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+ — -+ RACING AS CONDUCTED IIM COLONIAL DAYS AT CHARLESTON . jk — j. i i I l I : 1 t 5 r • i 1 The Charleston Newn and Courier prints an Inter estlng article from the pea of one who writes under . the ii le plum, of "Spectator." treating of racuw ;i- it was conducted al Charleston as long ago ..s 17:;4. Readers of Daily Racing Form doubtless will i tin. I much of Interesl in the article, which is here a it!, reproduced : "Racing bns been called the sport of tlm kim;s. . • and in the days of long ago. when each landed i proprietor in South Carolina ocfeapied the same rela live position toward his lands and holdings thai k Bgs held over theirs, this sport was nurtured and i enjoyed t. the fullest extent in our cit.. The I South Carotins Jockey Clab, whose beadquarters .-ie Charleston, claims to be the oldest jockey club in America, being a chartered organisation. Bee rda are found to ahow thai as early aa 17:;4 ste;.-were successfiillj put forth t- form a peraaaneid i . . ing meeting here. "In view of the fact that racing is again pro ..•.liiii. in our mi.ist. althoagh not i.y anv meant nnder the patronage ami support of the same order or organisation of other nays, still there is ■ gen era! similarity, as the hl records say. Every race course presents very much the same appearance." There is always to be seen the long line of vehicles he they aiit.-s or shays settiiiK like a stream in one direction. There hi the grandstand for the siiectatora HI led to overflowing. Over in the en closure the horses thai are to race are being paraded near the starting post by the grooms, while over here the Jockeys In their many braghl colored sui;-nre being weighed. Then eaaaea the nabockling of the straps and surcingles, and the almost scientific turning back of the blankets over the horses Banks so as not to distarb so nsneh as a hair sf their glossy ...at-. Right away comes the saihilinjr and rubbing down, and while thi- i- going on the expression of ..pinions from ilie spectators of this and that horse - chances of winanhg. Then is heard the magic word to p.. and they are off. "Whilst every race course lias it* own attractions and present- in general the same appearance, yet our old writer gees en to tell of the peculiar attractions of the races in Charleston, it may not be uninteresting to uie a little sketch of the track itself before p. ilie int.. ■ slight recalling of those days louu done and anally to fell of the social features of Charleston race week a- generally rc!i -brated alike in all essentials from 17.!"i to 1andJ4. ■•The track called the Washington Uaco T nr*-waa lahl out about a mile from the itheuv city and occupied that part of the town now known a-Hamptou Park, which was first transferred from the old .lock. Club holders to the city for nee ..-a tract on which was to Ik- held the South Carolina and Weal Indian Exposition ten years ago. The old grates were then hauled away ami it is saul Were -1.1 to a racing syndicate near New York. •The track was oval in shape and sandy In It was exactly one mile around the oval, which was enclosed by a slight wooden railing. It is said that during the whole history of ra. hog "ii this track only f. nr accidents happened and none if those was fatal. New l.t us r.-iurn to olden tunes and see In what lay the peculiar attractions of the Charleston races and incidentally take a peep at the social life of those time- and gel a little -limps.- of the eftTorl made to raise good racing st.. k in the south. "As on,, write.- puts it. Theres nothing more feeble and frail and fond than a brnueite -unh - it is a blonde. S.. it seemed that the ladiei raid matron and blooming mademoiselle -all lent the light of their countenances to this sport when it was under the protection of their own brothers and kin folks, before it begun to be a nrofeaatoa. Th.-y came t.. be seen a- u.-n as to see. These pretty belles vied with each other in their little coquetries and inch w.nt so far astraj as to bet a pair of gloves or ■ box of candy with some popular beau upon some pending event. "There is ■ droll story toM of a Leap Tear incl-l dent of this nature that may serve to put some hup leas youth Upon hi- guard. It -coins ih.il a young lady upon the race track offered to bet with a young gentlemen, bnl not on the result of the races, bnl •that he would not be married within the year.ethe story says, He thought he bad never heard th .bar thing speak in such sweel tones before, and as ii happened to be Leap Year he was bound to eon strue the circumstances Into an encouragement of his well known preferences. He very properly mustered up courage enough to reply that if lie was not married within the year it would certainly be her fault. "The tirst race bones of America were bred not in old Kentucky but in Olo Virginia, and in the in fancy of our turf, when George the Third was King, Soiiiii Carolina purchased and transferred to thu borders many note! dams and sires which Were de -een.l.d from famous English st..ck. Among th.-s. were Keartmughl . Shadow. Lofty and tliitinel. Upon this foundation the racing in South Carolina was begun. Young Brutus, Borrock Billy, Skim. Kobl ami Plag-a Truce were tome of the home-bred horses owned by Colonel Wilkinson, of the Continental army, hut this was in the biter history of racing in South Carolina. "The earliest record of any public meeting appears in 1734 — the prize being a sail. lie and briil. valued at 20 pounds English. This race was mi ..n the Brat Tuesday in February, mile heats, and there were four entries. The horse- carried ten -ton- and the jockey- were white. Thi- ra.e took placi on a gie.n m Charleston Neck, imioediatch opposite a public bouse known a- Bowling ire. i House.* in the vicinity of tin spot where stood the l..w.r depot of the South Carolina Railroad in after years. •■The next year the York course was established and named for the famous English course of the -am.- name and date. Owners of tine horses were invited t" . nf -i- them for a pars* of um pounds sterling The York c.-ur-e was near the Quarter House, but in 1754 a new course was laid out nearer !• town. al .ut a mile out. and this course wa- .all.d The Sew Market Course. ••The prizes for all ti..-. races were never given in money, it waa considered beneath tin- di Itj ..f gentlemen either to give or receive thi-m - i. They were renerallj a sUver bowl waiter, or tankard about the vain.- «.i the parse off-icl. Races wen tii-t run ..n ih. Sen Mark.! Course in 1780. Th- v were also ran al ..th.r saaall places, but this did not but long, and Charleston Anally was held as th.- permanent racing place. Sew Market was bum called Stricklands Ioiirsc. from the fact of a Mr. Strickland, an lii_l -linian. owning it. This oiirse lav between King and Meeting streets, although King waa id opened up for some time after, and • •veil after it was opened the two streets continued to !■•• called tie Big and the Little Path. Tin- atari in pasta for the races were txed at tin- nortbwesl corner of a hold oa t !w- King street road •An Increased Interest was manifested in racing in 1780, v. inn Mi. Daniel Rarenel started stables al in- plantatl a home. Wan toot. in St. John* Parish His stock was small, but select, being Grey Pleasant, Moll Slammakin. Lncretla and Rh--His most distinguished colta ind tiliii- arere nam .1 Pox Hunter, a bay BHy railed Carolina, and aa- other called Lucy. Which afterwards mad.- I re. ord t r herself. ■Mr. Prank linger a friend and neighbor of Mr. Raveiicls. also owin.i many tine horacs. !t is 1 . ■:■ I thai in manifested hi- magnlfk-enl horsemanship in tic following manner u|m.u ■ occasion bj mount mg and riding wltbnai saddle or bridle a cele lna in! impel ted Arabian bone, Abdallan bj name. . i . • i i I Th.- bone h.-nl nev. r been ridden before ami was an exceptionally large ami powerful creature, standing dxteen hands high. The two gentlemen established i -mall race course near their plantations and the ruins of ii a".- to be seen near Strawberry Chapel, on Cooper River. Race course* were also .stab llsbed in Beaufort and Jackaonboroogb. the then apiial of South CaroUna. Also the remains of a magnificent race track arc found on a plantation on Stono river, where it turns to the left after .joining Elliotts Cut. This track was for private n-i and is a mile and mole in Stretch around a beautiful avenue. "It might be sitppo-ed that these races were IV hat would now be classed as acmb races. but this was far from being true, us many of the horse* could -how a most distinguished pedigree. Tile ti; m la., of any lenticular note was one run in 17d!i between a roan horse. Adolphus. si years oil. am! an offspring of Hint ns and Carolina, owned by Mr. W. II. Drayton, ami a borne. Shadow, arhich was imported by a Thomas Nightingale. Each horae carried !i stone and the eourse was foiir-miic heats over New Market Course. Shadow won easily in S::i . Ill.- excitement occasioned by this race was Intense, a- the race was the Brat in which a home hied borne was inn against an laanorted one. Mule. 1 to- a further desire to improve the home stock and it was i lie bobby of breeders to gain g.wwi Imported -lock for tlie:;- races. The cost of the horses varied from .Io.ikki t.. 5,000. "About this tune rumors of the [[evolutionary war begun to have effect upon this now popular pastime. After the Declaration of Independence no .vent of Interest to the turf occurred for many years. Not only were the horses thrown out of training, but upon the appearance of Corawallis arm] in the lOW-COUntry these thoroughbreds were used a- chargers for their masters or were hidden in the swamps to wait until the war was over. Many most interesting -t. i-ie- are toll of this time, and one of particular interest centers around the llaiieston family. It being well known that Maj. "l-nac Child* Harleston had been extensively engaged it. th,. breeding of blooded stock, this was a tempting b.-iii to the British cavalry Dancers encamped in the vicinity of this place and cosaananded by Colonel Tarleton. "Among tne most ci lebrated of Major Harleston-borses was one called Fllmnap. Repeated efforts were made do. gain poanrsslnn of this borne, bat all in vain. Tile negroes into whose care he had been confldi "l remained tree. The harsea were led out into tin- swamp upon the approach of the British cavalry. One morning one of the stable boya was si ized by a detachment from the British camp and everj artifice employed to make him tell where IMmnap w.i- concealed along with the Other horses. Nothing could wring the secret from bias. At length, losing patience, tiny threatened to han_r him. fins threat proving unavailing, they actually did string Mm up and left him for dead, bnl fortunately lor him some servanr- from the house nished out as soon as the British were gone ami succeeded in restoring the faithful -lave to life. He was richly lew aided. Some ot I he slaves were given their freedom for their faithfulness during the years not only in regard to the horses, but for the whole responsibility they faithfully a-siinied ami carried out successfully about their masters plantations. Mr, John linger lost by the British twelve valuable nliod mares, five riili.s and two colt-. On the other hand, several of our men who were taken prisoners made their escape upon horses belonging t. th.- British and which were known to be wonderful lj fleet and snre ■! toot. Bed Hoe. one of these -o tak u from the enemy, subsequently became a great favorite upon tin- Carolina turf. "Even the Revolutionary War did not effectually stamp out love of this -port when decently conducted, and at the conclusion f the war new Impulse was given, as many of our most distinguished iii en rode their own horses to victory. This. then. wns indeed a gentlemans sport when the sine, rit. and honor of some of tlie prou.le-t names in our an i. als stood ready to hack the integrity of the races. Son.. ..f tiiese men even went so far as to again import bit- ..f fancy stock from time to time from England, and 17; has been called -the golden age of racing in South Carolina. Th n was if possible for the following to be true and yet work no barm. Whether we consider tlie elevated Character of tln-turf. or youth anticipating its delights, or eon template age relaxing its -i.-ru view ..f life to tak an inter.-t in Charlestons famous race week, it is equally diverting and pleasing. Lovers become n .-.-, more ardent. We see splendid equipages with Ih cried outriders. The gentlemen are arrayed in fashionable London-made clothes, including buckskin breeches and top boot-. Universal interest pervaded ail classes from the Judge upon tin- bench to the little schoolboy with his ratchet on his back. Everything combined to render race areek the carnival of the entire state. The eonrta • t .iu-ti.e us. ,i dally to adjourn. The schools let out earlier and even tli. -tores on Broad si net and King were cloned a-tlie bonr for the race- drew near. All of this was. a- our historian remark-, both proper and possible 1. cause the gentlemen of the turf belonged to the t -minded class in America and never ran tlmir horses for the pecuniary value of the prizes to ! •■ won. lut solely for the honor that a horse of their own breeding am! training sh,,!ild distinguish it-, if. All tin- was spoken in 1854 |, Dr. John Irving. "The favorite sprint in those days seem* to be foiii- mile heats, closing the race week with a thro -mile heat. In 1T02 th. South Carolina Jockey Clnfa moved to the Washington Race Course, and below me given a few specimens of time mad.. The-, are taken at random: "1784. .lo.key Club in Charleston: four mile heats: • First beat, 8 minutes, 30 seconds. ■■Sec. .ii. I heat. 8 mlnntes, °..~. seconds, f ii e.- mile beats : "First licit. U minutes, :;- second-. s ...ml heat. ". minutes. * seconds. "Third heat. 6 minute-. 8 seconds. "Date 1785. Three-mile heat-. Recorded a- v.w track: "First heat, 0 minutes, v seconds. "Second beat, o minutes, 7 seconds. •Third heat. • minute-. £8 seconds. "Two mil.- heats: "Fir-t beat, i minutes. 4 seconds. •s.-c. aid heat, 1 minutes, 17 seconds. •-ln I7.i!r to Insure all future meetings of the ctuh a prise to b,- run on Saturday of each week, it w.i- ihi- year determined for tlie first tbne in th- bht torj of the club to lay a tax anon all carriages go ing within the enclosure of the race grounds. "Ip t.. 1803 the heal ti recorded i- that of Black Maria, which ran a course lacking 149 yards of a foil mile in .". minute* and it seconds. She wa- -aid t.. be too fat lo have been in In r Ih-1 condition for running. ■■our records do not extend beyond iv;4. but at thai time racing had been goin- on in South Ca ■ Una t .i over a nt try a- a popular pastime, and i little later, about i-" 7. there were known to be about .-lie hundred known place- ..f sport or race ground-, most o; which were under jurisdiction ... their own lockej dub and subject to its law-. ,i the majority of these • .ur-.-s there were held two meetings annually, from four to -i days each, aid raie- of -heal- were Invariably run. dosing with a -ii trie ii.-at of three miles. "Respectable strangers from abroad were never allowed to pay or admission. The] wet.- given li.-keis Im I * ribbon which franked them everywhere and entitled tbem to tin- hospitalities of the club ■ luring th.- whole meeting. These hospitalities -.n xisted not onlj of the racing Itself, but a Jockey Club dinner mi vTednesdaj of race week and a Jockey club ball on Friday night. At the dinner from time immemorial, .mill the general ham of mirth and conversation after the removal of the .loth, at a given signal it wa- the custom for the guest* wiin me consent !■• become qulel while the president took and kepi tin- had in singing an ancient ballad .ailci The High Mettled Racer. The ureal rapping upon the table and rattling of tla-s. -. proclaims the pleasure with which the performance w a- enjoj . d. "fpi. Friday waa given th.- -bail par excellence of all ball-. The floors were chalked in many variona colored design* after tin manner of the Kings ball at Buckinghamshire Palace. The women and b.-n- were superbly dressed ami the music wns exhilarating. All waa well. The handsome mirrors that decorated the walla of tin- gay saloon reflect graceful Bgnres ripping the light fantastic an 1 seemed to be aome falrj region lending enchant mint to the brilliant scene. ■•Su.h. then, wa- tie- life ..f those who partook •■;■ the hospitalities extended to all who rame to en toy lining a- ii waa conducted in the olden days Th. golden age of racing in South Carolina. At another da another storj will be t..l.i of the record kept in letters a- to how some of these strangers in .or midst enjoyed tbemsetve* when thej vievv.-.l 1 thi- snort ••! km",- a- conducted in Charles ton."
