view raw text
ONE OF THE GRANDEST MARES LIVING Sceptre Defended Against the Charge that She Is a Failure as a Broodmare. Sceptre has a truly wonderful record behind her. One of the greatest race mares of all time, she. won some 40,000 pounds in stakes, while previously to Monday she had always been associated with big .amounts when sold, notwithstanding which she has always returned witii interest the expenditure upon her. Thus Mr. Musker, although lie passes on the 2,500 guineas the mare herself realized, received 2,400 guineas and 6,100 guineas for two of her daughters, Curia, by Cicero and Sceptres Daughter, by Swynford. That Sir William Tatem will also, even at her advanced age, enjoy a similar experience can hardly be doubted, for whatever may turn out to be tlte merit of her foal by Glenes-ky, she ought to breed him something out of the common to Sunstar, to which u nomination for her has been booked for next year. Sir William already has good reason to be satisfied with his bargain, as Sky-Rocket, a grandson of Sceptres and by Sunstar, showed himself in the light of a smart colt this week, while later in the day a brother in Sunny Jane was successful for Major Astor. Sceptres Career as a Broodmare. Why ordinarily reasonable people should continue to decry Sceptre as a failure as a broodmare passes comprehension. She has bred seven fillies and one colt, all of which except Curia, which had little racing, the Swynford filly, which has not yet run, and. of course, the filly by her side, have won good races. The five fillies from her which have gone through the ring have realized the handsome average of 3,740 guineas, while her daughters, Maid of the Mist and Maid of Corinth, as well as her only son, Grosvenor, all won good races. Maid of Corinth, moreover, has done well as a broodmare abroad, while, as already remarked, we have seen Maid of the Mist figuring as the dam of two winners Sunny Jane and Sky-Rocket. But because Sceptre has never bred anything within measureable reacli of her own wonderful racing ability, which she could hardly be expected to .do, she is dubbed a failure, in much the same manner as Pretty Polly and La Fleche have been. Sceptres produce would have made a tremendous reputation for any mare of less renown than herself, but to her is denied the credit which is unquestionably her due. However, Sir William Tatem, let us hope, will reap the reward lie deserves, and as Sceptres dam lived to be twenty-four, and her grandam twenty-eight, she may reasonably be expected to equal them in the matter of longevity. Loudon Sporting Life.
