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. AMERICAN WINNING SIXES, 1860-1870 LEXINGTONS LONG REIGN AS PREMIER SIRE -HIS EVIDENT ADVANTAGES - THE RISE OF LEAMINGTON AND BONNIE SCOTLAND -BILLET AND GLENELG -- RAYON DOR AND ST. BLAISE - LONGFELLOW AND IROQUOIS - HIMYARS GREAT YEAR- HANOVERS FOUR YEARS IN THE LEAD - KINGSTON AND HASTINGS - MEDDLER AND BEN BRUSH- STAR SHOOT AND BROOMSTICK By W. S. VOSBURGHl A list of the wtaaiag airea af America previaaa to the year ls70 I have never seen published, and it has octal led to me thai it would add to the stock af tafermntion to present one- da flag from 1M$ and thus fermiag I record of the winnings of the et »f the sires dniny the Civil War period and the period of the revival of racing foUeWlag the Civil War. Last year I prepared a list of the BagUak winnim; sires of the paat hundred years, which was ptddiahed in Daily Racing Komi, and 1 hope some other rating enthusiast will prepare one of the record hack to 1*: i . which is aa far as authentic records are available. Allow me to say that I do not present tables of winning sm-s ;is conclusive proof of a sire"s superiority when the amount of money won b.v his progeny is made- the test. The money test fails when it happens that the best horse of a your has failed to win tin- most valuable stakes from the fact that he was not engaged. The case of St. Simon in Bagiaad illustrates this. He was not nominated for the rich events of 1884, hence his sire. Jalopin. had only t~.."iti9 to his credit, while Hermit led with £ SB. 418. Had st. Simon ttarted for the Two Thaaaand, Derby and st. Leger it is most likely that Onlepia would have headed the list. Still, while- the amount of money won is not always ,j conclusive test, it is the heal test we have, and. in most instances, is a good teat. is«; . Sires. Starters. Race* Won. Amount. It, •venue M H: MM3* I., xin. ton IS :«T 22.2K Rlencoe 13 30 1I.880 Belmont •" ■ 12,158 Yorkshire 7 IU $.9M vTagaer :t 4 V7 a» Keel Kye !» It 8.230 Lpcomnte ." •" •"•. "•" Highlander I 4 .Vi.io I M I . Sii- s. Starters. Races Won Amount. Lexlagtean 13 :i7 2,423 Glencoe 3 10 I2.S30 Bevenae I M l«,aM West Australian ... 1 :. 8.330 Vandal Ii 7 •..•-,."»l Albion 7 M .7tHl Hovereiga 1 ! 4.7." » Van Dyke 1! 4 4.430 ts«;i». Sires. Starters. llae-es Won. Amount. Lexington S 1 1 s n.7o i Albion 1 •" 4.0.10 Kalrownie 2 • 3.-J..0 Vandal •« !» -7.V Yorkshire 2 «• -«." o Revenue :t -" l.stHi 1 sts::. Sins. Starters. Races Won. Amount. Lexington 10 lt. SM.a". Balrownie 2 7 4.55g Kovereiga 4 VI 1.380 commodore 1 I 3.Lixi Scythian :? 7 2.«afl Stnr Davis 1 :! 2.230 Vandal ■" • -Hi 184t4. Sires. Btartem. Races Won. Amount. I.e-.ia.tm 13 :1s- sis ll Wagnei - ■ ».12« Yorkshire 1 I 7.!i..0 Balrownie 1 13 MM Knisiit of st. c -ge 7 ii 3.aag Vandal :! lo 3,730 is ;.-,. Sires. Start-is. Races Won. Amount. Lexington 31 83 8,730 Ringgold •. .10 lo 10.030 i;. vim • 7 lo 7,330 Van. la I 4 12 4.530 Sovereign lo Id 1.200 1.. lips.- t 7 :!.7".o I w.. I.its 1 1 3,200 Sires. St:, iters lt.ie-es Won. Amount. Drown Die k 1 1 % 1,800 Yorkshire- 2 4 1.708 Oliver 1 1 1.438 a/agner 1 1,288 Mahomet 1 •_ 1 lllel Kalrowaie I 1 I.ikki Jeff Davis I 1 Minn Sires Starters. Races Won. Amount. Gleacee i :t $ 2.100 Oliver 1 -2 2.100 Mahomc-t J I 1.7." tl Yorkshire J : 1.830 Ronnie Scotland .... 4 7 1,538 Cracker :i 598 Revenue 1 1 548 Sires. Matter*. Races Won. Amount. Rareretga •" 0 s 8,488 LYIipse I s :;.dhi I Sum modern 1 I 2.100 iaidors.-r 1 I 1.880 Mahoin. t :t 7 1.750 tannic Scotland . . . t 7 1,225 ISIHL sir.-s. Starter*. Race* Won. Amount. I Lexington 34 11- I82,T25 lack Maloae :: D •• -■" i la-lips,- .i 13 8.750 Bouuie s.otlan.l ... I 18 8.000 Lightning 7 11 8.S00 Revenue 8 13 8.350 Ringgold « 15 5.700 « ...in n. ..lor.- I 13 5.350 Sires. Starlets-. Race* Won. Amount. Kalghl of st. a ge ." 1 1 $ $.800 Kovereiga 3 11 :t.7.".o Vandal 3 7 2,700 1 Star Hat is I 10 2.830 I.alronia :t .". 2,300 1 Kndnraer l .". 1.850 1 Albion 1 :i 1,800 1 ist;:. ; I . . • Hires st.nt. -fs. Race* Won. Amount. I.exi.iion S3 88 4,830 i:,|,ps.. lit 28 10.800 Ringgold 3 10 12.200 Jack Mai 5 23 10.000 Lightning •" 20 10.800 iistr.ili;in s 13 8.083 Plane 8 ■ 7 ,338 Balrownie 7 11 7,050 Sires. Starters. IJaces Won. Amount. Knight .if St. George 8 8 $ 3.000 Balrowaie :. G 2,880 Bonnie Scotland ....."• 7 - L.7." 0 Commodore 1 3 1,550 Mahomet 4 1,300 Albion 2 L 1,050 sires Starters. Races Won. Amoaat. I Daniel ISoone I s . loft I Vandal 5 12 IM« ,. I Reveane :; 13 I.TS5 | Star Davis ii . s I.08S I Coll. .ii 1 I 1.308 , | Ronnie Scotland .... 1 13 1.340 i Commodore 3 s 4.10O I ! Kach.rs, r 1 I _• :,.-,i ,, 1S«S. 1 ■ l i I Sir- - Starlets Race* Won Amount. Lexingteu •• K 808.3*1 Vandal ■ - 14.285 Lightning - M I4.W Anatrnlinn 10 20 11.020 Planet - 7 10.050 Ronnie Scotland .... 7 -7 10,280 ItalrowBie 4 !i 8,028 Sires Starters. Races Won. Amount. Albion 17 10 f 4.n..o Van Dyke -J I 4,080 Kpsilon ."i S 4.."KMI Rovereign .» 8 3.380 Childe Harold 7 11 RJ80 ■ Monarch 2 2 2.080 1 Cracker I 7, . Illoii i Vandal .» 8 2,830 Sires. Starters. Uae-es Won. Amount. Monarch 8 3 | 1,373 Mahomet 1 1 1.288 flacker 1 3 1.100 Commodore 1 1 SOI Kovereiga 2 3 7-" o Sires. Starters. Race- W.ni Amount. Ilieh Vie- ."• 15 | 8,988 i Bclipac 3 13 5.825 , Daniel Boone « 12 5.245 i Mil k. y Pree ."• 1 ."..000 I .Ta.k Mahate 4 8 :;.s.-,o 1 Star Davi-, .i II 2,030 » Continued on .second page. AMERICAN WINNING SIRES, 1860-1870 Continued from first page. 1S«0. 1 j 1 j Siren. Starters. Races Won. Amount. Lexington M M $.".»;. 37.". Eclipse 7 2s 21.3". Planet | • 14.450 Vandal 7 20 14.2H Australian I 23 13.230 Leamington S 3 13.030 Mickey Free ti M 11.07.". Sires. Starters. Races Won. Amount. Eade Vic 4 17 $ 8.188 Citadel 1 3 s.700 Daniel Boone . S 12 7.02.", Bonnie Scotland .... 0 is .".020 Star Davis 4 17 4.24.7 John Morgan 1 0 3,888 i To Lexingtons nine s,.:im,|s as the leading sire mii-t be addeil live mole 1 S70. 1 ST 1 . 1S72. 1 s7", anil ls71 making fourteen s,.; -,ins that he led the "winning -ire-." Revenue"- lead in 1S0O was due to the great career of ids von Planet, the best race horse of that season, although Revenue also had Fanny Washington. Lugene and Exchequer. The sea-en- of 1 Ml . 1*02 and lst,3 were, as will be sen. lean years; owing to the Civil War there was little racing. The revival of -port at Pati-on. N. .1.. and Saratoga la 1884 Blade a decided advance. Thai famous trio of Lexington colts. Asteroid. Kentucky and Vorfolk, were -o superior to other three-year-olds a- to -well Lexingtons winnings much beyond those of other sire-. Then in 1888 .lerome Park opened, and from that time tiie increase in the amount of money won is noticeable. It will hardly be denied that Lexingtons great lead over all other -ite- from 1sii0 to 1*73. when he died, was due -omewhat to fortuitoii- rirruaastaaces. He stand at Woodburn. where his owner. Mr. It. A. Alexander, a man of wealth, had collected the ere.- I American brood mare-, daughter- of Clcucoc. Albion. Trnatee and Yorkshire, and also a -elect band of English mare- our* based and imported by the Kentucky Importing Company in 1*3*. During hi- -tud life be served no fewer than MO mares, of which 732 were -erved during the period ls.",7 to 1*07. when the progeny were racing, and won the race- given in the above table-. No other sire had -itch opportunities as this. Indeed, fear of capture by the enemy led many owners to hide their stallion- and deny them service. Lexington was. all through the Civil War. practically under the protection of the British Hag. as hi- owner was a British subject and his property was ajalte safe from Federal or Confederate seizure. Natarally, this gave W Iburu Farm and Lexington .in enormous advantage. The figures in the tables shore bear cut the statement of Lexington- advantage in the number of -tarter- he hail a- compared with other -ire-. From 1888 to 1*09. inclu-ive. he had 223 starter* in race-while Revenue, for example, had only 34: Lilip-e 31. and anil.il 98. ilencoe had died in 1*37 and had few. if any. starters after 1S .2. Albion. Yorkshire and Wagner arere dead. Ronnie Scotland was knocking about in Ohio and Illinois, with scarcely any patronage; Eclipse was at Westchester. N. V.. where Mr. Francis Morris had only eight or nine brood mares: Vandal had precious few mare-: l.alrownie was at Mr. Watsons at Rutherford. N. .!.. with a -tu.l of -even or eight mare-. Leamington was the fir-f of Lexington- rival- to pa— him. as he did in 1873 and again in 1*77 and 1871, Rut when Lexington was not the actual leader lie was always well up in the list: in 1*73 he wa-third, in 1S77 second and in 187a seventh. That was the last year in which he had three-year-olds racing ami. a- the stake- for young horse- were the most valuable, lie dropped out. Rut he left a record sack as no other sire of race horse- has ever made. Leading sires since then have come anil gone, but n .me has enjoyed a ions period of ispumaij Of coarse, the competition i- greater; the leading sire of one year falls far behind the next year. The -ire of a Futurity. I.abmia Championship, Hopeful or Kentucky Derkj winner attains a position the -ire of a winner of fifty race- of minor valm cannot reach. The sire whose progeny wins the -takes fm- two -year -olds usually i- the leader, or one of the leader-. As often as eight times the leading "winning sire" of the year has owed his position o the fact that a colt or lilly of his get has won the Futurity. And thus the fashion in blood sire- rises and fall-, like the tides of the ocean, for. a- yet, bo sire or strain has. in later years, proved like Othello- tide of the Pontic sea that Beret ebb-. Lexington alone held toe supremai y a- long a- he lived. Then came the reign of Leamington, and for a time it seemeil as if hi- line would stretch out to the "crack o doom." Then Ronnie Scotlands -tar arose, the brightest in the equine i on-tellat ion. with its Rlackhurns. Brambles, George Kinneys. etc. Billets family, for a time, obscured it with his Miss Woodford, Voltiirin. and Sir Dixon, only to ghre way to Slenelg and Vigil. the former with hi- Monitor. Ferida and Firen/.i: tin- latter with Hindoo. Vigil. Vagrant, etc. Uayon dOr Hashed to the front in *9 with hi- Chaos ;inil Raiu|iiet: then St. Blaise MM with his superb team of Potomac and La To-ca and leading with the unprecedented amount of tMg.OBQ, but only to as Maidenly decline, and Longfellow came to the fore tlNSOl. due largely to hi- number of -tarter-. The following year ls!l2l another scion of the house of Leamington. Iroquois, with the aid of Tammany, asserted his claim to a -tud fame only exceeded by hi- prestige as a race horse. Now MM came lliniyar with the greatest winning ever made by a -ire in this country 50,252, to which Domino contributed the lion- -hare Sir Modred enjoyed a brief year MM; then came Hanover with four consecu-tive years of premiership. Albert with his -on Mesmerist led in ISM; Kingston beaded the li-t in 1100. and Sir Dixon, in racing parlance, beat Hanovi r "by a head" in 1001 — a matter of S2.000 separating them. Hasting-, only nine year- old. the youngest sire which had ever led. came to the, front in IMS; Ren Stress* in MM and Meddler in MM. In IMS Hamburg, with hi- P.uruoma-tei . Artful and Hamburg Belle, had hi- year of leadership: Meddler again held the post of honor in MM, and Commandos son. Colin, brought his sire the posthumous honor of first place in MM, Once again Ha-ting- came to the front 1MB. and with MM we saw little lieu Brash at the head of the list. The year 1K10 was a great one for the male line of Uodolphin. j|S the two sms of Spendthrift Kingston and Hastings -tolaked litst and second. Then eaate the debacle, the craaadc that s;1w racing almost suspended, and from MM to the preMiir Star Shoot and Rroomstick have distanced all comers and alternately led the -ires, except in l.ds, when Sweep witli hi- handy two year-olds, made a break in the reign of the dual dynasty.
