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THE SOUTH AMERICAN POLO PONY. A blue ribbon winner at each of the two spring shows held in New York this season, the little gray mare Vinilla, owned by John L. de Saulles, lias demonstrated that South American polo ponies can hold their own with the best ones here for conformation, speed and handiness. Few ponies have been seen in American show rings that could outpoint her in bloodlike quality, and thjugh her pedigree is unknown, she is apparently almost a thoroughbred runner, says the New York Herald. Yi-nilla was reared in Chili, and was brought from there by her present owner, whose little sou sometimes rides her at Durlands. Chili lias the material from which to breed polo mounts of the racy, speedy Ainilla type and thereby hangs a tale which may be new to horsemen of the younger generation. When Balie Peyton of Tennessee was minister to Chili, about seventy years ago, he ventured the opinion to one of the high officials of the government there that race horses from North America could run faster, last longer and carry more weight than those of Chili, the upshot of which was a match for 0,000 a side, owners to ride. The South American official was a lightweight, while Mr. Peyton weighed ISO pounds, but that did not stop him, and lie sent sip to his Tennessee farm for a son of Leviathan to represent the United States in the international race. When the contest was decided, all of Santiago was there to see it, and to back the native horse and rider. The American minister, who was regarded as a man of particularly distinguished appearance and commanding presence, even among the public men of those great days, mount-d his home -bred race horse, dressed in i closely fitting jockey suit, and, looking the perfection of American manhood and grace. Mr. Peyton once told John H. Wallace that when a boy he had received more whippings for running off from school to ride races than for all other causes put together, and he was an accomplished jockey in spite of his weight. Through the first mile he let the South American set the pace, but kept his own horse always at the side of the other, .coaxing him to his best efforts. In the second mile Mr. Peyton let his thoroughbred out to something like his best clip, and in a jiffy he left the native runner hopelessly in the rear, winning literally in a walk at the end of the four mile course. The race cost the Chilians a barrel of money, but it convinced them that their native horses could neither gallop nor test with a real race horse, and so led to the importation of and American thoroughbreds from which [English Ainilla is plainly descended.
