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History of American Thoroughbred Sixteenth Installment. He was sired by Sir Charles, he by Sir 01 Archy, dam by imported Citizen, g. dam by Commutation, g.g. dam by imported Dare- jj devil, g.g.g. dam by imported Shark, g.g.g.g. yj dam by imported Fearnought. He was foaled by Maria West, by Marion, her dam Ella "M Crump, by imported Citizen, g. dam by rr Huntsman, g.g. dam by Wildair, g.g.g. dam by Fearnought, g.g.g.g. dam by Janus. J Marion was by Sir Archy, dam by Citizen, g. dam by Alderman, g.g. dam by Roebuck, foaled by a Herod mare. Grey Eagle was in his fourth year, a mag- nificent horse nearly sixteen hands in height, said to be of almost perfect symmetry, al-though scarcely equal in his quarters to his forehand, which is described as sumptuous, r; His color, as his name indicates, was a fine silvery gray. I GltEY EAGLE AS A THItEE-YEAH-OLI. In his three-year-old form he won two races of two-mile heats in 3:41, 3:43, 3:4S and 3:44 respectively, and was honestly believed by his owner and by Kentucky sports- men in general to be equal to anything in c America at his time. This opinion must " be regarded rather as surmise than as judgment, since his powers had not yet been j sufficiently tested to justify such boundless confidence. It is but fair to add that his running in the wonderful races to be described was such as to prove that this confidence was not mis- placed was such, indeed, as to render It probable that had he been ridden by a jockey competent to make the most of his powers he might have been the winner in his first match, in which case he probably would not " have been lost to the turf by the rash and, as I must consider it, cruel trial of running a second four-mile race of scarcely paralleled severity within five days. Grey Eagle was sired by Woodpecker, 1 which was by imported Dragon, dam Irbys z g. g. dam by Fearnought. Grey Eagle was foaled by Ophelia, by Wild Medley, g. dam J Ophelia, by Grey Diomed, g.g. dam Prim- rose, by Apollo ; g.g.g. dam by imported 1 Granby ; g.g.g.g. dam by imported Figure. 1 Wild Medley was sired by Old Medley, dam 1 by Wildair, g. dam by Tristan Shandy, g.g. 1 dam Sportley, by imported Janus ; g.g.g.dam 1 General Nelsons imported Spanish mare. 1 There are no less than four Grey Diomeds , and seven Apollos in Edgars stud book and 1 it is not stated which one of these horses , are intended. They are all, however, of good blood. : . The description which here ensues has been considered by competent judges to be , ! the finest specimen of turf writing ever ! written in its day. j The editor of this magazine had the pleasure . of attending the last meeting of the . Louisville Jockey Club and witnessing the j , two splendid races between Wagner and Grey r 1 Eagle. Those who have noticed the spirit t with which everything connected with breeding and racing is carried on at present in t Kentucky can hardly be surprised to hear that the late meeting has never been equaled in the excellence of the sport or in the ; number and character of the visitors. Turfmen and other distinguished strangers from the neighboring states mustered in great j , force, while the Kentuckians themselves turned out in such numbers that the hotels and lodging houses literally overflowed. A week of more delightful weather we have rarely known. The fields were large every day and the horses ran well. "All the world and his wife" were on the course and all appeared to enjoy themselves without stint or measure. The races during the week were characterized . by good fields, strong running, fine e weather and an attendance unparalleled in n numbers and respectability. The Oakland 1 course was in the finest possible shape, the a stewards were in uniform and well mounted, I, and the arrangements of the proprietor. Colonel Oliver, and the club for the gratification n and convenience of the guests were not only y in good taste but complete in every respect. DISTINGUISHED MEX IX THE CROWD. We have no reason to speak in this place of f a variety of interesting circumstances connected with the meeting, but shall be pardoned for alluding to the unusual number of distinguished individuals present and the blaze of beauty reflected from the ladies pavilion on the occasion of the first race between the champions of Louisiana and Kentucky. The number of ladies in attendance was estimated at eight hundred, while nearly two thousand horsemen were assembled on the field. The stands, the fences, the trees, the tops of carriages and every eminence overlooking the course were crowded. Probably not less than ten thousand persons composed the assemblage, comprising not only several distinguished senators and nearly the entire Kentucky delegation in Congress, with their families, but all the elite of the beauty and fashion of the state. Among the earliest on the ground were Judge Porter of Louisiana, the distinguished ex-senator, and Mr. Clay. His colleague in the senate, Mr. Crittenden, soon followed, with General Atkinson, Major Stewart and Captain Alexander of the army; Judge Woo-ley, Governor Poindexter, Judge Rowan, the Messrs. Menifee, Allan, Letcher, Hardin, Graves, Hawes, etc. Among the guests of the club, well-known to the sporting world at the time, we noticed J. S. Skinner of Baltimore, W. M. Anderson of Ohio, Colonel C. F. M. Noland of Arkansas, the Messrs. Kenner, Mr. Slidell, Mr. Parker and Mr. Beasley of Louisiana ; Mr. McCargo, Mr. Beasley and Captain Bacon of Virginia; Mr. George Cheatham of Tennessee, Major Fleming or Alabama and a great number more whose names "have escaped us. Good breeding forbids an enumeration of the distinguished throng of belles. The young miss just from the trammels of school, flush with joy and fears, the budding, blooming girl of sweet sixteen, the more steady and elegant full-blown woman, the dark-eyed southerner with her brown complexion and matchless form, the blue-eyed northerner with her dimpled cheek and fair and spotless beauty, were gathered here in one lustrous galaxy. The gentlemen were unmatched for variety, the bar, the bench, the senate, the press, the army, the navy, and all the et ceteras that pleasure or curiosity attracted were here represented. The occasion of this brilliant assembly was the stake for all ages, four-mile heats, which closed January 1, 1839, with ten subscribers at ,000 each, half forfeit, as follows: L, Y. N. Oliver and Miles W. Dickey of Kentucky named Grey Eagle, gr. c, 4, by 01 jj yj "M rr J r; I c " j " 1 z J 1 1 1 1 1 1 , 1 , : . , ! ! j . . j , r 1 t t ; j , . e n 1 a I, n y f Woodpecker Ophelia, by Wild Medley. Colors, red, blue and orange. 2. William T. Ward of Kentucky named Mary Vaughn, b. m, 5, by Waxy Betty Bluster, by imp. Bluster. Colors, blue and white. 3. Willa Viley of Kentucky named Queen Mary, ch. f, 4, by Bertrand, dam of Brimmer. Colors, white and green. 4. George N. Sanders and Lewis Sanders, Jr., of Kentucky named Occident, b. c, 4, by Bertrand Diamond, by Turpins Florizel. Color, white. 5. Sidney Burbridge of Kentucky named Tarlton, b. c, 5, by Woodpecker, dam of Robin Gray. Colors not declared. 6. James L. Bradley and H. B. Steel of Kentucky named Hawk-Eye, ch. c, 4, by Sir Lovell Pressures dam, by Jenkins Sir William. Colors, orange and black. 7. Archie Cheatham of Virginia named Billy Townes, b. h, 5, by imp. Fyde, dam by Virginian. Colors, purple and red. 8. James S. Garrison of Louisiana named Wagner, ch. h, 5, by Sir Charles Maria West, by Marion. Colors, red and red. 9. William Wynne of Virginia named Plc-ton, b. c, 5, by imp. Luzborough Isabella, by Sir Archy. Colors not declared. 10. William Buford, Jr., of Kentucky named Musidora, ch. f, 4, by Medoc, dam by Kosciusko. Colors not declared. FOUR START IN RACE. The race came off Monday, September 30. Of the ten nominations four only camo to the post Wagner, Grey Eagle, Queen Mary and Hawk-Eye. Of the other six Tarlton and Musidora had given way in training ; Picton was in Tennessee and complaining ; Occidents trials would not justify his starting; Billy Townes and Mary Vaughn were on the ground, but not up to the mark in condition. From the day the stake closed the betting had been going on with spirit in different sections of the country, increasing daily in amount as the race drew nigh. From the first Warner was decidedly the favorite and when it became reduced almost to a certainty that not above six would start the betting was about 50 to 75 on him vs. the field. For many months previous to the race, and before it was known how many would start, odds were offered from New York to New Orleans on Wagner and Billy Townes against the field. Immense sums weer laid out at odds, in Kentucky, on Grey Eagles winning the first heat and, in many instances, he was backed against Wagner for the race. In consequence of the unlimited confidence felt by the Kentuckians in the "foot" of Grey Eagle, it was resolved by the Wagner party not to run for the first heat, unless circum-. stances should occur which might render it an easy tiling for their horse. But the day before the race a commission from New Or-; leans was received offering a large sum on Wagner to beat the gray the first heat, which induced them to change their determination. Indeed the inducement to run for it was a pretty substantial one, for they could lose nothing and might win several thousands. Two days before the race Mr. McCargo gave Billy Townes a trial with Missouri and Texana and, though the result was entirely satisfactory so far as his action was con-j cerned, he soon after cramped to such a de-t gree that it was at once declared that he would not be started. Mary Vaughn, we be-! lieve, was plated for the race, but not be-L ing quite up to the mark, she also paid for-, feit. On the morning of the race it being under-a stood pretty thoroughly that Wagner, Grey Eagle, Queen Mary and Hawk-Eye only would start, out of the ten nominations, "business" commenced in earnest. Wagner being freely offered against the field, and as freely taken, while Grey Eagle was backed, at small odds, for the first heat. The call for the horses was sounded at a quarter to one oclock and soon after all eyes were directed toward a motley group ap-- proaching from Mr. Garrisons stable. "With stately step and slow," the proud champion of Louisiana made his appearance. He was directly stripped and a finer exhibition of the perfection to which the trainers art can be carried we have rarely seen. His coat and eye were alike brilliant. To Be Continued.
