view raw text
LUCK OF SOME BLOOD SIRES STORIES OF STALLIONS WHICH ROSE FROM OBSCURITY TO GREAT FAME. Godolphin Arabian Rescued from Being a Cart Horse — Vedette Sold for a Trifle — Virgil a Driving Horse, Then a Star Sire. By W. S. Vosburgh. New Tort, February 14. — iodolphin Arabian, the ancestor of all race horses, which rose from drawing a watering cart through the atfteta of Paris to the highest pinacle of fame as a sire of racers, form- d tin- subject of Eugene Sues -tory which many have treated as a nun- romance. But the ri a- and foil in the fortunes of racing sin s abounds with i uriims instances with which the avi rage race gear is not familiar. We have aeea Sal-.ator go from the peat to the paddock, acclaimed "the horse of the century." only to prove one of the flatest failures on record. Hindoo sired Hanover in his first year in tin- atad, but. except BaUle MeCh-ii.-nd. nothing of high class after ao brilliant a beajhaaiaa;. On tin- ether hand, several of our BMnt celebrated sins raae to distinction only after years of neglect, often of degradation. Some of tin in. it is true, attained final celebrity through opportunity, but others through purely adventitious circumstance. -so greatly so .is to render to their careers th" flavor of romance. The English horse, Vedi tt -. was sold lor 42 guineas. True, he was s -ventei-n years aid, but as a race horse he had won the Two Thousand Gaaneaa and the Doncaster Cup. besides being already the sire of Speculum, a bane of high class. Nobody wanted him. but strangely enough, the next year his son, Jalopin, was foaled, ami Vedettes place ill blood horse history is s -cure. In America, the famous Vandal pined in neglect for over twelve years, during which he had only fifty-two mares; but, when in 1809. his famous trio, Ilerzog, Versailles and Poaapey Payne appeared, he soon found a place at Belle Meade and his male line is still preserved through Virgil-IIindoo-lIau-over and Hamburg. Virgil from Buggy Horse to Crack Sire. Virgil, which became the sire of Hindoo. Vigil, Vera Cruz. Virginius, Vagrant. Kingfish and so many famous racers, had a career of the most cm-i;uereil deaeriptaaa. lb- was a coal black horse of amazing beauty, had performed well at three, but went amiss at four, was not trained until six. and then -ran hurdle races. At seven he became the driving hor e of the late C.loti-1 Simmons, and worked before a wagon. Then he was sent to Kentucky, and an unlooked for opportunity happened. Mr. San-fords mares were nearly all daughters of Lexington, hence could hardly be bred to his Lexington sires. So Virgil was used as a makeshift: after which Mr. Sanford having no use for him, gave him to the late Mr. B. O. Bruce. The latter had no use for a stallion and advertised Virgil for sale cheap during the autumn of 1S74. But from the mares bred to Virgil in 1S72 came Vagrant. Virginius and Vigil, and Mr. Sanford hastened to re-purcnase the old black horse, which re-entered the Bleakness Stud with flying colors and. as the sire of Hindoo, the elegant old bl-ick l«-came canonized. Billets career at the outset hardly foreshadowed the eminence he attained as the -ire t.f Miss Woodford. Barnes. Kuniiymede. Belvidere. Volturno and Sir Dixon. Billot was given away in England by Mr. Baxter, his owner, to a steeplechase rider named Vonngmaii. who sold him. He arrived in New York in the autumn of 1.N09. Powers and Jones purchased him and took him to Decatur, 111., where he began as a sire in 170 with precious little patronage. In 1S72. at the St. Louis fair, he took first premium for -tallions, and in 1S73 the first of his get started in Sangami.na. Which won at Springfield. III., and Carrie P.. which waa at Chicago. Baagamonn proved so good. Mr. Jones brought her east in 1S71 to start for the Withers Stakes at Jerome Part. Mr. Powers then purchased for 3588 the mare Sprightly, by Lexington. She had been bred to Coldust. the trotter, several times, but to Billet she produced till- f.nnoiu Volturno. At the Louisville autumn awethaf of 1877, Col. E. F. Clay was so attracted by the form of Kate Claxton, a daughter of Billet, that he begun negotiations for the sale of the stallion, the result being that Billet, at a price of 35.688, came to the Bunnymede Stud and at once liecauio one. of the crack sires of the gen. ration. Roamers Birth an Accident. The famous Poamer. which dominated the race tearaea during 1911 and 1915. owes his birth to accidental circiinistanc s. His sire, Knight Errant, was a fair sort of a racer, which, upon his breaking down, was given to tin- late Woodford Clay by Mr. P. J. Dwyer. In 1910 Mr. CI ay had the niare Bos.- Tree and, as she was blind, he hesitated about breeding hi r to his crack sire. Star Shoot, owing to the fact that Star Shiwit was also blind. Accordingly. Lose Tree was bred to Knight Errant, which had been ii-ed as a "teaser. " and from this makeshift union, cam- the most celebrated little race bares of the last few seasons. At once the "teaser" Knight Errant becini famous, but too late for him to add to the prestige he had gained, as colic took him, and who shall say he might not have brought new ghariea to tin- Raaayaeede stud, when- P.illet, Hindoo and Sir Dixon had flourished before. No less curious is the case of Jack Malone as a sire. While in training as a four year-old. Jack Ma! me broke leaae from his stal le one night in the spring of 1882, and finding his way into the pad-dacha, courted the mare Fanny McAllister, a daughter of Omear.i I by Cloneoo. The result of this stolen union was Muggins, the winner of the Saratoga Cup of 1S07. when lie defeated Onward and Delaware. Muggii.s was one of the best beraea of his era: he won a gnat many races ami. of course, gave Jack Malone a splendid reputation with which be entered the Belle Meade Stud, where he had excellent oppol tunitii s; bat it is a tathjMJ fact that, while be sired main winners up to the time of his death in Wj. he never sired a colt or fil.y of Hie class of hi; firat-born, Muggins. Mr. Hancocks Hunt for Eolus. Eoltts, famous as he b. t nne a sire, had a narrow escape from being turned into a trotting hors -. lie had pert..; an tl creditably as a racer, and then die-appeared. The late Mr. Hancock of Virginia had been a great admire:- of him. especially as he was a son of the celebrated mare Fanny Washington, and began a search for him. For nearly two years In-corresponded freely with various parties, and at last traced him to the farm of Mr. John Cranor, at War- Contiuucd on second MBwyV LUCK OF SOME BLOOD SIRES. Continued from first page. wick. Cecil County. Mil. Bat Beta I had fallen into i the hands of a practical owner, who had broken him to harness. In tact, lie threatened to figBM as a trotter. Mr. Crauor having issued a challenge against ".iny bene on the Peninsula." to trot a mile for 8880 a side, which ihallenge was pretty well understood as intended for LagaUa, o ned by a Mr. lAickwooii Mr. Hancucl: purchased Bote*, baa ever, giving in exchange Bathe hall -brother Death- leek, »hoh Mr. Oraaar atM araa i becee "better • suited to I sulky. Located at the BUeraUe Stud. Coins began by siring Bale. Then followed Kolist. Eon. St. Saviour. Knight of hller-die, Luru , Bettaa, Moicilo, and a baud that a Lamped Lulus the most ! i I j : 1 i • successful sire of his day. measured by his limited opportunities. Bonnie Scotland and His Wanderings. Bonnie Scotland is now spoken of as one of the greatest sires in the history of the American stud. let, BC was for fifteen years utterly neglected, shifting through Ohio. Iowa. Illinois. Kentucky and Tennessee. He had won the Liverpool. St. Lager, and Rom-aster Stakes in England in isiii. and the following year was brought to New York, where he remained a long time before a purchaser was found. Mr. Reber finally purchased him for 81.200, and took him to Lancaster, Ohio, breeding him to the famous mare Fashion, which produced Dangerous. He remained at I.anc.-ist -r until 1887, having few foal- and was then purchased by Mr. E. A. Smith, who sent him to Kentieky and BO made the season of UN at Mr. F. Kiukeads. near Midway. In 18tJ he became the property of Mr. J. C. Simpson, who soon after traded a small farm in Iowa for him.. Then Mr. Cage of Chicago and Mr. C. C. Parks of Wau-kegan. 111., bought him. and he stood at Waukegan until 1S72. At this period, the death of Vandal compl1 d on. II trdfasg to find another stallion for the Bella Meade stud, and the circumstance was P.onnio Scotlands opportunity. He entered Belle Meade in 1N73 with no great prestige, but soon came Rramhlc. then Luke Rlacklmrn. then George Kinnev followed bv Glidelin. Bootjai k. Roatman. Belle of the Highlands and in ISMI and 1882 Bon nie Scotland led the "winning sires." That Ronnie Scotland was scarcely appreciated in Illinois, it would seem, te judge from what hag* pened while Col. Philo Bush was manager of Mr. lark.; stud. Colonel Bush was one of the veteran turfmen of the "fifties" and "sixties." and dis tinguished for an unconi|uerable prejudice against "the trotting horse of America." Mr. Iarks was a broker in New York and Chicago, quite hospitable, and seldom came home without bringing a party of friends. Late one evening his neighbor was surprised by the sudden appearance of old Colonel Bush. He was in evident bad humor and. when gBCO tion-d. broke out into a volley of oaths until it was some tune before he could tell his story, which ran thus: "There were a lot of those high-toned chaps came hi me with Mr. Parks — fellows from New York anil Chicago, and after examining the cattle and drinking a dozen betttea of wine, I told the boys to lead out the horses. The last one to show was old Bonnie. You never saw a horse looking finer, his coat glistening in the sun like the gayest feathers in a g; me chicken, his eyes sparkling like a handsome v omans when she is dancing with a partner she likes. He was a picture — size. form, quality, breeding, and everyone was lavish in their praise. I was pleased, thinking that we had visitors who knew soiik thing about race horses, when one of them stepped up to me a-id says: Whats his best time in harness." 1 waited for a minute, thinking some of the others would correct the senseless pappy, when another broke in. "His best record, you know to sulky/ I couldnt hold in any longer, so I broke out. too. His best record V — you damned fool. Do you think a horse which made a dead heat for second place in the St. Lager, and beat Ellington, the Derby winner, is a half-brother to I.link Bonny- -such a looking horse as that — was ever disgraced by being harnessed to a gig. Take him in quick. Jimmy. I told the boy and. telling Mr. Iarks that if lie brought home such finds and shoemakers, lie could show the burses himself, I hurried away, and here I am." Story of The Cure and Lambton. The celebrated English sire. The Cure, is the hero of one of the most romantic stories within the whole range of racing literature, according to the late .Mr. Dixon. When nearly two years old he drifted into Scotland and finally into the hands of Dr. Murray of Carnoustie, a "character." by the way. who received Mr. Dixon sitting in his shirt sleeves on the edge of his bed. with a pile of Ruffs Guide on his table, and delivered himself with quaint Scottish bur. in this wise: "Mr. Rait got The Cure from I ord Airlie. He had been a year in England. Except he got Lamb-ton from Elpbine. by Birdca tcher, hed never had a thoroughbred mare, and only three or four half bred ones. They tried to make a hunter of him. but he, I wouldnt jump over a stick, or these slippers jn mine. He gave them some bad falls, broksr a grooms leg. so he was sent to Mr. Jones, than Incline to me. He was offered to a veterinary/ surgeon gratis; he de -lined him: so I said ti Mr. Jones: Ill give you three half crown; for l*im. Id never seen him, mind ye. but I knew all about his racing. Be he was sent over. I saw a pony-thing dining up the brae, and I said to myself: That little round Highland pony of a horse win tin-Champagne Stakes, and run second to Faugh-a-I.allagh for the St. Leger! There was quite a revolution in my views of a race horse. He was lame on the off foreleg. Thinks I to myself. Hes only ten or eleven — sure I can mend him at that age. So I paid seven and sixpence and blistered his leg. Mind ye. the three lege which werent lame had running thrushes, which I healed. The leg became fine I never use bandages. "Well, faith! 1 began him on the road. He was lazy I in-ver could bear a lazy horse. Then I bought a thoroughbred mare at Lord Pauniuros sale. Time went on. and his son Lambtons exploits began to make a noise in the world. Lambton won eleven out of twelve races and people began to ask. "When is The Cure? So T sold him with three lega and a wooden one for fifty pounds. I was glad to get rid of him. He was fifteen hands when his feet were pared and. to my astonishment, he Was fifteen-three in his next advertisement. Some Variation in Measurement. "I have measurements of him on every petal Im curious on palate. He was ." feet. 10:l4 inches in girth when fat. and .". feet 7 3-8 inches in mod rate work, and ." feet. ." inches during my process of training I trained him whenever my practice allowed. My broodmare, Lily Adie. and her foal led the work with my surgery lad up. The Cure took lots of work, he was as round as a bullock. He had two or three hours training with-out clothes i you get more out of them without clothes. He never broke down. Faith! The Cure never tired. I had a faster one than him in North Star. His stride was seventeen feet and eighteen by urging. "They did their xvork on Monifeith Links. It was once a race course, but now its cut up with rabbits. I thought six weeks or two mouths quite enough to train The Cure, or any other horse. I raced htel, did I? I did. at Perth. Davie. ,,iy lid. rode him and he was third and last to Haricot. The saddle turned round, and Davie f,.. beard the cry. the bays off" I leapt tin- stand rails, and a trainers horse knocked me down. When I came round. I was in the weighing house witli my chei Mm in- broken and a black eye. I rode him myself at Stirling, and took him off after the sec-, BBd licit. I went to the races with my tagger] under my oat and trousers." "Then I bought The Cares son Lambton. I ran him two or three times, but be was no good: so I hacked him and I ha"ve a filly by him. I ran him at Paisley. He had speed, but he was a bolter and belted with me among the crowd at the grandstand. I felt my feet rapping on their heads for all the world just like when you run your stick along n-i iron IaBlag. He iuniped at a ditch twelve teel deep, aad got hi- fore feet on the other bank and dropped no- to the bottom among the moss and licit. 1 heard them shout He- drowned" I got out fast enough and they got ropes and patted him out. Faith! He was a black horse when he came up. I never went back to weigh, but I just bolted from Paisley by the next train. There was a paragraph in the papers next day: Accident at the rail-- A mans leg broken, an arm dislocated: taken promptly to infirmary. He fell with me again, pat out my thumbs, and broke two of mj teeth. A Chapter of Accidents. •Lau.lioa was no gaod. and I gave him to Jenny I.aiag. and he went back to England. He got his legs ui.der the van partition coining back from the races i ne day. and I thought he was a dead horse. His wrestling to get his legs out produced exostosis on both his hind pasterns; his forelegs were bad eaough before, and how he was a cripple-all round. " Such were the strange happenings of The Cure. and his -on I.amhtoii. in the hands of this earnest but eccentric Scotchman. The Cure became the sin- of Ioderhaad thrice winner of the North aatberland Plate, the great graaiatre of Ormonde, an I froea 18M to 1887 the sire of over 180 winners of over 301 race-. He belonged to John Osborne. father of the anted farkejr, and in a field or sixte, u silo-, was -eceiid to Yoltigeiir for the 100 guiue.i-priae at Mkklleboro. Hi- bob, Lambton. eatered the Royal Stud at llampt..n Court. Where one of his iii-t rearlings effered brought over l.OUU guineas. I n I he bt -i .inn on - of the rack sire- of England as tie lather of Lictor. Rama. Bett] aad Shannon. the n.are which defeated Morteamet and Favumus I for the Goodwood Cup of 1671. . I 1 I 1 I
