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, | THE BELMONT STAKES I HISTORY Of TEE OLDEST AND GREATEST SWEEPSTAKES FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS, 1867 TO 1921 — THE RACE FROM 1879 TO 1883 ===== 1 BY W. S. VOSBURGH. SPENDTHRIFTS "It never rains but it pours, and the thirteenth Belmont, 1879, witnessed an array of great three-year-olds — the best class as a YEAR, 1879 whole since 1875. During the preceding year ISTSi Mr. George L. Lorillards stable had nearly made a clean sweep of the stakes with his "blue and orange brigade and the promise of his repeating it was so bright that the cry went forth, "George Lorillard will break up racing. To turn Mr. Lorillards flaak Mr. James R. Keene was pressed to purchase the unbeaten Western colt Spendthrift, which he did. The : colt was brought East, placed in Colonel Puryears stable at Rutherford Park. H. J-, and he and Mr. Lorillards Harold divided winter favoritism in the betting on the Withers and Belmont Harolds bad start for the Withers, his chase that ruined him, and how Mr. Keene won it with Dan Sparling are matters of history. For the Belmont Mr. Keene sent Spendthrift to the post alone. Dan Snarling remaining in the stable. The public were not misled, they had seen Spendthrift held tight to allow Dan Sparling to win the Withers, and they made Spendthrift favorite. But Harold still had strong support. Six out of the fifty-seven entered started for the race, and Spendthrift won in a canter by six lengths over a rather heavy track, Monitor and Jericho second and third. Spendthrift was a charming horse, a chestnut with a diamond-shaped star, both hind legs , white. He was by Australian from Aerolite sister to Idiewild;, by Lexington, and hence fall brother to Feilowcraft, Mozart, Rutherford and Miser. His race a week later for the Lorillard Stakes was one of the greatest performances in racing history, as after being left at the post he set sail, and, racing his horses down, won in the last furlong. He was sent to England and, like Duke Magenta, he contracted influenza and turned "roarer." As a sire he was a great success. Bankrupt, Kingston, Hastings, Lamplighter and Lazzarone were his best and his grandson Fair Play and great-grandson Man o War have his male line in keeping. The Belmont of 1879 was run in 2:42%. Value ,250. THK TURN OF And now came the turn of the tide. The Belmont, which from 1867 had monopolized the attention of the country, visibly declined. The THE TIDE Withers Stakes, first run in 1874. cut into it. It was a mile, while the Belmont was a mile and a half, and, as the Withers grew in nominations, the Belmont fell behind. Again, the Withers was run first and exposed the form, hence the starters for the Belmont became fewer. Added to this several of the od supporters i of racing had died or retired, owing to age. A new element had become attracted to racing and, unfortunately, not from sporting spirit but pecuniary gain. There was plenty of public money for which to race. Coney Island, Brighton Beach and the smaller meetings began to expand until there was continuous racing from early spring until late autumn— and linaily winter racing. Racing from a sport became a business, the butcher, the baker, the grocer, the saloon keeper and the bookmaker became horse owners, as did the trainer and the jockey, backed by professional speculators. These soon exerted an influence that changed the whole system of racing. They declined to subscribe to stakes and demanded purses, thus "getting something for nothing/ and they demanded short races in order that they might start horses more frequently. Mr. Withers was the ruling spirit at both Jerome and Monmouth Parks. He was one of the few Americans of whom the fear of unpopularity never made a coward. Unpopularity i-the ghost to most men. They refuse to do v. hat is right when they fear that to do so will render them unpopular. It is this that deprives public office of the bright men who are absorbed by the corporations. But while Mr. Withers stood valiantly in defense of racing a a sport, strong man as he was, he was unable to stem the tide. The great weight -for-age nice.-. the Cup races and other standard events began to decline and were swept away to provide a sport that was sensational, gaudy, attractive of gate money and conducive to the sale of betting privileges and the accumulation of revenue. GRENADAS YEAR, Only four horses started for the Belmont of 1SS0. nor were they of very high class. Grenada, in the colors of Mr. George 1880 Lorillard. won after a good finish with Mr. Babcocks Fern cliffe; Mr. Belmonts Turenne third. Grenada was a brown with a faint star and was one of the first lot sired by King Alfonso, his dam Mattie Gross, by Lexington. The year was a bad one for three-year-olds. Sensatiou, the unbeaten colt of the year before, had a mishap that drove him out of training and Luke Blackburn ran away with all the stakes; he was a Triton among minnows — the only real good one, and fully twenty pounds better than any other. Time of the race, 2:47. Value ,800. SAUNTEBSRS While the Belmont of 1880 was a poor one. thit of 1SS1 was worse. It had thirty-nine nominations. Six came to the past. Mr. George YEAR, 1881 Lorillards chestnut colt Saunterer, the favorite, won. beating Eule. Baltic, Priam, Forager and Blazes. Eo!e became a famous race horse, i but the others were colts of very moderate racing ability. Saunterer was a son of LeaauBgtoii Lemonade, by Lexington. Eole was the only good coit IB the race and at the time he was very backward. The time of the race was 2 :47. Value ,800. FORESTERS YEAR, The Belmont of 1832 had thirty-four nominations, but only; three horses started. The wniner was Appisbj and Johnsons 1882 Forester, which had an easy victory, beating frahrork and Wyoming. Forester was a chestnut, by Dl-Used from the fine race mare Woodbine, by Censor or Kentucky. He was bred by Mr. Belmont »t the Nursery on Long Island and was a capital race hor-e. but a very plan looking cue. He ran some fine raee3 during the year and his race with Runnymede for the Lorillard Stakes RM one of the eents of the year. Time of race, 2:43. Value ,000. GEORGE KINNEYS In 1883 the Belmont had sixty nominations. Four started, ___ the Dwycr Brothers winning with the redoubtable George YEAR, 1883 Kinney at 12 to 1 on in hollow style, with Trombone, Renegade and Trafalgar chasing him home. George Kinney wa3 a bay with a star, bred by Captain Franklin, Gallatin, Tenn., and a son of Bonnie Scotland— Kathleen, by Lexington. He was a race horse in the highest sent* of the term. The Belmont scarcely reflected the class of the seasons three-year-clds, which was very high, with M:ss Woodford. Barnes, Pizarro and Drake Carter, in addition to George Kmney. lime of the race, 2:42-.;. Value ,070. J To be continued.
