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CONTRASTS IN LOUISVILLE RACING. An Account of How the Sport Was Conducted Over a Half Century Ago. Louisville. Ky., August 7. It. takes but few facts and even fewer figures to prove the great benefits tin; city of Louisville has derived from the great race tracks of this city. That this opinion prevailed even as early as the inaugural meeting at Churchill Downs in 1875, when Aristides captured the first Kentucky Derby, is proven by the following, which was published at the time by the leading daily newspapers of this city: "The first meeting of the Louisville Jockey Club has proved a success beyond all anticipation. Tin; enterprise has been favorably recognized everywhere. Tin; exploits upon its turf have attracted national interest. Everything that good and conscientious management, fast horses, fast time and their hospitable community could effect, in the way of eclat to the inauguration of the undertaking has marked the conduct of the spring meeting of 1875, and those who have been in attendance from abroad will not fail to spread the fame of the association throughout the laud. Louisville has been aroused from what strangers are pleased to designate as lethargy more completely by the event and incidental features that have occurred during the past week than ever before. A wellspring of energy and animation, social, mercantile, commercial and otherwise, has been tapped." In the long years that have passed since this was written Louisville has grown into a great metropolis, and, as to the big race tracks, they have fulfilled, in every way, the prophesy of the above compliment paid to the sport back in 1S75. At first thought few realize what the Churchill Downs track alone has done for Louisville, under its modern management, guided by the master hand of M. .1. AVinn and his associates. The Kentucky Derby has grown in forty-one years not only into the greatest of all American races, but as well into an international event. Annually it draws to this city hundreds of visitors, who would scarcely come to Louisville for any other attraction. Mouths before it is run each year it attracts tin; attention of the whole world and the afternoon of its decision is even locally the greatest society event of every twelve mouths of this community. To come down to figures, every winter there are fully 300 horses quartered in the stables during the cold months at the Churchill Downs track, while not less than 200 more occupy similar quarters at Douglas Park, of which plant John Hachmeister is manager. These 500 horses are quartered in Louisville from early in November until the following June. They require in addition to their regular trainers and stable jockeys an average of two men as caretakers to each horse, which makes tin; total of 1,000 persons. The feed for these horses and men is all supplied by this city and it is very easy to figure the huge sum of money annually expended by these horsemen in this community. As the races near approach the number of horses at the local tracks are increased to fully 1,000, with a corresponding number of men as caretakers. These remain here until the races are all ended and even in the summer months there are many horses requiring care of much help quartered at the big race tracks here. There are no great stores in Louisville or enterprises of any kind that do not feel the benetits of the great race tracks on the outskirts of the city. Both plants annually expend thousands of dollars in improvements and the expenses laid out by the management are divided in hundreds of industries throughout the city. Take the advertising employed by Louisville race tracks and the material required alone to print the literature sent out annually by these courses and it is sullieieut to require; almost the entire output of an average big printing plant. The great railroads centering into this city each derive annually an enormous income, not only from tlx; shipping in and shipping out of the horses, but wonderful passenger t rathe as well. The races are the biggest thing for the street car company of Louisville during the entire season and the call upon the various automobile concerns during the four great meetings at the local courses have never failed yet to tax their capacity. As to the hotels and many great apartment houses in this city the races enormously increase their revenue. In the last few years there have been a number of cases of turfmen on account of the great race tracks here becoming property holders in Louisville by purchasing homes for themselves and families here. In a local way tin; race tracks furnish labor to many people in Louisville and all such employes get in every instance the highest of salaries. The many enormous improvements made at the great race tracks of this city have also greatly increased the value of real estate in their locality. Back in 1875, where near Churchill Downs, apple orchards and corn fields alone dotted the horizon, there are now hundreds of beautiful homes and the same applies to Douglas Park beyond which the city now even far extends. It is interesting to know the difference of the great race tracks of Louisville today as compared with the AVoodlawn Race Course, which was the racing center of Louisville years before the Downs track was laid out. Recently the writer secured a copy of the Louisville Courier of 1S00, with the summary of the meeting held at AVoodlawn course that season, which began on October 1, and ended on October 0, one week of racing. The ground the AVoodlawn nice track was located on is now owned by the Louisville AVater company. It is interesting in these days to look back over the racing of that year at AVoodlawn, which was memorable as the year in which Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States. Of all the horsemen whose names npiioar as racing horses that season at AVoodlawn, the sole survivor is Col. J. P. Chinn. of Mercer county, who was the first chairman of the Kentucky Racing Commission. The secretary of AVoodlawn was AA. K. Milton, a first cousin of AV. A. Milton, who is at present connected with the daily Courier-Journal of this city. For the full meeting at AVoodlawn badges wen; issued for the week and put on sale for 0, they entitling the holder to admission to the quartet-stretch as well as the grandstand. Tin; daily tickets to the public stand and field were and all ladies were admitted free of charge. The only means of transportation to the AVoodlawn course was by train, the round trip being fifty eents, and there were four trains to carry the people to the track, which goes to show that even in that early day there was much interest in racing in this community. That even in these late days many of the innovations of the race track are by no means absolutely new is illustrated by the rule in force then at AVoodlawn by members forgetting their badges on going to the course. This notice was published that all such having thus to pay entrance at the gate would not have their money refunded. In those days, unlike the present tine, the entries closed for the next days races every evening after the races for that afternoon were over. Below will be found a summary of some of the great races of that day run off at Woodlawn race course that season, and it is surely interesting to readers of turf literature at the present time: First day, Monday, October 1, 18G0. First Race Sweepstakes for colts and fillies, three-year-olds; mile heats; 00 subscription, 0 forfeit, 5 declaration if made and paid by the Continued ou second page. CONTRASTS IN LOUISVILLE RACING. Continued from first page. second Monday in May. 1S00. Club to add 00 provided two or more start; ten or more to make a race. Closed with 23 subscribers, one declaration. A. K. Richards b. f. Bet tie Ward, by Lexington Mary Cass, by Whalebone.. 1 1 J. M. Clays b. c. Sailor, by Yorkshire Heraldry, by Herald 4 2 R. A. and C. M. Johnsons ch. c. Ulverston, by Lexington Undine, by Yorkshire... 2 3 F. G. Murphys b. f. Altona. by Vincent Xolte Trahby Anna, by Tranby 5 -1 J. C. Chinas gr. c. Lightning, by Lexington Blue Bonnet, by Hcdgeford 3 Dist. J. Campbells chestnut colt, by Cleucou Emily Speed, by Wagner Dist. Dist. Time, 1:50; l:4Si- Other subscribers to this stake embraced such famous early Kentucky turfmen and racing linns as Harper .t Wood, Isaac W. Pennock. Gen. A. Buford. B. F. Cheatham. Z. Ward. Eagle and Win-gate, R. A. Alexander, A. Barnes and George Elliott. Same day. Second race. Purse 00. 2 miles. T. G. Moores br. m, Laura Farris, 4, by Lexington Margrave 1 Joseph G. Boswulls b. c. Solferino, by Yorkshire St. Mary, by Sidi Hamlett 2 Harper and MrGraths b. f, Lucy Fowler, 3, by Albion, by Leviathan 3 Time, 3:45. There were two races only that day, in marked contrast to the seven now daily decided at the local tracks, and the greatest number of races run any fterimon of that meeting was three, while on the cloning day the only race on the card was a purse of ,250, at four-mile heats. This had only two starters, and Mat Davis, ridden by the famous jockey of those times, Gil-patrick, won the first heat in 7:40, but in the second heat he broke hopelessly down and Joe Stoner won the race, running the four miles in 7:47. Today it only costs 50 cents more for patrons of racing to see races decided at the local tracks, participated in by the leading horses of the country and under all modern improvements, so far as comfort and convenience are concerned. In the old AVoodlawn track days the horsemen were called upon to furnish the value of the chief races hung up. The racing association added but a trifle to any of the races as compared to what is hung up at the present time by the big race tracks of this city. It lias perhaps not occurred to the public that the great race tracks of Louisville even give as much as 0,000 to a race in added money and yet with all the liberal distribution of money prizes for the various races, the business men and merchants of this city are never asked by the tracks for a dollar in any way in contribution. The profits the race meeting makes from time to time is the fund from which is drawn all the prizes hung up and annually these tracks set aside of their accumulated surplus, a huge sum. for improvements to the plants, giving only a fair per. cent as profit to the investment of the stockholders. For th State of Kentucky, as a whole, its great race tracks have in tin? last five years accomplished wonders. In spite of the forward march of the automobile, horse flesh is worth more today than in any period in Kentuckys previous history. The breeders of the thoroughbred horse in this state are not alone enjoying this prosperity, but it comes to every landholder who has in his possession any lino of horse breeding stock. Army officers throughout the world nnnounce that even the patched-up, broken-down race horse for cavalry service surpasses that of any other equine production. The horses that have stood best the sands of Mexicos cheerless deserts, now with General Pershings cavalry service in that land, are thoroughbreds culled from the racing stables that participated in the various meetings held by the Jockey Club Juarez at the Juarez track in Mexico, just across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas.
