view raw text
AMERICAN HORSES IN ENGLAND. During the present century American-bred horses have competed in ever-increasing numbers for the prizes offered at British race meetings, and it is likely that this state of affairs will continue so long as the sport suffers from repressive legislation in the United States. At the same time, many prominent American breeding establishments have been broken up. while others have been transferred, lock, stock and barrel, to other countries, so that in future years there will be fewer yearlings to offer for sale here. One satisfactory feature of the business is that the majority of these American youngsters nowadays are bred from purely English stock on botli sides of their pedigrees and consequently their future operations at the stud cannot produce any evil results. Moreover, some excellent bargains have been secured at the various yearling sales, and to this, I should think, our worthy frijmdJ8ntters will readily sub-, scrifie, iu view ot his experience last season. On reference to the statistics for the year I find that seventy-one American-bred horses were successful on the Hat in 1011, their winnings reaching the good total of 00,125 and embracing altogether 12.1 races, inclusive of three dead heats. These figures are all the more striking when the comparative failure, as a rule, of Mr. Whitneys horses is considered. Sir Martin, too made no contribution at all, as he did not find his form until almost the end of the season. Of the older horses. Whisk Broom and Rnnnyniede stood out as the representatives of the best class, and the former furnished the one bright spot of the campaign, so far as .Toyners charges were concerned. He carried of a couple of "thousand pounders" in the Salford Borough Handicap and Peveril of the Peak Plate. Runnymede did even better, for he won live races altogether and retired into winter quarters fairly entitled to be regarded as the champion sprinter of the year. Another very smart one over short courses is Lespedesa, who earned brackets on four occasions. Louis Winans was to a certain extent compensated for his disappointment over Sir Martin by the sev, eral victories of Edward, Dalmatian and Adam Bedc, the first-named of whom was a "make-weight" element in the purchase of Sir Martin. Dalmatian stays much better than the majority of American horses, but after winning the Newmarket October Handicap appeared to train off. Adam Bedes successes were in minor events only and although he has probably been overrated, he is likely to be relatively better as a four-year-old. Toiler. Esperanto, Matelot. Bridal Wreath, Iron Mask II., Torchbearer, Ruddy Sheld-Drake, Merry Task winner of the London Cup, Selectman. Oversight. Bobbin II.. Election, Pearldiver, Waterwillow and Nankeen all helped considerably to swell the total named above, and they by no means exhaust the list of those over two years old. It ws with the juvenile department, however, that the most important successes were associated. Mr. Peeper set the example by winning the Brockles-by Stakes, but ho curiously failed again over to get his head in front. Mr. Peepers dam is a marc named Admiration, and should he ever become famous at the stud, confusion will arise in pedigrees where he and descendants of the more famous Admiration. Pretty Pollys dam, appear together. Butters had also charge of several other smart two-year olds reared in the United States, and with Kem-pion he won four races. Cataract won one of the valuable Ascot Biennial Stakes, Blarney Stone and Outram each scored twice, and Franconi and Simul-ium also did the veteran trainer a turn. Of these. Blarney Stone, Kempion, and Mr. Peeper are all in the Derby along with Havelock, which is as yet, however, a maiden. In Sweeper II. and Melody we were introduced to a couple not far behind the best of their respective sexes. Sweeper II. made a winning debut at Ascot, and on his best form can be made out not much inferior to Lomond and White Star. Whether he will stay as well as either of the Derby favorites remains to lie seen, while the question of a powerful jockey is of paramount importance in his case. Melody, a daughter of leddler and the Cambridgeshire winner, Ballantrae, after carrying off the Hyde Park Plate at Epsom and the Acorn Stakes on the same course, ran unsuccessfully four times, being placed, however, on each occasion. At weight for sex, she got to the neck of White Star in the July Stakes, and on the same terms she reproduced the form almost to an ounce in the Champagne Stakes, which she lost by a head. Obviously, then, she is entitled to a first-class certificate, and in her and Sweeper II. American breeders have representatives of whom they may be justly proud. One other two-year-old. Mr. Belmonts Toggery, whicli caught the judges eye four times, deserves mention. "Augur," in London Sporting Life.
