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OLD-TIME FRISCO RACING How Poster Was Discovered in Oregon and Trained to Win a 0,000 Bay District Race. A long while ago, in the middle seventies, a number of big races, some at four miles and some at four-mile heats, took place at San Francisco for big money. "Lucky" Baldwin and others of his sporting proclivities provided the money, and it was quite sufficiently tempting in amount to induce the owners of such celebrated racers of that time as Joe Daniel, Katie Pease, True Blue, Wildidle and others to send them out there to take part in these races. Joe Daniels was probably the best racer of them all, but he was not fortunate enough to win any of them. Katie Pease won the 5,000 in gold race of 1874 for Albert S. Gage, who was one of the founders of Washington Park in this city. She won in straight heats in 7:4314 and 7:36. In some of its aspects the race of 1876, the last of the series, was quite sensational, especially in the way its winner was rescued from obscurity. Foster in his younger days had been a capital race horse and a real stayer, as were nearly all the sons of Lexington. M. A. Littell of New York wished to try for that 0,000 race, but had no horse of the right type. Billy Lakeland had had much to do with Foster in his racing days and suggested hunting the old horse up. As lie had disappeared from racing inquiry was made and it was ascertained the horse was somewhere in Oregon. So Captain Tom Moore and Lakeland set out in quest of him. In time they found him on the farm of a man named Bybee in Oregon. There he, in horse fashion, had developed a great liking for a small daughter of Bybee, and his principal occupation was in proudly carrying her about the Bybee acres on his broad back. He was secured from Bybee ; whether on lease or by purchase is not known. At any rate they got him and took him to Sacramento for training. Foster had made up his horse mind that he was done with racing and fiercely resented the blandishments of Moore and Lakeland. There were some battles royal between the horse and the two men, in which teeth, hoofs, clubs and pitchforks played their part. But in the long run he was made to see the errors of his ways and finally submitted to the rigors of training, so when he was taken to San Franciscos Bay District track he was as fit as fit could be. Tom Moore and Billy Lakeland were masters of the art of fitting a horse for longdistance racing and Foster demonstrated it There is no intention to tell the story of that race other than in its summary, which is presented here with the lack of detail quite characteristic of that time. February 22, 1876, Bay District course, San Francisco, Cal. Purse 0,000, of which 5,-000 to first, ,000 to second, ,000 to third and ,000 to fourth. Four-mile heats M. A. Littolls ch. h. Foster, 9, by Lexington Verona ...114 1 1 B. J. Baldwins ch. h, Rutherford 110 2 2 J. C. Simpsons ch. h. Hock Hocking. 114 dis A. S. Gages ch. m, Katie Pease 110 dia M. S. Waldens Revenue, Jr 114 dis J. Daniels Golden Gate 110 dis II. Welchs Chance 114 dis F. B. Bawcetts Grinstead 110 dis All but two distanced in the first heat. Time, 7:38; 7:53.
