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DONNACONA OF GREAT QUALITY A SHINING SCION OF THE AGNES NUMBER SIXTEEA FAMILY, WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO PROMISE FUTURE RACING PROWESS By EXILE The best horse I ever saw race? Why, Prince Palatine, of course, arid here; a son of his, Donnacona, much like him in make, shape arid coloring, the same resolute look about Kim, a good tailer, plenty of-scope for the improvement he is certain to make from, two to three, and bred well-nigh to perfection. Perhaps a trifle straight in front, but if he only stands the searching preparation so requisite for the St. Simons to bring out the best that is in them, Donnacona will be a thorn in the side of all of them next year. It was in Saratoga time that I was first introduced to Donnacona, hardly then recovered from a spell of influenza. It was deemed best to observe a waiting policy. It was wisely pursued and has resulted most happily, and his fortunate owner can now look forward to a good time coming. Donnacona is bred to improve. His sire, Prince Palatine, won three races as a two-ycar-o.d, including the Imperial Produce Stakes of 5,000 from that fast horse Braxtcd and two others, but not in quite first class company, and finished beyond the pale to King William, Phryxus and Atmah for the Dewhurst Plate, any one of which he could beat with case the following season. The Prince as a three-year-old evidently was net at his best when Bannock-burn beat him for the Fifty-third Biennial at Ascot, and Mushroom must be accounted lucky to have finished in front of him for the Mid-Summer Stakes at Newmarket Second July meeting. Following this; came a victory in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, and at Doncastcr The Princes first real triumph came in the St. Leger, in the running of which, as they came into the straight, some spectator, I have heard it said, thought the rest had. been left at the j.ost, The Prince was so far in the van. The following season Prince Palatine scored his first Gold Cup victory, and never shall I forget that sunny Sandown afternoon, when Prince Palatine and Stedfast had their duel for the Eclipse Stakes. As the finishing line was approached Danny Maher, on Stedfast, squared his elbows as was his wont when winning, but the son of Persimmon would not be denied and was at him again hammer and tongs, nod for nod, and the last time got him a head the winner. As a battler, he was, I should say, the best ever. Kildonan was sent away to France in 1902, where she foaled Venyood, now the sire of Trompe La Mort whose exile in Pennsylvania I regret but was returned to England in 1914 and bred Orestes and two years later Donnacona. Lochnell, granddam of Donnacona, so far as J know never won a race and had only a few foals in England before it is supposed she was drafted for abroad. The blood, however, was there just the same, her sire being the undefeated Barcaldine, sire of the dams of Sain, the Australian champion Malster, the French Derby and Grand Prix winner Perth and the winner of the Prix du Conseil Municipal, Macdonald II. If there is nothing in breeding how comes it these fine, effervescent St. Simons score best off mares in which is found the heavy, rather coarse strain of Melbourne close up? StVSimon, remember, sired Persimmon and his brothers, La Fleche arid her sister Memoir, St. Frus-quin, St. Maclou, La Roche and others, out of mares showing Melbourne close to the surface, and Desmond sired his best, The White Knight, Pella, by Buckshot, son of Solon, by Melbourne. Surely there must be some sort of St. Simon-Melbourne affinity. Anyway, I prefer to think that there is. Bonnie Ages, which follows, bred the first classic winner for this now famous No. 16 family in Bonnie Jean, which won the Oaks as recently as 1883. Bonnie Agnes -also bred Agnostic, dam of the 1905 Two Thousand Guineas winner Vedas, and his sister, Gemma, dam of Sardanapale. Just think a bit, only thirty-six years have come and gone since the Agnes family came to light as a classic one, and take stock of what membars of this family have accomplished since, with such as Sardanapale, Sceptre, Desmond, his dam the Oaks winner LAbbesse de Jouarre; Handicapper, Sunny Jane, St. Denis, Pommern Triple Crown, Mun-caster, Kendal, Zinfandel, St. Gatien, Broomstick and Ormonde. I tell you it is nothing short of marvelous the success that has attended the efforts at all points of members of the No. 16 Agnes family. Once they begin to improve there is no telling where they will stop, and for this reason, as well as his St. Simon descent, via Persimmon and Prince Palatine, and his touch of Barcaldine and Hampton strain, besides his family traits outstanding, I expect to see Donnacona improve out of all knowledge next year and regard him also, in days to come, as most desirable for use as a sire. St. Simon 11 J Galopin 3 i Vedette 19 E I browu, 1SS1 1 . Flying Duchess.,...:... 3 II .-Pensimmoni:-i:l L. ..., - .LStAngela . King:.Tomiuiis.-.. 3 II I bay, 1893 "I f f"0"-"-""-"1" I I rcrdita II. ... 7 i Hampton .......10 r f 1 S Henalone j SSll? . .V"2? E t i . . f 1 3 Isonoi,! -19 EinBciia v::;;;::;:i9 h S - "t- - - Hay, 1890 . j Genlock 4 E r. L f00t M Dead LfKk I Malpractice 3 E m bay, 1900 . I . . J Hampton 10 E Ayrshire c, ....... S Q lJ I. Glare..: Ataiint:l 8 E S J Footlight Cremorne 2 II O . Paraffin ... 1 E i: r Hampton .......10 Lord Clifden ... 2- ?wl,iI,,s,t,r K j I Slave 2 M 1 - is I f i iz; . f rLadas l! I Lady Langden ... Kettledrum 3 E S bay, 1891 1 . iirVot H 55 1!-adsman 13 E - Illuminata luum,I1lxa 1 XJ Itosicruci Kosicrucian in .... o , , - I ... Madame Egleiitine 5 H 5 " Paraffin J Blair Athol 10 E s .- I Paradigm 1 E Australmn . . . . M Solon 23 ij f barcaldine ...23 j ..J A Lochnell ...1G.J bay 18,S I Ballyroe J Belladrum 22 E - I- chestnut, i.4.. inn 1891 i 15n Accord 23 E ! Bonnie Agnes . .10 Y 1!lair AtUt1 10 "J Stockwell Blink Bonny ."........lb 3 M V I Little Agnes 1 Trhe C."re ,i K Miss Agnes ..1G E Imported. .
