerst of Nashville. Round the World, one of the best fillies western racing has produced in vears, sold as a yearling for 50. This filly won the Juarez Oaks and Juarez Derby recently and most horsemen believe that she will repeat in the contest for Kentucky Derby honors in May. Round the World was among the youngsters weeded out at the McGrathlana dispersal sale three years ago. "The breeding of race horses is all a gamble, said Colouel Young the other day in discussing the uncertainties of the business, lie then told how he produced the Kentucky Derby winner, Montrose, back in 1SS7. At that time Colonel Young was one of the most extensive breeders of thoroughbreds In the country and manv of the famous sires and dams of that day were munching hay in his barns. Horses of the Leamington straiu were then much in demand after Longfellow, Sensation, Enquirer and others had hung up records all over the country. Determined to have a son of Leamiugton in his stud. Colonel Young cast about and purchased the young stallion Onondaga for ,000, at that time considered a big price for a thoroughbred sire. Shortly before Colouel Young had added to the McGrathlana establishment Patti. a young mare by Billet, which cost him ,500. Pattl was not halter broken until a two-vear-old and she had developed into a good race mare before Colonel Young purchased her. The mare was known as a kicker and was never shod. Her heels were the terror of the McGrathiana stable hands and grooms and nothing in her breeding indi cated mulish tendencies. She bad raced and won many times without plates. Lexington horseshoers thought too much of their lives to risk them behind the heels of the erratic daughter of Billet. Colonel Young thought highly of Patti for breeding purposes and was anxious to mate her to his new purchase, Onondaga. But he finally decided that it would be unwise to allow his pet stallion to take any chauces with Pattis heels, knowing that hobbles could not be put on the mare, so he mated her with the stallion Duke of Montrose, for which ho had paid 00 some time before, and which was one of the most despised occupants of his barns. The result of the mating was Montrose, which galloped home a winner in advance of speedy Jim Gore in the Kentucky Derby of 1SS7.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1911041501/drf1911041501_2_6
Local Identifier: drf1911041501_2_6
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800