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k ] i I I 1 I i I I I ] ; j J , * I s , : | , ■ | j ; i . ■ j ; • ] , , : I ; i , I , , THE BELMONT STAKES HISTORY OF THE OLDEST AND GREATEST SWEEPSTAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS, 1867 TO 1921 — THE RACES OF 1870, 1871, 1872 AND 1873 BY W. S. VOSBURGH. KINGFISHERS The fourth renewal of the Belmont, IS 70. had forty -six nominations and seven came to the post. Mr. Swigert came from Kentucky YEAR, 1870 with Kingfisher, Captain T. G. Moore with Foster, Major Doswell of Virginia with the filly Midday, Mr. II. H. Sanford with Stamps, and Mr. Belmont started the imported filly Nellie James. He had! little idea of winning, but in tho.-e days there was a fine sporting spirit in which gentlemen considered it a duty to have their colors shown in the great events, without regard to whethei they could or could not win. Mr. Swigert had purchased both Kingfisher and Foster as yearlings at the Woodburn sale, but had sold Foster as a two-year-cld to Capt. Mcore, who had promised Mrs. Swigert a silk dress if the colt proved a good one. Kingfisher, ridden by Ed Brown, since known as "Brown Dick," won. with Foster second and Midday third. Kingfisher went to Saratoga and won the Travers, beating Mr. Belmonts Telegram, and Mr. Belmont purchased him for 815,000. Enquirer beat him at Monmouth, but he won the Jerome Stakes and was ooe of the best of his period Kingfisher was a bay, by Lexington from imported Elthorn Lass, by Kingston. Foster became a great one aso. racing until he was nine years old, when he won the great four-mile heat race at San Francisco in 1876. Time of race, 2:591/2. HARRY BASSETTS The Belmont Stakes had now breome an event of national importance, and the ambition to win it brought celts from every YEAR, 1871 quarter of the country. The Bdmont of 1871 had seventy- six nominations. That season wai marked by a great gathering of the picked colls of the country. They came from the shores of Mobile Bay, from the uplands of Ohio, the prairies of Missouri and the blue grass region of Kentucky to meet the "crack" celts of the East. The "all red" of Cottrill, the "blue and whiin" of Swigert, the "green and orange" of OTallon, the "gray stripes" of Keene Richards came northward for conquest fresh from trials that raised the hearts of their owners high with hope. Jerome Park rang with the sounds of "preparation" during those bright and beautiful May mornings. Those were stirring times, a great trial was known in New York in less than an hour after it was brought off, and in the evenings the old "Subscription Room" in town was crowded with backers. The winter prior to the Belmont cf 1871 Mr. J. E. Kelly had opened a book on the race and did considerable business. Harry Bassett ruled as favorite. As the winner of the Kentucky and Nursery Stakes the year previous he was the undoubted ":olt of the year." But from the "dark and bloody" ground of Kentucky came whi»?ers waited on the spring zephyrs of the great trials of Mr. Swigerts Stockwood, the "dark" son ind first-born of the peerless Asteroid, whose untimely breaking down had prevented his meeting Mr. Hunters Kentucky at the Jerome Park inaugural meeting of 1866. And another dark" one was Mr. Sanfords Monarchist, which had been given his "pipe openers" at the Preikness farm back in the New Jersey hills. Col. Abe Buford of Kenutcky had also arrived w.th "the four queens," Salina Salvators dam, Hollywood, Malita and Nellie Grey. Salina and Hollywood were both "exposed" — their form veil known — but the whisper went forth that Nellie Grey "held them both safe," and the remembrance of Ruthless four years before caused many to remark, "Why cannot a filly beat l;he colts?" Tubman, a Kentucky candidate in Keene Richards stable, had arrived and h;j was so impressive, running with his head low like a stayer, that his chance was respected. Mr. Belmont pinned his faith to By-the-Sea, a beautiful imported colt, named for his place at Newport, and a son of Thor-nianby from Bernice, by Stockwell. Harry Bassetts trial in 2:olV-2 confirmed the winter opinio:!. The colt had retained his form, and he went to the post a favorite, but Stockwoods trial was so good that he pressed Bassett closely. In respect of "class" it was the best field that had ever started for the Belmont, as nearby every one of them afterward became famous, but Harry Bassett won. Stockwood and By the Sea, second and thicd, while Nellie Grey, Monarchist, Tubman, Wanderer and Alroy were strung out. Harry Bassett went through the year whhout defeat and finished by winning the Bowie Stakes, four-mile heats, and the next year defeated Longfellow for the Saratoga Cup. Then, having been raced too, hard, he lost his fo.m. Harry Bassett as a three-year-old was a galoping machine; his action was perfect. Despairing of beating him, the late Mr. M. H. Sanfcrd in July of thg t year sent the late Mr. B. G. Bruce to England to buy the best horse there for importation anil to race him against Bassett. But he could purchase nothing. Favonius, the Derby winner, belonged to Baron Rothschild, King of the Forest belonged to Mr. Merry, and Sterling to Mr. Getton, all men of wealth and with no disposition to sell. Mr. Gretton offered to match Sterlicg against Harry Bassett for 0,000 a side, to race in England. Col. McDaniel in reply said hy would accept if the -ace was run in America. Thus nothing came of it. As a sire Harry Baisett was not a great success, as he died in 1878 and was not long in the stud. He was a chistnut with a stripe and both hind legs white, sired by Lexington from Canary Bird, by imported Albion; granddam Penola, by imported Ainderby, and when at his best was one of the best race horses that have ever "listened to the whistle of a silk jacket." The time of the race of 71 was 2:56. Value ,450. JOE DANIELS There were fifty-nine nominations to the Belmont of 1872, of which nine started. The McDaniel confederacy, which had won the previous YEAR, 1872 year with Harry Bassett, now started two colts, Joe Daniels and Hubbard, and they were public favorites. Joe Daniels had shown about the best the year before, but from Ohio came the McConnel colt Meteor. He had run a great trial before leaving for the East and the late William Jennings had brought from Mobile the Lexington co!t Cape Race, winner of the Pickwick Stakes at New Orleans, and which Jennings told his friends was "another Kildare." Mr. Swigert made his third attempt to win the Bekrvnt with Shylock. Cape Race was a sad disappointment, as Joe Daniels won, ridden by James Rowe. now famous as a trainer, but then a small boy with dark eyes, freckled face and a habit of drawing down the corners of his mouth as he Stood whip in hand while old Colonel McDaniels gave him "the last word." Meteor ran a good race, but the stable from the banks of the Scioto were not able to repeat their General Duk§ victory of three years before, for Joe Daniels won. Joe Daniels was a chestnut with a large a; ar and left hind leg white, a son of Australian from Dolly Carter, by Glencoe. Like most of tl t Belmont winners, he proved "the colt of the year." winning the Travers, Jerome, Annual I nd Kenner, and at four the Saratoga Cup. As a sire in California he did well, his best beii! g Hidalgo. Time of the race 2:58%. Value ,500. SPRINGBOKS In 1873 the importance of the Belmont was such that the late Mr. Belmont offered a beautiful silver plate || a trophy. The design rep-xEAIb, 1873 resented an Indian mounted, in the act of spearing a buffalo, on a pedestal of black and red marble suittbly inscribed, while on the obverse side an Indian was shown lassoing a wild horse. There were seventy-two nominations to the stakes. Ten weighed out. It was a glittering array of colts. All the great stables sent a champion with his mane plaited and tied with ribbons of the stables colors. Mr. Belmont sent Ill-Used and Count dOrsay, with Joe Palmer and George Evans up, to represent the , "maroon and red" of the Nursery. Mr. Withers black jacket was carried by the robust Stone-heuge, by Blair Athol. Mr. Grindsteads "green and pink" was borne by the beautiufl Waverley. Continued on second page. THE BELMONT STAKES Continued from pace one. Mr. John Hunters "orange and crimson" had the blood like black Strachino, by Parmesan, and the tawny chestnut Reviler. Mr. F. Morris "all scarlet" had Long Branch, a whit -legged son of old Mollie Jackron. Mr. Liltell had the de?r-like Fe.lowcraft. Colonel Bruce had Galway, j and the "blue and red" of McDaniel. which for two years past had finished first in the race, sent forth the giant Springbok. The charm of uncertainty prevailed, as there had been no | racing of then cedts prior to the Belmont the Withers Stakes was not run until the follow-: j ing year. Hence, all ideas of the merits of the colts were based on private trials. Ill-Used I v.a. so high in favor that Mr. Belmonts friends of the Manhattan Cl;ib swamped the partisans! 1 of the highly-tried Springbok and the English bred colt, which had never won a race, actually went to the post favorite. He was unnamed, but having been knocked down in the start for the Nursery the year before as "the Ellermire colt," and again in the Belmont, being thrown by crllision with his stable companion, Mr. Belmont named him U-Fsed. As to the race, Springbok, ridden by Rowe, laid away until the last quarter, when he came through on the outside and won by a length. Count dOrsay was second, Strachino i j beating Waverley a head for third place. Springbok was a tremendously big colt, standing ! over 16.2 and built in proportion, a chestnut with a star and stripe, left fore and both hind j les white. He had quarters like a shorthorn bull and was a race horse of the first water, and j : for the ensuing three seasons defeated every horse in training with the exception of Tom ! Bowling. Colonel McDaniel bought him of Mr. Swigert for ,000 and contingencies after he ! I had started once as a two-year eld, but he had sore shins and hence had not raced much as a two. He proved quite a good sire, among his best being Markland, Cbpsetta and Ebeilee. The Belmont of 1873 was run in 3:0l74. Value ,200. iTo be Continued. ■- I
