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GREAT TENNESSE OSCAR — ♦ American Race Horse of Century Ago Never Beaten. ■ ♦ - Ilrrd by Coontry Preacher, Horse Nerer laid a Forfeit, Lost a Heat or Was Ever Really Extended. Bay colt Oscar, foaled in the spring of 1811, bred by Rev. Ifubbard Saunders of Sumner County. Tennessee, stood without a rival on the Tennessee turf in his day. He never paid a forfeit or lost a heat : nor did he ever meet a competitor able to put him to his top speed. His pedigree is not only pure, but rich and choice. He was sired by Wilkes Wonder, dam Rosey Clack, by Saltram ; Camilla, by Symmes Wildair, the best son of Fearnought : Minerva, by Obscurity ; Diana, by Clodius ; Sally Painter, by Sterling; Silver, by Belsize Arabian; by Crofts Partner; sister to Bnill. by Bald Calloway; by Akas-ter Turk , by Leeds Arabian ; by Spanker. This pedigree, in the language of my late friend. Rev. Hardy M. Cryer, "is pure as the icicle which hung at the north corner of Dianas temple." Oscar was a dark bay of uniform color with black points, full fifteen hands three inches high, owned and run by that high-toned gentleman. Dr. Roger B. Sappington of Nashville. He was a horse of commanding presence, possessing great power, especially in the shoulders and chest, in which he resembled the lion ; high, oblique withers ; short back ; prominent hips ; hindquarters rather light when contrasted with his shoulders and chest ; stifles and hocks excellent. and limbs superior ; hind feet well tinder him. with a head, eye and windpipe which could not be surpassed. He reminded me of Uncle Berrys answer to my question about the head, limbs and action of Balls Florlzel. He said : "His head was all mouth and nostrils, and he could stand with all his feet in a wash tub." OM.US VICTORIES AS A THREE-YEAR Oscar, with the greatest ease, won his first race, a sweepstakes, in October. 1S1T, ever the Nashville course, two-mile heats, 00 entrance, beating James Jacksons Mc-Shane by Kagle — Virginia, by Pare Devil. and Pr. Butlers splendid filly by Pacolet. The next day he walked over the course for the Club Purse. Pi May. PI*, he won. over the same course. a Jockey Club purse, four-mile heats, beating with ease General Jacksons Gun Boat, by Pacolet. Gun Boat was withdrawn after the first heat. In October. 1S18. over the same course, he Won the .ockey «lub Purse, four-mile heats, beating with ease at two heats Mr. Mortons h-.rse by Potomac and Col. Klliotts Imle Berrys horse by Whip. The Whip colt belonged to Uncle Berry ; his history is as follows : Uncle Berry volunteered In Captain John W. i!vi-r:is light horse company early in the Creek War and served out his term under General Jackson, for which he now is. and hat been for about twelve months, in the re-ce:pt of a pension of 0 per annum, payable quarterly, lie commenced to receive this pension under the late act of Congress, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. He said to me the other day : *T am sorry the Government dont pay it all at once, for twenty-four dollars wont buy anything, and it is always gone before the next payment arrives." When his term of service expired he was about to re-volunteer, but Colonel Elliott, who was then in command of a regiment in the army, persuaded him to return home and look after the women and children and blood-stock, which he reluctantly consented to do. ♦•MONKEY" SIMON A FINE RIDER. After spending some time in Tennessee he visited a friend. Colonel Faulkner, of Garrard County. Kentucky, who invited him to exam-stake, to which he consented and won the race with ease. Me purchased this colt of Mrs. Faulkner, brought him to Tennessee, where he won several races, and was entered by Colonel Uliott ir. the four-mile race against Oscar. as above stated. It was about the time of Oscars appearance on the turf that the first Jockey Club was established at Nashville by the most distinguished men of Tennessee, among them Gen-ral Jackson. Colonel Ed. Ward. General • arroll. James Jackson, Pr. Sappington. Pr. Shreby. Pr. McNairy, Dr. Batter, William Williams. Colonel Elliott, Newton Cannon and oth. r hading citizens of the state. During the absence of Col© Klliott and Uncle Berry Pr. Sappington employed "Monkey" Simon to ride for him. and when the race fust above mentioned came off Simon rode Of r again Whip, the latter owned and run by his old friends and favorites. Col. Blliott uid Uncle Berry. Some uneasiness was manifested by the friends of Oscar, which was high strung and difficult to control, teat Simon should suffer him to exhaust himself early, and thereby lose the race. This suspicion was altogether groundless, for Simon always rode to win, if possible; if he had a weakness it was in being Voo eager for success in a close contest. JOCKEY SIMON AND HIS SHARP WIT. At the tap of the drum Oscar wnt off t;nder a tremendous head of steam and, in spite of all Simons exertions to restrain him, was soon lift y or sixty yards ahead, which served to increase the d ubts of Simons fidelity. Dr. Shelby dashed across the field and ordered Siniin in a most peremptory tone to hold his ln.rse, to Which Simon leplied in ; is characteristic style, "You d— d fool, dont ;. pee his mouth i wide open" And Simon would l.ave made the same rply to General Jacks. m und-r the cireum-stances. The general said to Simon on one occasion just before the horses started in U important laC. Now, Simon, when my l.orse esses up and is about to pass jrou, dont spit pew tobacco futeS in his eyes and in the eyes of his rhtsr, as you sometimes di." To which Simon replied. "Well, Kineial. 1 v rode a good deal agin your horses, but BOOS were ever near enough to catch my spit." On another occasion, after Maria bad beaten the generals favorite, Pacolet, and j when no friend dared to take a. liberty with him. Simon, meeting htm in a large crowd, | paid: "Gineral, you were always ugly, but; now youre a show. I could make a fortuue by showing you as you now look, if I had you in a cage where you could not hurt the people who came to look at you." Many years ago I was riding on horseback with Colonel Klliott to the Nashville races, and when we reached a point acout one mile trout the ferry at Nashville on the Gallatin road, he observed : "Here is the place where negroes were annually hired in old times and where I, have often hired Simon, who, on account of his deformity and dissipated habits, usually cost me from twelve to fifteen dollars per annum. THE WAGES OF RIDERS IX 1 U7. "On one occasion Colonel Robert C. Foster, guardian of the minor children to whom Simon belonged, conceiving it to be his duty, bid against me and run Simon Up to thirty dollars -the then price of a good field hand. I "I concluded to drop Simon on the colonels bands and take the chance of hiring him pri- vately. Simon watched the bidding with thej deepest Interest, as he was most anxious to remain in the stable and enjoy the fame and • moluments of riding Haynies Maria and other distinguished winners. When I indi-cated that I would bid no more Simon turned to the colonel and said in his peculiarly! sarcastic manner, with his head laid back; and one eye dosed, "Colonel Posted, by G— d.1 I am not a-selling, but hirin for only one! year. The colonel, who was a man of high] spirit and sreat dignity, replied, shaking his I cane st Simon, Y/ou impudent scoundrel, dot you know who you are talking to?" Simon, with the most aggravating coolness, replied, I think I do. and if 1 am not mistaken o .i are the same gentleman who made a small speriment for governor once" — alluding to s race the colonel had made for governor! under unfavorable circumstance, in which lie was badly beaten. The witticism of Simon created much mirth, amidst which Colonel Klliott got him at the next bid. The purses at that period were unworthy of the attention of a ■upSrtor horse, and Br. Bappinejton had neither the means nor dis-position to travel or run him for heavy! matches; Oscar was therefore, when sound in all respects and in the prime of his racing parser, withdrawn from the turf and died at eleven years old. — From "Making American Thoroughbred, by James A. Douglas. I
