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i ! 1 i . J j I ■ I | 1 ] f • i i ; THE BELMONT STAKES P HISTORY OF THE OLDEST AND GREATEST SWEEPSTAKES I FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS, 1867-1921 — THE RACES OF 186? 1868 AND 1869 ===== ] BY W. S. VOSBURGH. THE It s related that, upou a lecturer making the statement that the principal races in America were the Germans and the Irish, one of INAUGURATION his audience called out, "How about the Suburban and the Bcl- mout?" If age. tradition and the celebrity of its winners entitle a race to the dignity of a "classic" H nobody will dispute the claim for the Belmont Stakes. It bears the same relation to American r racing that the Epsom Derby docs to that of England. It dates from 18ti7. and is the oldest in J continuity of any American sweepstakes, or any ou this continent, with the exception of the Kings Plate at Toronto. l The Belmont Stakes is ithIIv our grottiest test for three-year oltis. It has been won by i more high-clasg colts and fillies than any other event. The winner of the Belmont has been the ] "colt of the year" — Ruthless. General Duke, Harry Bassett. Joe Daniels, Duke of Magenta, t George Kinney, Hanover. Henry of Navarre, Commando, Africander. Burgomaster, Peter Pan, Colin. Sweep, Luke McLuke, Friar Rock. Hourless, Johren. Sir Barton. Man o War, Grey Lag, , Kingfisher, Springbok, Spendthrift, Inspector B., Sir Dixon. The Finn. Hastings, Bowling ■ Brook, Jean Bereaud and Delhi are among its winners. And where is there another sweep- t stakes that can equal this array? Even the colts which finishci second were of the most distinguished merit. Glenelg, | Foster, Grinstead. Aristides. Bramble. Monitor. Eole. The Bard. Prince Royal. Montana, : Dr. Rice. Hadspring. The Pannier, Fair Play. Rockview, Spur. War Cloud, Sweep On and , Sporting Blood all essayed to wnu, and though they failed to reach the winning post in the lead, their subsequent racing placed them on the highest pinnacle of hippie fame and proved , that a "runner-up for the Belmont" was in itself a distinction. I The Belmont Stakes has produced more great sires among its winners than any other , a American sweepstakes for three-year-olds. Spendthrift, with his sons Kingston. Hastings, i Lamplighter. Lazzarone and Bankrupt ; Commando, with his Peter Pan. Superman. Colin. Celt, . Transvaal. Peter Quince, etc.; Sweep, with his Leonardo, Eternal and The Porter; Hastings. ■ with his Fair Play, Gunfire. Glorifier, Priscillian. etc.; Sir Dixon, with his Kilmarnock, Blue . Girl, Blues. Butterflies. Audieucc. Agile. Running Water, etc.; Hanover, with his Hamburg, t Handspring. Ben Holliday. Buck Massic. Urania, The Commoner. Halm a. Handsome, etc.; Peter ! Pan. with his Pennant, Prudery and Tryster. not to mention the merit as sires shown by Springbok, Kingfisher. Friar Rock, Joe Daniels. Inspector B., Saxon and Algerine. the winner of 1876, whose granddaughter Rhoda B. Inaled Orby, the Epsom Derby winner and sire of , Grand Parade, Diadem, DiHtiumenos and Orpheus Even so recent a Belmont winner ai The J Finn has "given hostages to fortune" and sired Kai Sang his first year in the sind. The Belmont is the index to "class." It is also the standard for breeding. The object of racing is to provide sires. Geldings are accordingly barred, for how could we justify our , claim to improve the breed of horses if the chief events were won by geldings? The Belmont I is also at a distance beyond the capacily of a mere sprinter — eleen furlongs. Moreover, it is at , level weights, no penalties, no allowances, and has always been, except in 1895 and 1913. The best colt a1* a ruje wins and, as already remarked, he is usually "the colt of the year." It is a race, however, that has had much to contend with. The founding of the Withers Stakes in 1874, and ever since, has diminished interest in the Belmont, being run prior to it, j and at a more popular distance. Also in recent years the value of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, added to the fact that they, too, are run before the Belmont, lessened interest , in it inasmuch as they expose the form and classify the colts to such an extent as to eliminate i the chances of many of them, in the opinion of their owners, by the time it comes to race for the Belmont. t However, the Belmont of the coming year will be worth U,UlU. and although the greatly increased value of the race should have the effect of attracting a larger field, it is quite out of question to expect that it will overcome entirely the disadvantage under which it labors in being run after the form has been disclosed in the valuable events mentioned. But it will not I suffer in "class"-— it never has. and that, after all. is the object for which it was founded fifty- five years ago. and continues so. It has never had the aid of propaganda or press agent, and i hence may not appeal to the average racegoer, but to those who have the sporting spirit it is regarded aa the real Derby of America. The propriety has suggested itself to trie of presenting a history of this famous race. The duty might well have fallen into other and abler hands, but not more willing ones, a-*, since ! its inauguration I have never missed its annual reuewal. Even as a child I recognized its , importance and as a racing enthusiast recall pa*t years, not by their dates, but by their Belmont winner, and regard "Belmont Day" with a reverence not unlike that the Christian regards Chribtiuas or the patriot regards Independence Day. RUTHLESS YEAR, Soon after the organization of the American Jockey Club, in 1K0. . ;t movement was made to establish a great sweepstakes 1867 race for three-year-olds of sufficient value to attract the best colts in the country and to possess a prestige similar to that [ possessed by the time -honored Derby in Englnad. The plan was to have a race at a mile and , a half, similar to the Epsom event, but this was found to be impracticable as. owing to the high bluff upon which the clubhouse stood, the view of the spectators in the stand would be ! shut off. as the starting post was behind the bluff and hidden from view. Accordingly, the race was made one of a nilc and five furlongs, the starting post being directly below the bluff and opposite the grandstand. The inaugural race was opened to be run at the Jerome Park spring meeting of 1867, and was named the Belmont Stakes, in honor of the late Hon. August Belmont, president of the club. Only eleven nominations were made and four came to the post. The winner was the | bay filly Ruthless, a daughter of imported Eclipse from imported Barbarity, by Simoon. She carnetl the "all scarlet" jacket of the late Mr. Francis Morris, and was a "home-bred." having j been foaled at Mr. Morris estate jit Throggs Neck. Westchester County, New York. She was ■ great filly and the beM three year old of the year, winning all the best stakes and beating the colls. The second horse was Mr. Pool F. Forbes chestnut colt De Courcey. while Mr. ] John M. CInys brown coll Rivoli finished third. The time of the race was 3:05, and the value of the slakes ,850. Colts carried 110 pounds, fillies 107 pounds. GENERAL DUKES It was in this modest fashion our racing fathers inaugurated the event which for more than fifty years was to furnish each year YEAR, 1868 fa really most important colt and filly race of the season. The second Belmont, run the .Spring of 1868. received twenty eight nominations Of these six sported colors. One of the features of the year was the success of the stable of McConncll and- Thompson of Chiliicothe. Ohio, which brought to Jerome Park four superb three year -olds in Bayonet. Vauxhall. General Duke and Joe McConncll. all sons of I. ex ington, exept McConnelJ. which was by Ruric. The stable started both General Duke and Bayonet, and they were favorites. It was a beautiful June day as the horses gathered at the post under the bluff, where the four-in hand coaches were parked, and a large and fashionable assemblage hatl gathered. I can vividly recall General Duke dancing on his hind legs, but when the Hag fell he dashed into the lead and the result was never in doubt, as Bob Swim in the "orange and black" of Chiliicothe landed a winner by two lengths, despite Bill Hayward in the "dark blue." who rode a tremendous finish on Mr. M. H. Sanfords Northumberland, a full brother to Norfolk, while Mr. Francis Morris filly Fannie Ludlow, afterward granddam of Foxhall. finished thirtl; time. 3:02. Value of the stakes ,800. General Duke, the winner, was a chestnut with a large scar and both hind pasterns white. He was bred at the Woodburn Stud in Kentucky and was a son ol Lexington, from Lilla, by imported Yorkshire, granddam Victoire, by imported Margrave. He was a fine race horse, being the first to run a mile in 1:43%, which he did in 1S70. racinir until he was six. He became a sire in Canada, but lain went to Monmouth. Ill , where he died iu 188K. . • FENIANS YEAR, l«r the third Belmont the stewards were gratified by thirty eight nominations, and for the race of 1869 eight started. It was a 18C9 day of alternate sunshine and shower, and the ground became , rather wet, and the ladies, in all the glory of dainty spring toilettes, were out in force, but were compelled to keep within the stands. Mr. Belmont fur- nished the favorites in Fenian and Glenelg. Fenian had raced creditably as a two year-old. but Glenelg had only made his debut a few days previous, beating Rapture iu a match. The Belmont pair had the race to themselves. Fenian, ridden by Charlie Mill?r. won. but it was apparent that Glenelg could have won had not his jockey held him tight ; as it was Glenelg finished second, with Mr. Camerons black mare Invercauld later the dam of Burlington. winner of the Belmont in 1890. a beautiful English daughter of St. Albans, third. Fenian I was a light chestnut, by imported Mickey Free, from imported Spiletta. by Stockwell He was a colt of size and finish, but. like all Spilettas foals, he had bad legs and never raced after, j Glenelg, on the other hand, became a great race horse, winning the Travers and Champion Jerome Stakes, and at four he was the champion, ending by winning the Bowie Stakes, four 1 mile heats. The Belmont was run in 3:04%. Value ,350. J To be continued.
