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DECLINE OF BREEDING IN CALDTORNIA. Coast Writer Points Out Devastation Wrought by Hostilo Legislation in Golden State In a review of the decline of thoroughbred breeding in California, largely as a result of hostile legislation in that state. Ralph II. Tozcr refers to the fact that at one time California was second only to Kentucky in the importance of the industry and goes on to say: "California had the largest stock farms in this country, as well as lnanv famous ones. Time was when Lucky Baldwin had 56.000 acres in the San Gabriel valley and bred yearly fifty odd thoroughbreds, as well as harness and work horses, at his Santa Anita Rancho. His Grinstead stock was renowned for racing prowess. "Rancho del Paso, held by J. B. Ilaggln. consisted of 41,000 acres of .Sacramentos richest land, and on this place the Kentuckian annually reared for many seasons fully 300 thoroughbreds and perhaps half as many horses of trotting bred stock. He had the champion Salvntor. FIronzI. Miss Woodford. Lizzie Lucas, the New Zealand horses Darcbin, Sir M wired, Artillery, Maxim and July, many English horses that cost thousands. Including Goldfinch. Golden Garter, Star Ruby, Midlothian and others, and their sons and daughters that had made great fame as racers or sires, or both. About four years ago the iiorses were sold in New York and Rancho del Paso, as the greatest stock farm In the world. lecame but n memory. Thus, at one fell swoop, about 600 thoroughbreds were taken out of this state the most remarkable collection of equine celebrities ever known Jitid owned by a great judge with unlimited wealth at his back, enabling him to purchase anything hir. fancy dictated or his horse loving heart desired. Indeed, J. B. llaggin is the greatest owner of thoroughbreds of which there is any record a gentleman of eighty odd. bred to be a horse lover, his father a Virginian, living in Kentucky and bis mother of Turkish blood. "When Senator Leland Stanford died, in the middle nineties, be had the greatest establishment in the world for the breeding of trotters, as well as a thoroughbred farm of no mean proportions. lie annually raised at Palo Alto more than 200 trotting-bred horses and at Mayfield something like fifty thoroughbreds. He sold a two-year-old champion tiotter, Arion. for 25,000 and Sunol for 0,000. besides many others at fabulous figures. At one time be had the honor of raising the record holders of the world at from one year to six. Among the thoroughbreds from Palo Alto farm were Racine. Flambeau, Gorgo. Floodtlde, Pliny, Homer, Rinfax.. Orltlamme and Flirtation. "The late Senator Hearst was quite a big breeder in those days, too, as was the late State Senator L. U. Shippce, of Stockton, and Fred Gobbard In I.cke county. In Yolo and Sacramento counties were the farms of Charles Fair, M. Diggs. John Adams. Theodore Winters and Pritchard and Todhuuter. where many noted horses were reared. "Scarcely less famous than Palo Alto was the San Mateo Stock Farm of the late William Corbitt. where Guy Wilkes, Sable Wilkes and others made their homes. The Valenslu farm at Pleasanton and the Cook farm at Danville were also great establishments, both having raised many record breakers in years past. "Near Bakerlield was the thoroughbred farm of Charles Kerr and the trotting establishment of Messrs. Haggin, Carr and Tevls. Mr. Kerr raised annually more than forty thoroughbreds of blue -blood, while Haggin, Carr and Tevis reared the finest work horses In the country Shires, Clydsdales and Cleveland bays besides fully 100 trotters or pacers of royal extraction. "In Santa Clara county were several stock farms, where were reared both thoroughbreds and trotters of great fame, such as the Messrs. Judson. Fisher. Dcnahue. Rea. Sargent and Seven Oaks. In San Mateo county were the thoroughbred breeders Prince Poniatowski, who owned Magnet, The Fog and more than thirty mares, and W. OB. Macdouougb. with the unbeaten 150,000 horse of the century. Ormonde, St. Carlo, Ormondale. Ossary, Orsini and over forty mares. Butte, Colusa and the northern counties, especially Humboldt, all had their important : breeding farms and raised many celebrities of the track and stud. "Marin county had as breeders the late Judge McM. Shafter. G. Pacheco and the Asylum farm. Sonoma had many great farms, including J. B. Chases and S. Whites. In Mendocino. Burns and Waterhouse had quarterd more than fifty mares and the stallions. Eddie Jones, Altamax, Maxnlc. Colonel Wheeler and Galveston. These Burns and AVaterbouse horses are now in Nevada, as are those of the late Theodore Winters. The latter bred more great running celebrities than any man in the west, perhaps, excepting J. B. Haggin. his list including the tin-beaten EI Rio Rey and Czar, Yo Tambien, Rey del Rey. Emperor of Norfolk. Duchess of Norfolk. Sorrento. Don Jose and many others, and he owned the unbeaten Norfolk. "In and around Salinas, Monterey, Hollistcr. Iluenenie, Santa Barbara. Ventura. Santa Ana and Hanford were many breeding establishments of note that have been broken up. while Fresno county was full of stock farms of wealthy breeders, who made fame for themselves and California also. Los Angeles had one of the most famous farms in the state in Roseineade, L. J. Roses place, which produced the 0,000 Stamboul. Mascot, Fairy. Peri and other celebrities of both the harness and running turf. "When appropriations for the fairs were in vogue we saw King Horses most flourishing reign for a period running from 1S59 to 1S93. and when it was taken away by the Legislature the horse breeding industry began to dwindle and dwarf. Senators Hearst and Stanford and Shippec died and their stock was dispersed, as was that of J. L. Rose and Pritchard and Todhunter, while Mr. Winters moved to Nevada. "Now. with the recent passage of the bill that sounds the deatli knell to racing in California, there wili he a further cut in horse breeding In California that will mean a lot to many a mans pride and pocket. The blighting measure will cause the grass to grow over a hundred race tracks in the state, and it means that perhaps 0,000,000 worth of racing plants and as much more in racing and trotting stock will be rendered worth but a tithe of their former value. Men -will "be driven to desperation and disgrace through their losses, and little, if any, good accomplished. There will be an exodus of racing men and their charges to Tla Juana and other places, and hundreds of eastern visitors will annually go to San Diego instead of coming to San Francisco."
