President Wilsons Saddle Horse, Democrat, Daily Racing Form, 1918-11-17

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President Wilsons Saddle Horse DEMOCRAT Washington D C November 16 It has been the subject of general comment that President Wilson is today in better physical condition than when the war broke oiif He lias been enabled to withstand the strain Ibe canse his system has been fortified by a regular campaign of exercise chief of which has been horseback riding ridingWhen When the President came to the White House he was known as a good walker and a fair golfer Tinder the tutelage of his personal physician Ad ¬ miral Gary T Grayson he has become a horseman of no mean ability and nearly every morning finds him in the saddle for an hour or more moreThe The matter of securing a suitable mount for the President was not easy A horse that was safe and had a good gait at the walk trot and canter was the type sought and Admiral Grayson who is an accomplished horseman finally found the animal he wanted in Virginia in the region of Front Koyal where the Federal Government has for some years had one of its experi ¬ mental stations for horse breeding breedingThe The horse in question which is now known as Democrat is six years old He is a son of the famous thoroughbred sire Octagon which Major August Belmont chairman of the Jockey Club gave to the United States Government when the Front Royal station was established Octagon was a son of the French sire Rayon dOr and his dam was Ortegal by the re ¬ nowned stallion Bend Or OrThe The breeding of the dam of Democrat cannot be authenticated but students of horse breeding would declare judging from the quality of her son that she had some warm blood in her veins She must have been at least halfbred and perhaps threequarters bred Democrat is a rich chest ¬ nut in color with three white legs and a star stands a trifle over 15Zlz hands and is a perfect type of the sort of horse the United States needs for cavalry remounts His feet and legs are of the best and his broad forehead indicates unusual brain power His neck is long and well shaped and his oblique shoulders run into a strong back that is coupled closely to broad wellrounded powerful quarters Very properly he is branded No 1 and all those who have to do with him say he is a perfect horse in every respect He has a quick brisk walk with that pendulumlike swing of the tail which denotes the right kind of stifle action His sloping pasterns guarantee a springy trot and he goes from a walk to an easy canter that makes his dis ¬ tinguished master forget everything but the joy of being alive aliveIt It is a coincidence that the charger of the late Earl Kitchener also was named Democrat He was a famous racer and was foaled in New Jersey the property of the late Pierre Lorillard who sent him to England where he won many great stakes and was generally acclaimed the best twoyearold of his year At that time Lord William Beresford was Mr Lorillards part ¬ ner on the turf and it was he who presented Democrat to Earl Kitchener Democrat was ridden at the Delhi Durbar and other functions and was greatly admired He was a son of the American stallion Sensation and the well known producing dam Equality


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1918111701/drf1918111701_1_5
Local Identifier: drf1918111701_1_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800