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CONSERVING THE STALLIONS VIRILITY Reward of Moderation in the Use of Lexington and the Castleton Stud Sires KY EXILIC EXILICWriting Writing of Wooilburii in the April 4 edition of Daily Racing Form Salvator tells us Lexington was limited to thirty mares per annum and here is much food for thought on the part of many of our present day breeders of bloodstock Horsemen of all countries revere the name of Lexington and the thirty mare limitation no doubt was contribu ¬ tory to his pronounced sire success successHow How often does one hear it said there is safety in numbers However in horse breeding this cannot be for one good horse is worth all those of mediocre capacity put together and the surest and tested plan by which this one good horse may ho bred is to limit the stalion to say thirty mares maresThe The most successful breeder the late James K Kecnc this country has had in a long time never overtaxed the powers of his stallions The average number of mares given lo any one of the Castleton stallions in any one year did not exceed twenty Yet from this small number of mares given to each stallion Mr Keene bred such as tin Oaks winner Cap and Hells The Jockey Club Stakes winner Disguise the undefeated Colin Peter Pan Celt Delhi Maskctlc Sweep Novelty Pennant Super ¬ man and any number of others nearly if not quite so good It was the progeny of these len ¬ iently treated stallions too which enabled Mr Keene to claim the honor of having won the larg ¬ est amount of money in one years racing ever credited to any owner in the history of the turf turfIn In spite of all this the irresistible lure of imme ¬ diate gain is such that many of our stud masters continue to pursue the suicidal policy of permitting their stallions to mate with an excessive number of mares To all rules of course there are excep ¬ tions nud Hanover is that exception but the fact nevertheless remains that a superfluity of mares is the cause of many a stalHons illsustained success Hritish breeders of bloodstock have long since learned this lesson and to this as well is cli ¬ matic influence and purity of blood is their place on the top rung of the thoroughbred ladder due
