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t a a t , , i i J 1 1 ; , i ! , 1 , - SO-CALLED HALF BRED RACE HORSES. At times when a successful race horse which, through inability to trace his pedigree at some point or other, is not in the Stud Book, one hears grumbles at the action of the authorities in denying the horse admission to the pages of Alessrs. Weatherby9 book. Say, for example, horses like Clorane, Newhaven II., or King Crow, or, lo take more recent example, Prosector. It is advanced in their favor, and probably with good reason, that they are only nominally lialf-breds, and it is pointed out that in thirty-two quartering there is only one link missing in the chain which would otherwise entitle them to a place in the Stud Book, ami hat the horses in question have stronger claims than many others, chlelly bred in America, that from time to time have been registered without protest. In quite recent years such animals as these last, however, have lieen effectually barred by tlie action of the stewards of the Jockey Club in stipulating "that no horse or mare can be considered eligible for admission unless it can be traced without flaw on both sires and dams side of its pedigree to horses and mares themselves already accepted in the earlier volumes of the Book." This as a certain number of doubtfully-bred hordes can bo pointed to in volumes of fairly recent date, was, to my mind, tlie only solution of what had for years been a most dillicult question. At the same time it must be admitted that the rule liears hardly on horses such as those 11101111011141 above, amongst others. King Crow, for instance, is a member of a famous racing family, that of Queen of Diamonds. In addition to King Crows dam. Queen of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds produced two other well-known mares in Galloping Queen winner of the Portland Plate at Doncaster and Queen of the Riding dam of the Queens Prize winner, Unicoi. There seems to have been good reason, moreover, for regarding that particular female lino as only nominally half-bred, for Red Ribbons, tlie maternal grandson of Queen of Diamonds, appears in Aols. 7 and S of the Stud Bool:, together with her produce, for a period extending from 1S47 to 1S57. Evidently, however, it was found she had been given admission in mistake, for her daughter. Full Cry, the dam of Queen of Diamonds, is sought for in vain in later volumes. She was by Sir Tat ton Sykes. In tliis connection it is interesting to note wlt.it Admiral Rous had to say on the question of tin: Stud Book in an article he wrote in 1S0J on the English race horse. Beginning Willi the remark that "the original intention of tlie compiler of the Stud Book was to register all the Winners in tlie ollicUi Racing Calendar," he went on to say that "a cloud hangs over the book threatening a formidable class of rivals to dispute the value of the orthodoxy of the pure breed." He went on to state that "between 1S20 and 1S35 large prizes were given to be run for by horses not thoroughbred at Croxtoa, Lambtou, and Heaton Parks. These premiums not only brought to light many good half-breds, but induced persons of indifferent principles to substitute thoroughbred for half-bred stock." This consideration led the admiral to add that he "was satisfied that many nominal half-bred horses which ran in public were just as well bred as- Eclipse." Finally he pointed out that a half-bred had run second for the Derby, and that owing to the increase of the stock from good nominal half-breds it was ills opinion "that eventually they must find a place in the annals of the Stud Book." Up to the present his opinion lias not been justified by results, and it has been left to Miss Prior, the talented compile. of the "Register of Thoroughbred Stallions, 1910 and 1913," to supply the undoubted need for a companion volume to the official "Stud Book" in the shape of her volume devoted to race horses with a flaw in their pedigrees. Somehow or other, whether because of their not being thoroughbred at all points or for some other reason, few of the "half-bred" sires have achieved lasting success at the stud, whereas the "half-bred" mares have in generation after generation thrown animals of good racing ability. Neither Clorane nor King Crow hn-done as well as their successes on the race course would have given one reason to expect. Prospector. 011 the other hand, which traces to the same ta;s root as Clorane, lias achieved good results in the two seasons his stock has been running, and hones are thus raised that his half-brother Shogun, which is by Santoi out of Kendal Belle, may do even better. Prospector is by Pioneer, and in his first two seasons lie has sired the winners of fourteen race:, worth in the aggregate nearly 3,400 sovereigns. AVhich was the half-bred that ran second for a Derby lie fore 1S00, referred to by Admiral Rous, 1 am unaware, but I can only suggest that It may have been Alarlborough Buck, which in 1S51 ran second to Teddington. He was by -Venison out of a mare by Defense out of Nike. There was no such mare, as far as I can see. as Nike in the Stud Book at that particular period, neither was there an unnamed mare out of her by Defense. In conipara- tively recent times another half-bred, and a gelding lo boot, finished second for Sir Aistos Derby in tho shape of Curzon, which, carrying the colors of Air. Tom Camion, was lieaten by onlv three-quarters of a length. In regard to the question of geldings being allowed to run in the Derby, which has again been raised during the last few days, I must confess tint-I fail to see why they should. The argument that as long as geldings art: debarred from competing in the chief three-year-old race of the season, it tenls to confer a possibly fictitious value on the entire colt who may ixissibly win it is of course righi enough. The same thing, however, iuay occur in a vear when, by reason of a colt of the highest class hot having been entered, or whose entry has been rendered void by the deatli of his nominator, lie !s prevented from competing for the Blue Riband. Or it may be that the best colt meets with an accident. St. Simon, which was not entered for tin: Derby, and Right Away, which was from seven to ten pounds better than his stable companion, Sainfoin, are cases in point. Had Right Away not bruised his frog through treading on a stone at exercise he, and not Sainfoin, would in all probability have won the Derby of 1SS10. As long as the ralsoii detre of racing is the Improvement of tin: breed of thoroughbreds I really cannot see that any advantage would be gained by allowing geldings to compete in tlie classic events. "Vigilant" in Lon don Sportsman.
