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GLORY IN CASTLET0N STRAIN . Great Winners in American and French Racing of 1920 Descendants of That Famous Stud. BY EXILE. LEXINGTON, Ky., November 10. One of the most illuminating features in racing of the present year is the all-pervading Castleton influence. The late James R. KeeneV proprietor of this internationally famous bloodstock nursery, was by all counts the most far-seeing and discerning horseman of the last half century. Mr. Keene, realizing to the full that good crops only spring from good soil, made purchases of many of the best thoroughbred brood mares to be had abroad, with the result that in every country where racing is at present undertaken many of the best of the winners are built up on a Castleton foundation. Recently in France Pliushv and Cortland, the property of Mr. A. K. Macomber, finished one-two for the Grand Crlterium Stakes at Paris, and the dams of both of these are Castleton bred. Phusla has also won other races, including the PrL- do Chenes of 10,000 francs and finished" second at Maisons Laffitto on September 17 to Gucrriere II. for the Vingt Ncuvlenne Prix Biennial de Maisons Laffite, of ."0,000 francs. Pliulsa is by the late Mr. AV. K. Aamlerbllts good horse Main-tenon, now also the property of Mr. Macomber, a produce of that fleet daughter of Disguise, Pope Joan, from St. Editha, sister to Melton, by Ma-ster Kildare. Cortland, the runner-up for the Grand Crlterium Is also by Maintcnon, as also is his dam. Court Dress, by Disguise. Cortland, too, has scored other successes, the most important of which is the- 30,000 francs Criterium de Maisons Laff itte. Only last winter when visiting Mr. J. H. Ros-seters Wikiup Ranclio in California, where the evergreen- Disguise still holds sway, I was remarking on the certainty of the coming excellence of the daughters of Disguise as brood mares, for Disguise, though not particularly successful as the sire of weight-carrying long distance running horses,-is bred to be a success as a brood mare sire. Sixteen of his daughters have this year bred twenty-six winners of fifty-nine races of a gross value of over 9,000. Wonder, dam of John, P. Grier, is one of them, and another. Masquerade, has had 110 fewer than four of her produce to win races this year in tiie Masquerader, Siren Maid, Fnrmiugdale aud the two-year-old Valley of the Moon. Verily, the fortunate possessors of daughters of Disguise can count themselves lucky indeed. It is also interesting to note that the versatile French race mare Bachlyk carried American blood in her veins. Bachlyk is a daughter of Pretty Pollys Ascot " Gold Cup conqueror. Bachelors Button, from Schulamite, by the Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit. Schumallte was a stakes winner, both as a two and three-year-old in this country, and was taken to France by Mr. C. H. Mackay, and has for a dam Response, by Longfellow, and is a member of the old, stand-by. family-of- .Gali pSde. In this country H. P. AVhitney, the chief money-winning owner of 1920, owes much of his success to the Castleton influence. Tryster, his unbeaten and acclaimed champion two-year-old of the year, is by Peter Pan, a noted product of Castleton, as are Prudery, Panoply and Exodus, all big winners for Mr. Whitney. Dr. Clark, Wildair, Crocus and Moody, large contributors to the great Whitney earnings, are by Broomstick, which, though not foaled the property of Mr. Keene, nevertheless "was Castleton all the way through.
