view raw text
THOROUGHBREDS IN THE MAKING. Rocalling tho Early Days of tho Turf in Tennessee General Jacksons Love for the Horse. In a review of the "Making of the American Thoroughbreil," by James Douglas Anderson, of Madison. Tenn., Sam II. MeMeeUin, writing for tlie Louisville Courier-Journal, says the book is not confined to the details of pedigree, but carries the reader on a pleasant journey to the great nurseries in Tennessee, covering a period of the first fifty years of the history of tliat state, where thu thoroughbred beat the Constitution into the state, and racecourses were in almost every county. The reader meets eight grandsons of OKellys Eclipse,, and numerous representatives of the aristocratic Herod and Matchem families, which laid a solid foundation for the Tennessee stock. OKellys Eclipse won eleven Kings plates, the last over a distance of four miles, with 108 pounds up. He was never beaten, and never paid a forfeit. His blood flows in the veins of the Great .Britain, bred at Edcnwold stud, in Sumner county, where Walter O. lahner now has his dam and sixty other brood mares, making a last stand in that state for the breeding industry, where legislation has stifled the great nurseries of yore. A splendid engraving of Jreat Kritain serves as an appropriate frontispiece. Old prints of the mighty Lexington, Imp, Citizen, Diomed, Highflyer, Uimcrack, Matchem, OKellys Eclipse, Flying Childers and Leviathan, also are given. The Commoner, Enquirer, Truxton, Plough-boy and other former kings of the turf are traced down the lines. Along witli the great thoroughbreds glimpses are given into the lives of the men who owned and loved the thoroughbreds Jackson, Kirkman, Coffee. Elliott, Erwin, Shelby and scores of others, flavored witli reminiscences handed down by Balie Peyton, Jo Guild and others. Controversies between the friends of Modoc and the friends of Woodpecker in Kentucky, and the friends of Luzborough and the friends of Leviathan in Tennessee were as spirited as the old controversies between Whigs and Tories. Sports o the turf f urnislied the diversions from war. Peytons Visit to See Great Horse Priam. The author did well to incorporate so much from the true sportsman, Balie Peyton, congressman and diplomat. An idea of Peytons love for the thoroughbred may be gathered from an account of his long trip to Virginia to sec the great horse Priam. After describing his emotions on approaching the presence of the great, Peyton says: "The first .impressions were a relief from such forebodings. Priam is a rare instance of a great name bearing acquaintance without losing the enchantment which distance lends. How few great men there are of which this can bef said. No judge, of form who saw him would care to go to books and racing calendars tolearn his superiority as a race horse. There it is before you, written in such plain English characters that it cannot be misunderstood. In fine, I can say that taking him all in all I have never looked upon his like before, and never may again, unless lie is destined to leave a son who will " Rise the Hector of the future nge. So, when triumphant from successful toils. Of heroes slain, he bears the reeking spoils; Whole hosts may hail him with deserved acclaim, And say this chief deserves his fathers name. "This fellow I mean to rear myself, and to silence all dispute, I claim tho name in advance: Hector, b. c, got by Priam out of ; raised by yours, "P. of T. Peyton of Tennessee." Three years later Peyton entered the great Hector colt by Priam in the Peyton stake. Jackson is described as a man of three great passions first, his passion for his country; second, his passion for a race horse; third, his passion for a horse race. Among the famous horses owned by Jackson was Truxton. Jacksons racing career was marked by the fact that he invariably managed to beat horses belonging to his enemies," but had bad luck in opposing horses of his friends. Jackson divided the world into three classes friends, enemies and neutrals. His friends to him were the best people on earth, his enemies the meanest and to neutrals he was ever kind and gracious. The match races between Truxton and Col Erwins Ploughboy eventually led to the duel in which Jackson killed Dickinson, a nephew of Erwin. March 10, 1800, Jackson has published this advertisement: CLOVER BOTTOM RACE. On Thursday, the 3d jof April next, will be run the greatest and most interesting match ever run in the western country between Gen. Jacksons horse Truxton, 0 years old, carrying V24. pounds, and Capt. Joseph Erwins horse Ploughboy, 8 years old, carrying 130 pounds. These horses run the two-mile heats for the sum of ,000. No stud horses can be admitted within the gates, but such as contend on the turf and all persons are requested not to bring their dogs, as they will be shot without respect to owners. Gen. Jackson described Truxton as being a "beautiful bay, full of bone and muscle; was got by the horse Old Diomed and came out of the thoroughbred mare Nancy Coleman, the property of Maj. John Varrell of Virginia." He adds: "Truxtons winnings from time to time amount, to at least 20,000 and his colts are not inferior to any on the continent." Patal Duel Outcome of Defeat of Ploughboy. Truxton defeated Ploughboy at the Clover Bottom match race and then followed a controversy in the newspapers between Jackson and Dickinson, ending in a challenge by Jackson, a duel on Red River in Kentucky, the death of Dickinson and the wounding of Jackson, from which he suffered throughout his life. Among President Jacksons warm friends and spiritual advisers was the Rev. H. M. Cryer, of Sumner County; Not alone on spiritual matters did Jackson seek the advice of the Rev. Mr. Cryer. It seems that the minister had a level head on race horses, and Jackson often consulted him regarding the advisability of purchasing colts, and had the minister make many journeys to "look them over." Many letters passed between them, now in possession of the Tennessee Historical Society. In one letter Jackson ends as follows: "I have great confidence in my Citizen as a stock horse, and wish to bring him early on the turf to make him valuable as a brood horse. Look at him and give your opinion. I send for your perusal Mr. Rives speech On the removal of the Deposits The mammon of corruption is . chained and will be defrayed. Andrew Jackson." In 1832, Jackson, having confidence that the Rev. Mr. Cryer could pick a strain "as pure as the icicle that hangs on the north gable of Dianas Temple " gives instructions about some colts he has an eye on, and asking the expert judgment of the pastor. At the time he is diverted, experiencing some of the troubles witli Congress now confronting President Wilson, going o".t of his way to refer to "the most factious, corrupt opposition in the secret sessons of the Senate tliat ever disgraced any nation The bay colt Tennessee Oscar, fouled in 1814, by Wolkes Wonder Rosey Clack, was without a rival in his day. He never lost a heat. Haynies Maria was a most extraordinary race mare, the last mare sired by Diomed Tayloes Bel-luir. Jlers "was another remarkable record. Five times she defeated General Jacksons stable reprev Kentatives, as well as all other comers. A famous long-distance horse was Walk-in-the-Water, by Sir Archy Gondolah. Up to 1845 there had been four North and South matches, known as "great matches." The first of these was American Eclipse, without a rival in the north, and Sir Charles, Virginia-bred, in 1822. Sir Charles broke down at Washington, D. C. Eclipse was defeated by the southern horse Henry, of the Diomed strain, four miles for 0,000, over the Long Island course a year later. In 1835 the celebrated Post Boy was pitted against John Bascombe, out of the Kentucky-bred mare by Buzzard Woodpecker stock Paeolet. Post Boy was from Barland, by Jluroe. Bascombe was never headed in this famous race. Henry Clay Officiated at Angora-Rudolph Match. The Angoras-Rudolph match was run at Louisville Oakland course. September 21, 1830. Angora was owned by Colonel Desha, of Tennessee, and Rudolph was the property of Col. Sydney Burbridge, of Frankfort, Ky. Here the Sir Archy and Leviathan blood met. Henry Clay was one of the judges, H. Daniels the other. This was a Kentucky Tennessee contest. General Jackson backed Rudolph, the Kentucky horse. He was charged with playing lolitics for Kentucky favor. The race was advertised all over tho country. The Louisville Journal said: "Angora was tho favorite, the mainstay and cherished hope of the knowing ones. They looked upon her as the lioness destined to crush in embryo and silence forever the claims of Kentucky for speed, bottom or stock in horses." Then appeared a dramatic description of the race by the Journal. Angora was vanquished. Kentucky speed had triumphed The Louisville Journal, in its extended account of tho race said: "Old Hickory, the greatest and best, looking through the vision of second sight, foretold the triumph of Rudolph. Many thought he was playing the courtier to our stnte.lbuf now they ,are convinced he knows more about; horse racing then he ever did about the affairs of the nation." Over .00,000 was wagered oil this race. Other races of international importance were between Ariel and Flirtillu and Fashion and Boston, the first for f.30.000 and the latter for 0,000. Flirtilla and Fashion wera the victors. The contest between Fashion and Pey tona at Union course, New , York. In 1845, for 0,000, four miles, will long remain the classic sporting event. Horace Greeley ! estimnted the attendance at 70,000. Others as high as 120,000. Peytonn won in a driving finish "the most gallnntly contested as well as the most beautiful race ever seen in this country." This ended the struggles between the north and south, : Peytonn was buried in the garden of her owner, .A. Keen Richards, in Kentucky. J In his book Mr. Anderson started out to confine his writings to the making of the thoroughbreds in Tennessee, but the strains of the thoroughbred know no state lines and he broadened the scope of it to the thoroughbred generally and it contains much information lovers of the turf kings should be eager to read, as. well as chapters giving the personal side of the turf in early days.
