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RECORD HOLDERS OF TEE AMERICAN MILE RECORD FOR A PERIOD OF NINETY-FOUR YEARS The practice of timing horses in races is almost as old as the American turf, but measurably accurate timing may bo said to date from the first great sectional match between the north and the south at the Union course, near Jamaica. L. I., in 1823, Robert Stevens of Hoboken having imported the first stop watches ever seen here for the express purpose of taking the time of American Eclipse and Sir Henry in that memorable- race, according to the old Spirit of the Times. The circumstances may have influenced Henry William Herbert Frank Forester to fix upon this date as the beginning of authentic turf history, and led him to say in the Horse and Horsemanship of the United States: "I esteem nothing positively authentic in the shape of performances, and 1 hold nothing as on record prior to the races of American Eclipse and his competitors." The average time of the American race horse for one mile at this period was little faster than that of the best trotting horses in the Grand Circuit of today. On some of the minor race tracks a mile in two minutes or better was rather the exception than the rule for many years after 1823. But conditions were vastly different for the running horses of those early days, most of the tracks being little more than paths, while the footing on some of them was almost as deep as plowed ground. Instead of being thrown up at the turns they were usually flat, and the best of them was never worked and watered like the fast tracks of the present day in New York and vicinity. American race horses of a century ago, and even those of half a century ago, had, however, one great advantage Over those of the present day in the matter of making fast performances, as measured by the watch. The younger ones in particular carried far lighter weights then than now, the scale of the South Carolina Jockey Club being In 1819 102 pounds for four-year-olds, 90 pounds for three-year-olds ar.d a feather for two-year-olds in weight-for-age races. Still lighter Weights were in vogue at a much later period in the south and west, Lexington having carried .ynly- S5 pounds in his first four-mile race with Lecomte as a three-year-old at New Orleans in 1S54, while his great son, Kentuckj-, took up only 100 pounds when he won the first Travers Stakes in 1804. Several of the later day winners of the Saratoga feature have shouldered 129 pounds. TIME TEST NOT CONCLUSIVE. Ability to carry high weight at high speed is one of the main things that distinsuish the stake horse from the selling plater or second rater.. The records of racing are full of instances in which horses of no pretension to class have run- exceptionally fast miles, but it was always with light weight up. Only the high class thoroughbreds make fast time under heavy burdens. Because mere speed is not by any means conclusive proof of what turfmen call class, the time made in races has never been considered important by the generality of horsemen, some of whom, like John E. Madden, will tell you today that you must disregard the time test altogether in judgini; a runner. But it would bother Mr. Madden or anybody else to name many, if any, selling platers that have run fast miles with stiff weight up. And in actual practice nearly everybody relies largely on the stop watch in buying or backing race horses. Tradition says that Timoleon, the son of Sir Arcliy and the sire of Boston, was the first horse in America to run a mile in a race in 1:50 or better. This lie is said to have done in the spring of 1810 at the Newmarket course, near Petersburg, Va., in a race for three-year-olds. If the time was accurately taken and remembered Timoleon ran the first heat in 1:17 and distanced the field in 1:4S in the second heat. One of the first, if not the first, authentic records faster than 1:50 was made in a race at the I.nion course in 1825 by the gray filly Ariel, then three years old. and afterward celebrated as probably the greatest campaigner the breed of race horses has ever produced in any country. Her owner, Henry Lynch, matched her against Colonel William R. Johnstons Lafayette for ,000 a side, and she won the first heat in 1:19. Ariel was bred by Gerrit Vandeveer of Brooklyn, and was a daughter of American Eclipse, winner of the 0,000 race at the Union course in 1823. She was barely fifteen hands high, yet she ran more than 315 miles in fifty-seven races, of which she won forty-two, and of these seventeen were at four-mile heats. LOWERS ARIELS RECORD. Ariels record seems to have stood five years unbeaten. It was lowered in another memorable race for three-year-olds over the Union course in 1830. by an unnamed colt owned by James J. Harrison of North. Carolina, and afterward known as Pilot and A lid Bill. He was by Sir Arcliy Wests Maria, by Gallatin. In a sweepstakes for S500 a corner, which brought together breeders and colts from all sections of the country, ho won the second of three heats in 1:18. but the race went to the famous gray mare Bonnets Blue, bred and owned by Colonel Johnston, "the Napoleon of the Turf," and by Sir Charles, the son of his old champion, Kir Henry, dam Sir Arehys best daughter, Reality, of which he once said she was the greatest race nag he ever saw. Bonnets o Blue in after years became the property of William Gibbons of Madison, N. J., and produced Fashion, the conqueror of Boston in another of the great seetional match races between the mirth and south for 0,000 stakes at the Union course in 1842. Pilots performance was not beaten until 1SI0, and then for the first and onlv time an English thoroughbred held the American record at one mile. The imiKirteil runner was Houri, owned by Duncan F. Kenner of Louisiana, for whom the Kenner Stakes at Saratoga was named. In a race over the Eclipse course at New Orleans, in March, when she was technically a two-year-old under southern racing rules, she ran a mile in 1:47, with three-year-old weight, eighty-three pounds up. This performance was the first of a series which gave continued supremacy to New Orleans tracks for more than twenty years in the matter of speed, not only at one mile but at nearly all distances up to four miles. Not until after the civil war, when the southern turf had been wrecked, did the tracks of Kentucky aiid the north regain the ascendency. It was over the famed Metaire course at New Orleans in 1855. that Prioress set the record at 1:45 before going to England to win the Cesare-witcli Stakes at Newmarket the following year. She was bred and owned by General T. J. Wells, owner of her ill-fated half-brother Lecomte, the only horse that ever defeated Lexington. While she was still a two-year-old under southern rules she won the Eqmis Stakes, at mile heats, on April ;, running her miles in the unprecedented time of 1:40 and 1:15, which led to her purchase on the spot by Richard Ten Broeck for his pioneer invasion of the British turf. Lecomte, Starke winner of the Goodwood Cup, by Wagner, and Prioress, by Sovereign, were all members of Mr Ten Broecks English stable, and all were foals of Gleneoes great daughter, Reel, the masterly portrait of which by Troye, hangs in the board room of the Jockey Club in New York. The Sovereign-Glencoe cross which produced Prioress was responsible for two other record breakers of the civil war period in Price McGraths four-year-old filly Mamona, that ran a mile in 1:44 in the Phoenix Stakes at Lexington in 1S02, and in Dr. Weldons six-year-old horse Legal fender, that ran a third heat in 1:44 in a race at Cincinnati a few weeks after the war ended. 1805. Herzog, the three-year-old that first beat 1:44 by running a second heat in 1:43 over the same track four years afterward, was out of a Sovereign mare, lie was one of the best three-year-olds of his day and would have been one of the handsomest but for the fact that the tips of botli ears had been frozen off when he was a foal. The blood of Sovereign was in evidencu again when Herzogs record was lowered to 1:43 by George Cijilwiillatlers four.-year- Continued. on eighth page. i HOLDERS OF AMERICAN MILE RECORD FOR NINETY-FOUR YEARS Continued from second page. old colt Fadladeen in a race at Lexington in 1871, Mahomet, the sire of dam, being a son of that horse. SALVATORS DAM EQUALS RECORD. Salina, a three-year-old sister to Nevada, the dam of Luke Blackburn, and herself the dam of the great Salvator in after years, equaled Fadla-Icons time the next day. and they -were joint holders of the record until Alarm at the Saratoga meeting of 1872 reeled off a heat in 1:42. with Fadladeen. Kingfisher and other good ones behind him. Kingfisher had won a race in 1:43 Vi. pulled double, onlv :t few days previously, with a prize of ,000 awaiting him if he had beaten 1:41. Alarm, the first horse to beat 1:43, is noted in turf history as the grandsire of Domino, and all the tribe of modern sprinters descended from the fleet but flashv black son of Himyar and Mannie Gray. He was bred in Westchester County by the late John Hunter, in whose colors he ran at Saratoga. The first attempt to lower the record in a race against time took place at Saratoga in 1874, when August Belmont backed his five-year-old horse Grav Planet for ,000 to run a mile in 1:43and or better. Louis L. Lorillard backing time. The son of Planet won the match with a second to spare, setting the record at 1:4214. This time was beaten in a selling race at Lexington tlie next spring. Searcher, a three-year-old colt by Enquirer, distancing his opponents in the first heat in 1:41. He was e ntered to be sold for ,500, and his owner was in a dilemma when it was seen that he had beaten all records, for the well-bred colt was worth far more money. The only thing that saved him was the ruling of the judges that having distanced all competitors the money he might sell foi would go to his owner, there being no second horse to take it. He was bid up to ,000, but did not change hands. Starting in a race at catca weights over the fast trotting track at Hartford during the Grand Circuit meeting of 1S75. Bob Cathearts bay gPllJK Kadi, bv Lexington, Katonah the dam of lorn Ochiltree, beat Father Bill Dalys Lorena, Colonel S. I. Brines Warrior and others in l:42tf. and 1:4114. thus setting the record half a second neater the goal of 1:10. which looked about as far away as 2:10 was for the trotters. St. Julien, Rarus. Goldsmith Maid and other champions among the harness horses raced at this meeting. It was Kadis performance which brought about the memorable race of Ten Broeck against time at Louisville in the spring of 1877. Frank R Harper, who owned him, declared during the winter that his horse could beat the record at one mile as easily as he had beaten Lexingtons long standing four-mile record, and the Louisville Jockey Club hung up a purse of Sfir as an inducement for him to m-ike the trial. Ten Broeck made his name almost is well known as that of Goldsmith Maid when he finished the mile in 1:39 carrying 110 lunds. This record stood as the limit of speed for thirteen vears though Maori, a foreign-bred four-year-old. earning 105 uounds, nearly equaled it m a winning race at Washington Park in Chicago in 1880. And in 1S90. on the same track, the California three-year-old Racine, bred by Governor Loland Stanford at the Palo Alto Stock Farm, clipped a quarter of a second off the marl: in a race easily won from Marion C. and other fast ones. ON STRAIGHTAWAY TRACK. This performance took place in June, and in July preparations were made to wipe it out on the new itraightawav track at Monmouth Park, near Long Branch. Several races at one mile were rim over this toboggan slide, and in one of thPin. on July .41, Thomas Purvears three-year-old bay colt Raveloe, another Californian. by Joe Hooker, dam n mure by Alarm, ran the distance in 1:3014 with 107 pounds ""One month later came the sensational performance of Salvator against time. lopping nearly four seconds off the record over the same course. Horsemen never expected to see this mark equaled after the straight course at Monmouth Park disappeared, but some of those who saw Salvator make it lived to stop their watches last year on two horses, one of them a three-vear-old. in faster time, and on a track with a turn. Reamers mile against time iu 1-34 at Saratoga stands as the American record, but it is well known that Sun Briar ran a mile in 1-34 over the same track in the presence of judges aiid timers, who. however, were not appointed in the regular wav. and approved by the Jockey Club, hence the performance was not a technical record. Below is the first compilation ever made of most of the successive record holders from Aerial to Itoamer. It covers a neriod of ninety-four years and has involved a laborious search of files of the American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, the old Porters Spirit, Wilkes Spirit, The Turf, and Farm.- the American Racing Calendar and rf guides by Criekmore and Goodwin, as well f volumes "printed, not published," by AVil- Whitney in 1901 to supply missing records il war and reconstruction days: Ariel. Henry Lynchs gr. f, 3. by American Eclipse Voung Empress, by Financier: Union Course. L. I., October 3, 1S25; 95 lbs. Black Harry 1:19 Pilot. J. J. Harrisons b. c. 3. by Sir Archy Wests Maria, by Gallatin: Union Course. L. I., May 21, 1S30; 83 lbs. unknown lAS Houri, Duncan F,,..Kenners ch. f, 3, by Lau-gar Annot Lyler, lfy Askton; Kclipse Cours. New Orleans. La., March 18, 1S40; 83 lbs. unknown .-- 1:47 Creatli, Fergus Duplantiers b. c, 4, by Tranby, dam by Big Archy; Metaire Course, New Orleans, La., Slarch 27, 1S42; 8t lb.i. unknown 1:40 Flving Dutchman. A. W. Smalls b. h, 5. by Gray Eagle Blinkey. by Muckle John; P.ingamiu Course. New Orleans, La., March I. 1S50: 80 lbs. unknown 1:4514 Prioress. T. J. Wells b. f. 3, by Sovereign Reel, bv Glencoe; Metaire Course. New Orleans, La.. April 3. 18r.fi; 83 lbs. Charles Tucker 1:45 Allendorf, W. T. Cheathams ch. g, 5. by ieorge Elliott Miss Peyton, by American Eclipse; Metaire Course, New Orleans, La., Anril 4. IStiO; 8i lbs. unknown 1:4414 Mamoiia," II. P. McGraths b. f, 4. by SovereignMiriam, by Glencoe; Lexington, Kv., June 9, 1SG2: 101 lbs. unknown 1:4414 Legal Tender. J. W. Weldons b. h. ti. by Sovereign Florine. by Glencoe; Cincinnati. O., June 23, 1805; 101 lbs. unknown 1:4-1 Herzog. John Jacksons b. c, 3. by Vandal Dixie, by Sovereign; Cincinnati, ., May 25, 1SG9; 90 lbs. unknown 1:4314 Fadladecn, George Cadwalladers ch. , 4, by War Dance Nora Creina. by Mahomet; Lexington, Ky., May 22, 1S71; 80 lbs. unknown 1:43 Alarm, John Hunter and William H. Trav-ers b. c, 3, by Eclipse Maud, by Stock -well; Saratoga Springs, N. V., July 17, 1872; 90 lbs. F. Gray 1:42 Cray Planet, August Belmonts gr. h, u, bv Planet Engless, by Glencoe; Saratoga Springs, N. Y., August 13, 1874; 110 lbs., Evans 1:42!4 Searcher Leandcr. J. B. Rodes. b. c, 3, by Enquirer Bonnie May, by Bonnie Scotland; Lexington, Ky., May 13, 1875; 90 , lbs Colston 1:41"! Kadi, Robert Cathearts b. jr. 0, by Lexington Katoua, by Voucher; Hartford, Conn., September 2, 1875; about 80 lbs Cochran 1:41 Vi Ten Broeck. F. B. Harpers b. h, 5. by Phaeton Fanny Holton. -by Lexington; Louisville, Ky., May 24, 1S77; 110 lbs. Walker 1:39 Racine. Thomas H. Williams b. c. 3. by Bishop Fairy Rose, by Kisber; Washington Park, Chicago, 111., June 28, 1890; 107 lbs. Joe Narvaez 1:3914 Raveloe. Thomas Purycars b. c, 3, by Joe Hooker Illusion, by Alarm; Monmouth Park. Long Branch, N. J., July 31, 1S90; 107 lbs. Covington .-tl:30V4 Salvator, James B. Hagginst ch. e, 4, by Prince Charlie Salina, by Lexington; Monmouth Park. Long Branch, N. J., August 28. 1890; 110 lbs Martin fl:35V4 Roamer. Andrew Millers b. g, 7. by Knight Errant Rose Tree II.. by Bona Vista; Saratoga Springs, N. , August 21, 1918; 110 lbs. Andrew Schuttinger l:34Jf. Against time. tStraight track. New York Herald.
