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FAMOUS EARLY HATCH RACE Big Crowd Sees Historic Contest at Fashion Course in 1857. i Gllpatrlok Rates Xleliolaa I. Until Fialsb ef : Eaoh Heat to Score Impressively from Engineer in ,000 Stake. ! 1 . i Perhaps few events connected with the turf . about the middle of the nineteenth century attracted more attention or were productive of more animated discussion among horseman ; and other frequenters of the race course than i the proposed meeting between Charleston, i Nicholas I. and Engineer, three cracks of 1 their day, which were to meet on the Fashion I course. Long Island, September 29, 1S57. A writer of the time gives the following : account of the contest: 1 The great reputation of the horses and the ; renown of their sires encouraged expectation of a notable trial of endurance and speed. Previous to the day of the race Nicholas L. had the favor in the wagering at 10 to 9 against both his rivals, and 10 to 6 against Charleston, while even money was offered between Charleston and Engineer. The stake was for ,000. An immense crowd of spectators turned out to witness the contest. COAL CARTS HELP CARRY THRONGS. Every conceivable character of vehicle, from a railway car to a coal cart, was put in requistion to take anxious people to the course and at half past two, the time named for the race, the black masses that lined the stands and strewed the field gave evidence of a larger number of spectators than had ever before been seen on that ground. An unfortunate incident befell Charleston the day before the race, when he was in prime condition. A stirrup iron struck the tendons of his ankle so as to cause him to go lame. This made it necessary to withdraw him from the race and only Nicholas L and Engineer started. Nicholas L was by Glencoe Fanny Rhodes, by "Wagner, and was four years old at the time of this race. His defeat of Sue "Washington and Toler over the Fashion course in 7 minutes and 40 seconds and 7 minutes and 43 seconds had given him a prestige which had been added to by his defeat of Sue "Washington and Phillips over the same course in the same month in 7 minutes 39 seconds and 7 minutes 44 1-2 seconds. He was owned at one time by Richard Ten Broeck, afterward by "William H. Gibbons, and then by John JL Hunter. He twice beat the best time of Sir Henry and American Eclipse. At four years old he was regarded as one of the most promising horses that the country had up to that time produced. PEDIGREE OF ENGINEER. Engineer was a five-year-old, by Revenue Andrewetta, the latter the dam o Boston and others. He was bred by John M. Botts of Virginia. Andrewetta was sired by the celebrated Andrew. She ran several races and, at Raleigh, N. C, in a stake of four-mile heats, distanced her field in 7 minutes 46 seconds. Engineer when he appeared against Nicholas I. was the hero of two good races. The first was two-mile heats on the Fashion course in 3 minutes 42 1-2 seconds, 3 minutes 43 1-2 seconds and 3 minutes 45 1-2 seconds, and the second being two three-mile heats in 5 minutes 42 1-2 seconds each. Charleston was by Sovereign Milwood, by Monarch. The latters dam, Fanny, was by Eclipse. Both his sire and grandsire were imported by Colonel Wade Hampton of South Carolina. His dam was bred by Colonel Hampton and his granddam was run by Colonel Johnson and Colonel Hampton for several campaigns. As a two-year-old Charleston won the South Carolina Stakes at the "Washington course in February, 1856, and in December of the same year was second to Sue "Washington at Columbus, Ga beating Nicholas I, Dallas and Shocco. CHARLESTONS GOOD PERFORMANCE. , After winning the Hutchison Stakes over the "Washington course in Charleston, four-mile heats, in 1857 he beat Nicholas ., Ada Tevis and Doswells Revenue filly at the same meeting, 3 minutes 39 1-2 seconds and I 3 minutes 45 seconds. He also had other notable achievements to his record. "With Charleston withdrawn this race over the Fashion course between Nichols L and I Engineer was a foregone conclusion. The . famous jockey Gilpatrick rode Nicholas L and allowed Engineer to lead the way in the ! first heat, running his horse easy some three lengths behind. Toward the end of the third mile he closed up on Engineer and, passing him in the straightaway, went by the -stand into the fourth mile a length ahead. From this time ! on he trailed his ral until down the homestretch, when Engineer closed up toward his i flank. Nichols I., however, gradually increased his distance, putting on more speed and 1 passed the stand more than five lengths in advance, winning the heat in 7 minutes 45 seconds. In the second heat Engineer took the lead I as in the first and ran freely, with several I lengths in hand. He was five lengths ahead at the end of the first mile and two lengths i in the lead at the finish of the second mile. "When near the half-mile pole on the third 1 mile Nicholas I. took the lead easily and I passed into the fourth mile six lengths ahead, winning the heat in 7 minutes 47 1-2 seconds.
