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STARS OF BLUE RIDGE STUD a tiis ire OT t Mr. Oxnards Death to Bring Sale w a of High-Bred Examples. on tr Beauties of Great Estate From g Which Over 100 Thorough- !! f breds Will Go to Auction. a t V w BY C. J. FITZ GERALD. is UPPERVILLE, Va., July 19 Here tn the G valley of the Piedmont, where ho was best V known, there is deep regret over the death of Henry T. Oxnard, whose Blue Ridge Stud j 1 lias been a landmark in this vicinity for j by D almost a score of years. w Mr. Oxnard had many friends in the val- j S Icy and he had developed his 1,200-acre es- : " tablishment to the highest point of excel- i lcnce, not only as a thoroughbred nursery, i but in the way of diversified farming. These D fertile acres, not devoted to blue grass pas- n tures, were billowing in a variegated sea -of green and yellow as corn, hay and grain n crops alternated over a rolling terrain dot- ted with fine oaks, when death frustrated the completion of plans which would have j. added to the charm of an already delightful fj farm, which had given the turf so many i, distinguished performers. Mr. Oxnard chose with a critical eye in selecting a location for his stud. Loving hi3 horses he had a desire to see them j often. He found in this region good land g in blue grass, where it wasnt already under s cultivation, an abundance of shade, and r the purest of spring water from a limestone n source. The Blue Ridge spread its purple- - gray barrier to the north, shutting the val- t ley in from winter winds, and being only a r few hours run from Washington and easily j reached from New York, its claims as a j nursery for bloodstock could not be denied. In addition its scenic beauty was unsur- c passed, while the countryside was the home of gentlefolk, giving the region a social j charm that appealed to a man with a young i family. j SAI.K AT SARATOGA. And now the stallions and brood mares and their produce a total of 100 head of 1 which he was so proud, will be dispersed. While some will, undoubtedly, be brought 1 back to Virginia, many will go to other f states in the Union and to Canada. Virginias loss will be the gain of other com- 3 monwealths, and the distribution of so much desirable blood cannot help but work for I the benefit of the turf. It is through such mediums as the Oxnard sale, which will 1 bo held by the Fasig-Tipton Company at Saratoga on August 28 and 29, that the thoroughbred breeding industry is stimu- 1 lated. Scores of new recruits will be gained 5 for the industry, and the horse of blood wiil I be introduced in communities in which the typo has been a stranger. Mr. Oxnard vs a student of breeding and ! racing whfn he was at Harvard, and his 1 knowledge of blood lines was comprehensive. More than a score of years ago, while visiting New Orleans, he bought his first thoroughbred, a three-year-old filly named Octave, by Quickline Ophelia, by Kingfisher. Sho won at her first effort in her new owners colors, and from that day Mr. Oxnard was a devoted follower of the thoroughbred. Lux Casta, by Donovan and Santa Catalina, by Suspender, carried his colors in many a hard-fought struggle. Later these Englisn marcs helped to establish the fame of the Blue Ridge Stud as the home of stout thoroughbreds. The former figures in the pedigrees of Lucullite, Lucky Hour and other lino horses; King James, by Plaudit, a noted campaigner, and Superman, by Commando, were placed at the had of the stud. Later Fayette, by Ogdcn Lady Sterling, the dam of Sir Barton, Sir Martin and others, and Vulcain, by Rock Sand Lady of the Vale, by Rayon dOr, were added to help make the fame of the establishment even more enduring. Last year War Star, by Sun Star Verne, by Bill of Portland, was added to the ranks of the sires. VULCAIN FROM FRANCE. Vulcain was born in France, where he raced for a brief period in the colors of his breeder, August Belmont, winning three of his six races. His victorious races were the Prix Nouilles, of 67,000 francs, at one and a half miles, the Prix Miss Gladiateur, 40,000 francs, at one and three-quarters miles, and the Prix Reiset, 26,000 francs, at one and seven-eighths miles. These race3 stamp Vulcain as a rare stayer. He was favored for the Grand Prix when he broke down. On his return to this country Sam Hildreth, who had charge of the Belmont Horses at that time, tried to train Vulcain. He got him up to the point where he showed his ability to beat a horse like Priscillian, when he went wrong again. Although only twelve years of age, he has already sired manv useful horses, among them Thunderclap, Bunga Buck, Hcphaistos, Brother Batch and Mulciber. He is a horse of rare size and quality. Supermans reputation was slow in the making, but, like many other sons of Commando, his worth is destined to come through the speed-giving qualities of his daughters. A sturdy, heavily-muscled horse, without the high finish of Vulcain, he does not fill the eye like the scion of the house of Rock Sand. A fine straight hind leg with a broad hock is his best possession. He is the sire of Sandy Beal, Ormonda, Gladiator, Judge Wright, Letterman, Polly Ann, Dinna Care, Two Feathers and other good winners. He was the winner of the Brooklyn Handicap himself and was unfortunate in being out the same year as Colin, Celt and Peter Pan, all great race horses. Sons of Commando arc much in the public eye just now and, with the passing of Celt and Ultimus, they are increasing in value. Fayette won the Tremont Stakes and other races and with little chance has sired Lady Rotha, Luxury, Prodigious and other winners. King James was a stout campaigner and gained many friends by his splendid courage. He is a sire of some of the best and toughtest horses of their day, including Spur, My Dear, Lena Misha and Lackawanna. At eighteen he is as rugged as a four-year-old. His winnings totalled 07,546, and some of the best youngsters now at the Blue Ridge a tiis ire OT w a on tr g !! f a t V w is G V 1 by D w S " i D n n j. fj i, j g s r n - t r j j c j i j 1 1 f 3 I 1 1 5 I ! 1 by him. War Star wa3 a fast horse and i youngsters are most promising. He should make an excellent cross for some of Dur American marcs. Of the sixty-three mares on the farm thirty have foals by their sides. Mares and foals will be sold as a single lot and, as in the case of the stallions, there will be no reserve anything. Students of blood lines will find much to attract them in the ranks of these highly bred and smoothly turned matrons and their progeny by Vulcain, Superman, King James and Fayette. Included in the mares that have foals by their sides are such gems as Autumn II., by St. Frusquin Cornfield, by Isinglass. Her colt Is a lusty fellow by King James, that is a brother to Autumn Bells. This is the family of Corn Tassel, the Suburban winner, and the crack two-year-old Golden Corn, which raced so well in England in 1921. Another fine dam Galanta, by William the Third Carita, by Gallinule, which has a smashing bay colt by Vulcain. Epinglette, by Sardanapale Safety Pin, is another from across the seas. Her filly by Superman is a good one. Still another English beauty i3 White Silk, Galloping Simon Albine, by Juggler, whose colt by Vulcain is a big strong fellow. She is the dam of the good filly Silk Tassel, now racing for J. G. SmiUi. Turkey Red, by William Rufus Evlona, by Isinglass, with a colt by King James, is another that is charming. Signorill, by St. Victrix Signorinella, by The Thrush, and her filly by Vulcain are most promising. Madinette, by Fitz Herbert Melody, by Meddler, is a medium-sized mare whose colt by King Jame3 is a fine one. Melody is the mare which sold with her colt for J3G.500 at the Mackay sale a few years ago. Hortense II., by .Troutbeck Haurdina. by William the Third, has a fine filly by Vulcain. Sho is Uie dam of Deadlock. SOME WELL-BRED FOALS. Among the other mares with foals are Millmaid, by Fair Play Madcap, by Rock Sand. Her colt is by Superman. This is a sister to Mad Hatter. Supcrlight, by SupermanLux Casta, and a filly by King James are good ones. Other mares are Listless, by Voter Indifference, by Himyar, and a filly by King James: Sister Superior, by SupermanSanta Catalina, and colt by Fayette; Anna Russell, by Russell Anna Garth, by King Eric, and filly by Vulcain ; Cadeau, by Golden Maxim Komurasaki, and filly by Superman ; Franks Daughter, by Frank Gill Inspiration, by Ayrshire, and colt by Superman ; Dicks Pet, by Batts -Kitty Belle Brooks, by Clifford, whose colt by King James is the biggest at Blue Ridge ; Disillusion, by Chilton Nightgown, and filly by Superman; Ildiko, by Golden Maxim Sandy Bar, by Carbino, and filly by Vulcain; High Vale, by Hastings Sand Vale, by Rock Sand, and colt by King James, and Notasulga, by The Commoner Touch Not, by Tremont, and filly by Superman. Among the mares that were barren this year but are now safe with foal are Toggery, a stake winning daughter of Rock Sand; Arlette, by Robert the Devil, whose dam. Quintessence, by St. Frusquin, is also the dam of Clarissimus, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas and Champion Stakes in 1916, and Paragon, winner of the Kempton Park Great Jubilee. Paragon was recently sold at the Newmarket July sales for 5,000 to an unknown American. Letterman, the Greentree Stables three-year-old, is a son of Arlette, and as the mare is with foal to Sir Barton she will undoubtedly be in great demand. .
