Breeding for High Class Results: Captain Cassatts Scientific Endeavors to Improve the Thoroughbred Bodily, Daily Racing Form, 1916-07-23

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1 " - t 1 r 5 : - - BREEDING FOR HIGH CLASS RESULTS. 1 Captain Cassatts Scientific Endeavors to Improve the Thoroughbred Bodily. Hy C. J. Fitz Gerald. New York, July 22. Capt. Edward It. Cassatt, who is one of the youngest members of the Jockey Club and who races horses from his own Chester-brook Stud in Pennsylvania exclusively, has some good ideas on horse breeding. He is one of the progressives in the ranks of that organization, and was responsible for the introduction of the rule restricting the racing of two-year-olds, which brought about so much discussion at the time of its consideration and adoption. The captain is practically interested in the production of the proper type of horse, not only for racing, but for remount and saddle uses anil having lived much abroad, is familiar with the workings of such institutions as Sauniur the great cavalry school in France. lie is an ardent admirer of Col. Henri Coiiste. connected with the celebrated institution. Col. Couste is the author of an exhaustive treatise decrying the decadent effects of sprinting and early racing. He holds these evils responsible for the changing conformation of the thoroughbred and incidently of all grades of that horse. Capt. Cassatt entertained Col. Couste during a visit to the Uitited States at Cliesterbrook. and obtained permission from him to translate his work "Cue Foulo de Galop de Course Mechanics Applied to the Kace Horse. This work he bad printed recently and distributed among his friends in the hope that the conclusions of Col. Couste would have a favorable influence upon all who read it. Capt. Cassatt in a most interesting preface says, after stating that he was actuated in undertaking the work by a desire to reach three? classes interested in horse breeding in the United States. "Col. Couste should appeal to our remount department, to the officers of the bureau of animal industry at Washington, and through hem to the horse raising population of the country. Ity far the most important class which I desire to reach is the racing man and the breeder of thoroughbred horses, and I say tiiat the racing man is the most important of all. because I thoroughly agree with Col. Couste as to the evil effects produced upon the model of the horse by premature two-year-old racing and by short distance racing. It is the racing man who is primarily responsible for changes in the conditions of racing and hence, in the model of the race horse, and he is responsible for the model gaits, quality and stamina of the commercial horse of this country. "Col. Coustes work is most intricate and abounds in mathematical studies dealing with the action and conformation of various thoroughbreds and. by analytical processes be shows the impossibility of horses of a certain type staying over a distance of ground. His principle plea is for an obliquity of shoulder, an uprightness of arm and horizontality of croup. All of these favor shock absorption, and tend to ultimately lengthen the period of suspension between strides being the difference between the sprinter and the stayer. "Americans will note with interest that Col. Couste is fond of a type of stayer as represented bv the French sires Mortenier and Kayon dOr. both of which gained homes in the United States after brilliant victories abroad, the former being imported at a cost of 0,000 by Mr. Pierre Lorillard. who had him for many years in the stud at Kancocas. X. .1.. while Congressman W. L. Scott paid 0,000 for Kayon dOr and kept him at his Erie. Pa., establishment. Itoth of these horses were phenomenally successful, and thwir descendants have won many of our great races. AVandn. a daughter of Mortemer is a maternal ancestress of the late .Air. II. It. Duryeas Epsom Dcrbv winner Durbar. There is little of liters blood in the mah? line active today. Kan-; cocas, for main- years in the stud in Texas, was cue of the last of his sons, but there is a grand- son of the celebrated stayer, Itouger Ked. owned bv Mr. Allan Pinkcrton. who has him at his Bay Shore place on Kong Island. Hunger Kcd is one of the? speediest horses of his inches in the world, and he is making a great reputation as a sire of polo ponies. Mr. August Kelmont owns more of the blood or Kayon dOr than any other breeder in America and. taking Ool. Coustes opinion on blood and conformation, it is not difficult to understand the popularity enjoyed by Octagon, a sou of Kavon dOr, donated by he Chairman of he Jockev Mub o he United States government. The records at Front Koyal, Aa., where Octagon is located, indicate that he is the most popular horse at. that station. Don de Oro, another sou is at Pilling Koel: doing service for the Itreed-" iir Itureau of the Jockey Club, and there are weanlings by him in that district which cannot be surpassed. The breeders of the Genesee A alley, near Rochester, have a grandson of Kayon d Or hi Merry Task, a son of Octagon, and Mrs. Ileroert AVndsworlh is giving him some of her best mares, as well as hose of he Kreeders Association, of which she is the head." When askeil a few days ago how the United States could most quickly improve the quality of its general horse product, and especially those or the armv remount type, Capt. Cassatt said, "Castrate everv grade male. The temptation for the farmer to "keep a colt by a sire of pure blood is strong, but the knife is the only salvation if we are to establish a type, and that should be the ami and endeavor of every man of us in and out of raciii" who wants to see our country progress.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800