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BEST OF THE YEAR OF OUE THREEYEAROLDS FOR THE PAST FIFTY YEARS By W S Vosburgh VosburghIn In a recent letter I gave a list of the twoyear olds which in my opinion had tin best claim to be considered the best of their respective years from 18ii to 19ir a period of fifty years I will now follow it with a similar list of the threeyearolds of the same period As in the former article my conclusion in each case is formed wholly upon their performances as threeyearolds without regard to what they did earlier or later laterQuite Quite likely many readers will disagree with me in the selections but if there was a general agree ¬ ment as to the merits of the race horses racing would be dull sport The form of Iiorses varies often during a season At some one time a horse reaches the top of his form if I may be al ¬ lowed the expression and often he never recovers it Again it is almost impossible that all the horses of one class meet when each is at his best Thus one comes to hand early and is at his best in the spring another during midsummer while a third will be at his best in the autumn Consequently I have endeavored to be guided by the general form of the horses of each season seasonTHE THE BEST OF THEIR YEAR ISCIi Muggins ISO Ruthless 1SOS General Duke f Herzog s0 9 1 Glenelg 1870 Enquirer 1S71 Harry Bassett 1872 Joe Daniels 1873 Tom Howling 1874 Acrobat 187 Aristides lS7ti Vigil 1877 Baden Baden 1878 Duke of Magenta 1879 Falsetto 1880 Luke Blackburn 1881 Hindoo 1882 Unnnymede 1553 George Kinney 1554 St Saviour ISSr Wanda Wanda18Si 18Si f Inspector B I The Bard 1887 Hanover 1888 Emp of Norfolk 1889 Salvator 1890 Tournament 1891 Potomac 1S92 Tammany Tammanyi f Morello 1893 i coj t CUffm 1894 Henry of Naval 1895 Keenan 189 IJequital 1897 Ornament 1S08 Hamburg 1899 Kthelbert 1900 KSlmarnock 1901 Commando 1902 Hermis 1903 Africander fOrt Wells 1 1004 nt I Beldame 1905 Sysonby 190G Burgomaster 1907 Peter Pan 1908 Colin 1909 Fitz Herbert 1SI10 Dalmatian 1911 Meridian 1912 The Manager 1913 Rockview fUoamer 101 1014 Luke McLuke 1915 Kegret 1866 MUGGINS ch c by Jack Malone Fanny McAllister won nine races out of ten starts and defeated all the best horses in the west 1867 RUTHLESS b f by Eclipse Barbarity won seven out of nine races including the Spring and the lielmont Staikes at Jerome Park the Trav ers and Sequel at Saratoga She was second to De Courcy for the Patterson St Leger and second to her stable companion Monday for the Paterson Derby She defeated Virgil Mctarie De Courcy Luther and all the best of the year 1863 GENERAL DUKE ch c by Lexington Jilia won six out of nine races including the Bel niont Sequel and Providence Stakes defeating Ab del Kader La Polka Fanny Ludlow Northumber ¬ land Hotspur Local Flora Mclvor etc Bayonet b c by Lexington Bayleaf was in the autumn quite the best but his general form wns not as good 1869 HERZOG b c by Vandal Dixie won six out of seven races He defeated Versailles Pompey Payne Alta Vela Kxchange Coquette Hlarney Stone etc His Rices were aill at mile and two mile heats He contracted ai cold and died of pneu ¬ monia i few days after his last race at twomile heats ait Cincinnati CincinnatiGLENELG GLENELG b c by Citadel Babta was the best of the eastern colts winning three out of five starts These included the Travers and Jerome Stakes He ran second for the Belmont Stakes his owner preferring to win witlf his stable companion Fenian 1870 ENQUIRER b c by Leamington Lida was incontestably the best of the year He run six races aind won them all the Phoenix Hotel Citizen Continental Hotel Robins and Kenner For the Phoenix he distanced Longfellow For the Conti ¬ nental he defeated Maggie B B Ortolan Lynch burg Susan and Haric For the Robins twomile heats he defeated Kingfisher For the Kenner he defeated Hamburg by Lexington Telegram and Remorseless 1871 HARRY BASSETT ch c by Lexington Canary Bird won aill his races nine He won the Belmont Jersey Derby Travers Kenner Jerome Reunion and ended the season by winning the Howie Stakes alt Baltimore four mile heats beating Ilelmbold in two heats It was ai great performance for a threeyearold as Ilelmbold was the greatest of the allaged class the yeair before aind wais al ¬ most ais good in 1871 1872 JOE DANIELS ch c by Australian Dolly Carter won six out of eight races the Belmont Travers Annual Kenner aind Jerome and rain second to Meteor for the Jersey Derby and to Hubbard for the Dixie 1873 TOM BOWLING br c by Lexington Lucy Fowler was much superior to any of his year win ¬ ning the Jersey Derby Travers Jerome aind Dixie Springbok won the Relmont while The Illfsed won the Sequel and Kenner 1874 ACROBAT ch c by Lexington Sallie Lewis won three out of six races including the Jerome Stakes beating Madge Bannerette Grin stead Brigand and Aairon Peniiigton He wais beaten for the Travers by Attila after ai dead heat At Jerome Park in October he defeated Wildidle aind Whisper at two aind onehalf miles in 433 after halving been pulled up alt the end of ai mile aiud a half He was a horse of enormous merit but troubled with shelly feet 1875 ARISTIDES by Leamington Sarong won four out of nine races He won the Kentucky Derby beating Volcano Ten Proeck and others the Withers beating Rhadamainthus Ozark etc the Jerome beaiting Calvin Tom Ochiltree Viator etc and the Itreckenridge heating Viator and Tom Ochiltree He was second for the Belmont Staikes being held to sillow his stable companion Calvin to win Calvin having been backed at long odds in the winter books 1876 VIGIL b c by Virgil Regan won nine out of fourteen races including the Grand National Handicap Dixie and Brcckonridge He diil not reach the top of his form until la to in the season Parole was the best threeyearold during the sum ¬ mer but Vigil defeated him in the autumn Va ¬ grant was the choice of the western colts ut went amiss early Snltaimi wais the best of the fillies and won against the colts 1877 BADEN BADEN ch c by Australian Lav emler was undoubtedly the best of year al ¬ though he won only three out of six races the Ken ¬ tucky Derby Jersey Derby aind Traivertjire should have won the Kenner but was left at lie post and in his desperate effort to recover lost ground he broke down 1878 DUKE OF MAGENTA b c by Lexington Magenta won eleven out of twelve and was prob aibly the superior of siny of his year year1S79 1S79 FALSETTO br c by Enquirer Farfaletta won four out of five raices the Phoenix Clark Traivers and Kenner in which he defeated the fa ¬ mous Spendthrift which clearly entitled him to the championship championship18SO 18SO LUKE BLACKBURN b c by Bonnie Scot ¬ land Nevada This colt created a greater sensa tion than ainy that had stairted up to that date He ran no less than twentyfour raices aind won twenty two He won all the great fixed events for three yearolds aind then entered the allaged events For the Grand Inion Prize handicap at Sairatoga he carried lit pounds defeating One Dime 4 years 110 pounds Glenmore 5 years 118 pounds and others 1881 HINDOO br c by Virgil Florence was another of the most famous performers of the dec aide lie stairted twenty times and won eighteen including the Kentucky Derby Lorillard Traivers Champion etc The gelding Crickmore his only formidable competitor defeated him for the Brigh ¬ ton Purse and September Stakes but he defeated Crickmore for the Tidal He was one of the best race horses that has appeared within the memory of the present generation 1882 RUNNYMEDE br c by Billet Mercedes won four out of eight raices including the Clark Tidal Coney Island Derby aind Lorillard in the last mimed beating Forester the Belmont winner of tliait year He was ai colt of exquisite beauty rather delicate but ai thoroughly game one as he showed when he defeaited Forester for the Lorillard 1883 GEORGE KINNEY b c by Bonnie Scot ¬ land Kathleen AVOII twelve out of eighteen races Withers Belmont Lorillard Kenner Monmouth Je ¬ rome Dixie and Itreckenridge For the Monmouth he defeated Kole Iroquois winner of the Derby in England Monitor Miss Woodford etc His best race was the Grand National Handicap all ages 2 14 miles with 119 pounds beating General Mon ¬ roe 5 years 118 pounds thus conceding Monroe 1C pounds and Monroe won the Suburban the following spring George Kinney was ax horse of the most robust type as were many of the Itonnie Scotlands and was good in all kinds of going 1884 ST SAVIOUR b c by Eolus War Song won three out of four raices the Barnegat Raritan and Newairk and was second to Rataplan for the Emporium Modesty was the best of the western band but when she came east had lost her form aind performed only moderately 1885 WANDA ch f by Mortemer Minnie Minor won four important stakes the Mermaid the Loril ¬ lard Monmouth Oaks aind West End She wais sec ¬ ond to St Augustine to which she conceded 7 pounds for the Spindrift and wais second to Hidalgo to which she conceded 12 pounds for the September Stakes The valuable Lorillard stakes wais her greatest effort for she defeaited Pardee Grano Bersan Tyrant aind aill the best of the year She had developed a ringbone when she won the West End and it drove her out of training 1886 INSPECTOR B b c by Enquirer Colossa and THE BARD b c by Longfellow Bradamanto It is difficult to determine between these colts Inspector B was clearly the best in the spring but The Bard wais the best of the two in the aiutumn and wais never beaten aifter July winning eight con ¬ secutive raices Inspector B won nine out of seven ¬ teen including the Belmoiit Lorillard Travers etc The Bard won eleven races out of seventeen includ ¬ ing the Preakncss Spindrift Freehold Omnibus Dixie aind Itreckenridge 1887 HANOVER ch c by Hindoo Bourbon Belle was in ai class by himself aind had he been raced less frequently it is doubtful if he would ever halve lost ai race He started twentyseven times aind won twenty which included the Withers Belmont Lorillard and all the great events for threeyearolds But he came out in May and won the Brookdaile Handicap for all ages with 111 pounds beating Dry Monopole 4 years 114 pounds which had just won the greait Brooklyn Haindicaip For the Emporium with 128 pounds he conceded 20 pounds to some of the field Laggard beait him for the Karitam Staikes but Hanover wais trying to concede him 17 pounds Besides he wais beginning to grow stailo and wais not ais successful ais he had been earlier in the season 1888 EMPEROR OF NORFOLK b c by Nor ¬ folk Marian won nine races out of eleven starts including the Brooklyn Derbv Swift American Derby Drexel aind Sheridan Staikes He did not start aifter July but for the Brooklyn Derby he defeated Kaicelaind Sir Dixon and Prince Royal so decisively ais to leave no doubt ais to his superi ¬ ority as those colts accounted for all the other staikes of the year 1889 SALVATOR ch c by Prince Charlie Salina stairted eight times and won seven raices Tidal Realization Lorillard Jersey Handicap and September Staikes For the Jersey Haindicaip he carried 124 pounds conceding eight pounds to Cor tez In the Keailizatioii he conceded Tenny thirteen pounds His only defeait wais for the Omnibus when with 125 pounds be finished third to Long street 118 pounds aind Proctor Knott 120 pounds It wais ai good yeair of threeyearolds Tenny and Longstreet being fair examples examples18SC 18SC TOURNAMENT br c by Sir Modred Plaything While am erratic colt aind not the best of staiyers haid am enormous burst of speed and won the lions shaire of the rich staikes He lost eight consecutive races before he spreaideaigled the Realization field winning by fifty vairds Then he won the Omnibus Choice Omnium Handicap Je ¬ rome Moshailu and Hickory Stakes In his laist raice the Pelheim Bay llaindicaip he tried to con ¬ cede Riley eighteen pounds but it was beyond his ability 1891 POTOMAC ch c by St Blaise Susque hanna This colt won four out of six races in ¬ cluding the Realization Spindrift and Bairnegat He only won the Realization by ai nose from Mon tanai and wais the first colt to aiccomplish the double event of the Futurity at two aind the Reali ¬ zation at three 1892 TAMMANY ch c by Iroquois Tullahonia won four out of five raices the Withers Keailiza tion Lorillard aind Jerome aind wais second to Charaide for the Tidal He defeaited ai fairly good band in Patron Victory Huron Yorkville Belle etc aind was a colt of high class 1893 MORELLO b c by Eolus Cerise CLIF ¬ FORD b c by Bramble Duchess It is difficult to classify these colts Morello won ten out of fifteen including the Hawthorne Derby aind Wheel or Haiiulicap Clifford won eighteen out of twenty four including the Ilmmiv aiud Lntoniai Prize They raiced in the west The eastern colts were am inferior liaind Contimiiil on second page BEST OF THE YEAR OF OUR THREE YEAROLDS OF PAST FIFTY YEARS Continued from first page 1894 HENRY OF NAVARRE ch c by Knight of Ellerslie Moss Rose won thirteen out of twenty races includiilg the Belmont Spindrift Travers Foxhall Iroquois Dolphin and Bay Handicap The famous Domino was out that year and could run nway with anything up to a mile Domino and Henry of Navarre ran a dead heat for a match at one mile and an eighth but Henry of Navarres best race was at Morris Park one mile and an eighth when at weightforage he defeated Clif ¬ ford and Domino 1895 KEEN AN ch c by Lisbon Patrimony won four out of five races which Included the Brooklyn Derby Boulevard Handicap and the Tidal and wax beaten a neck by Bright Phoebus for the Realization It was a year of rather Inferior three yearolds 1896 REQUITAL b c by Eothen Retribution won four out of five races which included tlie Swift Realization and Twin City Handicap and was sec ¬ ond to Captive for th1 September Shikfs courfdiiig twenty five pounds For tin Twin City the throe yearold carried 111 pounds and won in a canter from Dutch Skater 5 years ninetyfive pounds For the Realization he carried 119 pounds beating Peep oDay 107 pounds Merry Prince 110 pounds Hastings 118 pounds Ben Brush was a great colt in the spring but trained off 1807 ORNAMENT ch c by Order Victorine started for sixteen races and won ten His best races were the Twin City Handicap one and one quarter miles for whicli he carried 118 pounds beating Flying Dutchman five years 121 pounds Havoc five years 114 pounds Requital four years 12S pounds and Sir AValter aged with 117 pounds For the Autumn Cup handicap he finished fourth witli 123 pounds or seven pounds above scale to the winner Ben Holladay four years with 114 pounds or sixteen pounds off scale Yet the betting was 5 to 4 on Ornament 1398 HAMBURG br c by Hanover Lady Reel won four out of five races lie was third to Bow ¬ ling Brook for the Belmont but won the Spring Special Swift Realization and Brighton Cup His defeat of Plaudit for the Realization left no doubt of his merit as Plaudit had swept the board in the west But for this Hamburgs claim as the colt of the year would be weak as he ran but few races and beat common horses His Brighton Cup was a farce farce188S 188S ETHELBERT b c by Eothen Maori won eight out of fourteen races including the Spindrift and Realization He was second to Imp for the Brighton Handicap and to FiliLrane for tlie Metro ¬ politan and lie defeated Kinley Mack for the Spin ¬ drift But his best raw was when he was third in a race of three heads at Morris Park with 117 pounds to Muskadine 4 years 101 pounds over a two and onequarter miles course 1000 KILMARNOCK br c by Sir Bixon Miss Used started in only three races and won one the AAitliers and was sent to England He was second to Petrncio for the Bnioklru Derby con ¬ ceding Petrucio eighteen lounds and fifteen pounds to David Garrick It is not an easy matter to de ¬ cide between the merits of the colts of this season but KilmarnocUs Withers Stakes was a brilliant performance and Ills Brooklyn Derby not less so so1S01 1S01 COMMANDO b c by Domino Emma C started for three races and won two For the Rel inont he defeated The Pannier and All Green For the Carlton he conceded Blues 15 pounds and beat him by three lengths For the Realization he was beaten by The Parader and as he had gone amiss raced no more His defeat of Blues was a fine performance as Blues was one of the best of the year 1902 HERMIS ch c by Henaance Katy of tho West started fourteen times winning ten races whicli include tile Travers Saranac Handicap First Special Jerome Handicap Oceanview and Mamaro neck After the month of July he won every race for which he started 1903 AFRICANDER b c by Star Ruby Afric Queen started fifteen times and won eight races among them the Belmont Suburban Advance Real ¬ ization Saratoga Cup and Champlain Handicap In an overnight handicap early in June he conceded 25 pounds and a beating to Duke of Kendal For the Suburban with 110 pounds he defeated Herbert years IIS pounds Hunter Raine 4 years OS pounds and iHhind them were such horses as Hermis Heno and Major Daingerfield lit defeated Irish I id at evens for the Advance Stakes and in the Saratoga Cup he defeated Heno and AVaterboy I have al ¬ ways entertained the idea that Africander was one of the best colts of his generation generation1S04 1S04 ORT WELLS ch c by King Eric Teas Over and BELDAME ch f by Octagon Bella Donna Ort AAells was clearly the best of the threeyearolds in the spring He won nine races including tlie Tidal Commonwealth Handicap Real ¬ ization Brighton Derby etc His race for the Commonwealth was extremely good AArith 110 pounds lie defeated The Picket winner of the Prooklyn 4 years 12i pounds Irish Lad 4 years 32 pounds and six others But he had too many ices close together and trained off Beldame won twelve out of fourteen races all the filly stakes and the Dolphin September First and Second Spe ¬ cials and Saratoga Cup The only races she lost was second for Metropolitan with 98 pounds to Irish Lad 4 years 123 pounds and second to Her ¬ mis for Test Handicap with 115 pounds and had a bad start Her Saratoga Cup she won by six lengths lengthsam am Africander The Picket Caughnawaga etc etc1S05 1S05 SYSONBY b c by Melton Optimo won all the nine races for which he started He divided the Metropolitan with Race King to which he eon ceded 27 pounds the Tidal Commonwealth Handi ¬ cap Realization Iroquois Brighton Derby Grat Republic Century and Annual Champion He vas probably one of the best race horses we have ever seen Plain big and sluggish but his speed was marvelous and he could maintain it further than any of his contemporaries Great colt he was at two but he was better at three No horse could it was Sysonby first the rest no Lannot forget his Commonwealth fin ¬ ish when the late Mr Jack Follansbee turned to us with Some colt Sysonby eh What 1905 BURGOMASTER b c by Hamburg Hur ¬ ley Burley started only twice but he won both tinos the Carlton defeating The Quail and six others and the Itclmont defeating The Quail Ac ¬ countant and others ills enormous body was too heavy for his underpinning and he fell lame but Accountant which he easily defeated won nearly all the stakes that year which would make Burgo ¬ master the best 1907 PETER PAN b c by Commando Cinder ¬ ella won six out of nine the Belmont Standard Brooklyn Derby Tidal Advance and Brighton Han ¬ dicap The last was his best as witli 115 pounds or one pound over scale he conceded fourteen pounds to McCartcr and six pounds to Montgomery and weight to the entire field A half mile from the finish he was cut off and was nearly last but came through the field like a swift yacht going through a fleet of fishing smacks Frank Gill beat him for the Coney Island Stakes but he defeated Jill for the Brooklyn Derby and Pelmont and in the Ad ¬ vance he defeated Salvidere and Running Water 1903 COLIN br c by Commando Pastorella started for three races and won them all For the AVithers he defeated Fair Play King James and others For the Belmont he had a tremendous finish with Fair Play but won by a neck He won the Tidal and was then exported to England but in his absence Fair Plav and King James became so great as to further emphasize Colins superiority 1909 FITZ HERBERT b c by Ethelbert Mor ¬ ganatic had a great career winning the Suburban the Realization and Jerome Ho was quite the cham ¬ pion not only in the stakes for threeyearolds but in the events for threeyearolds and over 1910 DALMATIAN br c by Xthelbert lonis was probably the best of an indifferent band He won the Coney Island Stakes beating Saper and The Turk tlie Brooklyn Derby beating Prince Im ¬ perial the Seagate and Iroquois also the Yonkers Handicap The Empire City Handicap was his bst race in which with 118 pounds he beat Stanley Fay 5 years 104 pounds and others Ocean Bound beat him for the Swift Stakes at evens but over a distance Dalmatian seemed the best 1911 MERIDIAN b c by Broomstick Euo Smith was clearly the pick of the season He won the Kentucky Derby beating Gov Grey and otlit rs He won the Frontier Handicap by five lengths with 110 pounds defeating Place Glass five years 120 pounds Zeus three years 117 paunds Countless four years 118 pounds For the National Handicap with 114 pounds he won by six lengths conceding eight pounds to the fouryearold Everett 1912 THE MANAGER ch c by Voter Brace girdle won nine races including the Canadian Derby Inaugural Handicap Baltimore and AVashing toii Handicap In the AVashington with 124 pounds he defeated Worth 115 pounds and six others For the Grand National Handicap he had 127 pounds and ran third to Lahore 4 years 10S pounds and Bounder 5 years 94 pounds Thus he conceded 27 pounds to tin winner and 41 pounds to the second horse He drew the extreme outside position in a field of ten and had to cross to the rail at tae start was interfered with on the turn but for which he would likely have won It lias always impressed me as one of the best performances I have witnessed 1913 ROCKVIEV br c by Rock Sand GoWen View won five out of seven races the Rennert Handicap Withers Prooklyn Derby Realization and Travers 1914 ROAMER b g by Knight Errant Rose Tree and LUKE McLUKE b c by Ultimus Midge Luke McLuke won the Kentucky Handicap 100 pounds and the Belmont Stakes beating Gainer and Charlestonian the Carlton beating Stromboli Charlestonian and others Roamer won twelve races was once second twice third and only once un ¬ placed His best race was the AVashington Handi ¬ cap for all ages Uoamer 3 years 124 pounds beat ¬ ing Tartar 4 years 102 pounds He also won the Municipal Carter Huron Brooklyn Derby and Trav ¬ ers 1915 REGRET ch f by Broomstick Jersey Lightning was unbeaten winning the Kentucky Derby beating Pebbles Sharpshooter Ed Crump Nurse King fifteen in all For the Saranac IlnmlU cap she with 123 nonnds defeated Trial by Jury 114 pounds Lady Itotha lOli Tlie Finn 121 The Finn was much the best of the colts but Regret defeated him conceding two pounds and with a good margin
