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I - I History of the Modern Turf Second Installment. i I Continuing the history of the restoration j . of racing in the South, the sportsmen of | I the time immediately after the war had little * time, money cr disposition for sport of any I knd. j With their country laid waste hy the I j armies that had marched and fought over it, i with their material possessions wasted and1 ! their lives to be begun all over again, it was the practical p e blems of the hour that con- j fronted them. Something more than a year and a day j i was required to bring back the past and j to open the way for a new future, liven as | late as 1874 the racing events of the South j and West were neither prominent nor valu- ; able. New Orleans, Nashville and Lexington i were the only places in which racing had , as yet begun to assume anything like its , , ante-bellum proportions, and even in those j I places the supporters of the turf were not I able to offer great financial inducements !• call horses of the first clas3 to the c mrses j supported by them. The races on those courses were mostly filled ly local talent, , , or were sometimes contributed to by breed- | ! ers and owners in adjacent states. The Howard, Sewanee, Phoenix Hotel and | I other stakes were not yet large enough to j attract much outside attention, nor was a Victory over the fields that generally ran i j for tliem considered of much importance. Attempts were made to start racing on a i . opsiderable scale in Louisville, St. I junto, , Chicago and elsewhere, but in no case did i notable success attend the enterprises. Chicago tried to mix the incongruous elements i of trotting and running with, of course, the Inevitable failure that has ever att tadM Fuch ill-advised attempts. The half a dozen seasons or more that the course was open there has scarcely left a memory, and certainly no important impress upon the turf of the country. I LITTLE INTEREST IN ST. LOT IS. As for St. Louis only the slightest atten-tftaa was laid to the racing introduced there, for owners and breeders in other parts of the country found better engagements nearer at home. Kven in Iouisville there was mani-fast difficulty in reviving interest, despite the fact that that city was so near the great | blue grass region. In North Carolina almost the first attempt to hold a running race after the war was at the State Fair in Raleigh in 1872. The event is interesting as affording a striking I Illustration of the weakness of the turf in that state at that time, and it is also a fair illustration of the condition of things that generally prevailed then throughout the Bouth. With diflieulty even the semllance of a ra-e was arranged. A chestnut colt named | Jack Uoulhae. a nameless thoroughbred gray mare, and a nameless gray colt were entered. The chestnut colt ran one and a half miles In three minutes and thirty seconds and was easily the winner. In the following year a few more horses appeared upon a similar occasion, and .lack l.oulhac was again at the head of the pro-c«ssion. In 1875 the annual race was contested by Jack Roulhae. Notre l ame a bay mare by Levington— Novice and Mary Long. a bay mare by Warminster. In 1K75 there was some good racing at the State Fair, and from that time on the condition of things began to steadily improve. In 1872 Red Pick was the only thoroughbred stallion standing In the state. REVIVING RACING IN TnE SOI Til. A project for reviving racing in the South on a bread scale was starttd in thr summer of 1X72. Some of the leading turfmen of the country made an appeal to the members of the old Charleston Jockey Club and the supporters I f the turf in Macon, Savannah and Augusta. Recalling "the happy hours spent under the old regime" they urged that measures should be taken to re-establish racing, particularly in the cities named, and pledged themselves to send their horses and i I j | j I i ! j j i j ; i , , , j I j , , | ! | I j i j i . , i i I do all In their power to perpetuate the inter-I est of racing throughout the old southern circuit Among the prominent owners and trainers who joined in this declaration were Colonel David McDaniel. Major T. G. Macon, Major Thomas W. Dcswell, Dr. J. W. Weldon, II V. Snedeker, David McCoun, Captain W. M. Connor, Thomas Puryear, H. P. McGrath. R» W. Walden and others to the number of twenty-five. Down even to the time of the early seven-I ties the glory that has compassed the turf in this generation was still in the future, despite the gratifying progress that had oeen made toward its revival and the fixed position that it had been able to attain in sev- eral localities. Notwithstanding the multi-; plication of race tracks Lexington and Nashville in the Mississippi Valley and the Ameri-1 can Jockey Club and Saratoga to the East were the only ones that made any pretense of effering substantial inducements to breed-! ers and owners to do their part toward the development of the blood horse. Elsewhere there was little that made it worth the while of breeders to expand their business or to owners to subscribe to stakes. Those who have made the closest study of the history of the turf scarcely need to have ii; pointed out to them that at the period which is here under consideration by far the greater part of the important racing in the Cnited States was upon the great northern courses and one or two in the South. II 111 Will HI the- racing, however interesting it might be and however suggestive of a great future, was. on the whole, of secondary importance and valuable mainly as a start-i ing point, rather than as marking a posi- tive and valuable achievement. NORTH MONOPOLIZED ATTENTION. The great race courses of the North for several years monopolized public attention to a degree that was altogether to the disadvantage of other sections, temporarily at least. although of course the ulltimate influence that went r ut from the northern institutions was beyond all question healthful. The rich stakes and prizes of the East drew all the first-class horses fre-m other parts of the country, so that the local courses of the old time racing region were practically denuded. I»ngfellow. Harry Bassett, Monarchist. Enquirer. Nellie Cray, Ronita, Tom Bosling, Vandalite and scores of other great cracks of that period could be counted upon for greater success and more money for their owners by running at Jerome Park, Saratoga. Monmouth Park, Raltimore and elsewhere than upon the courses nearer home, where, as yet, it was impossible to effer large purses. ! The longer thir. condition of things continued the lower fell the condition of the | southern turf, so that ultimately, as has been pointed out by one authority, "the racing clubs of the South got potirer and poorer. I while those of the East got richer and richer. I Back coming year those of the South became I less prominent, those of the East became I more prominent.* When the Louisville Jockey Club was or- gani.cd la 1875 it was with a dstinct rec?og-j nition of this condition of affairs and the j pla:i f opening valuable stakes to call back ! the great thoroughbreds to their native heat! I was inaugurated. The result was what might have been anticipated, and in the years im- j mediately following racing on the southern courses began tr show new vigor, somewhat i c-n at the expense of the turf at the North, which" for a d cada or more hael enjoyed such unexampled prosperiy. In the end af- i fairs regulated themselves so that a fair balance avaa maintained between the two sections, hut for a time the struggle for supremacy was fierce and unyielding and engaged the energies and resources of turfmen everywhere to the fullest extent. YEAR OF 1S7C M EMORAIJLE. Th*» year of 1876 was a memorable one in the history of American racing. The revival of interests in turf matters had been by this time fully accomplished and the outl ok for general prosperity fillffaK the centennial year of the republic stimulated the expectations of everyone connected with the sport. The eiutlook was most favorable for a large assemblage upon racing meetings and for revived activity among horsemen, while at the same time many great thoroughbreds were coming to the front, the performances of which seemed to gratify the fullest expectations of thr se who looked forward to sport of an exceptionally important character. Such fliers as King Alfonso, Aristides, Ten Broeck, Longfellow, Enquirer, Salina, ■ Tom Bowling, Leander, Parole, Vagrant, I RhadamanthuH, Viator, Sultana, Sunburst, I Fiddlestick, brother to Basset ; Tom Ochiltree and a score of others were among those which were on the cards. Some of jlhem lad already become of approved merit, while others, which have since attained tc ! fame, had yet their laurels to earn. Four hundred and twelve races were run I at the recognized meetings at Jerome Park, i Ijong Branch, Saratoga, Baltimore, Washing-I ton, Philadelphia, Lexington, Louisville, Nashville. Cincinnati, New Orleans, Savannah, Charleston, Austin and San Francisco. The minor meetings may be left out of con-sieleration, for they did not have a serious influence upon the turf, although the number of races run in connection with them woulel largely augment this quota. Of these four hundred and twelve races two hundred and eighty-four were dashes of from ] one-half mile to four miles distance, while ! eighty -five were heats, twenty hurdle races ; and twenty -three steeplechases. The total ! amount of money won in stakes and prizes . amounted to ?:i71.130. The prominent own-I ers who participated in these races were August Belmont, Pierre Ix rillard, George Ij. Lorillarel, H. P. McGrath, Dwyer Brothers, M. H. Litte.l, E. A. Clabaugh. Frank Harper, J. A. Grinstead, A. Keene Richards. E. J. Palelwin, Governor Bowie and Captain McDaniel. PERFORMANCES REMARKABLE. When the season was endeel the record showed that in many respects the turf performances had been the most remarkable ever witnessed in this country. Unprecedented speed was shown by horses of every age and several records were substantially reduced. Palmetto, the two-year-old daughter of Narragansett, equaled the best distance by a two-year-old at five furlongs, Rhadaman-thus sharing with her the honor of liOo1 that he made a month previous in the same I year. P.elle of the Meade twice ran a one mile dash in 1:44V, and was ranked as one ot the best daughters of imported Bonnie Scotland. First Chance, a five-year-old, made the best time in 1 :15% for six furlongs. Vigil, the three-year-ohl son of Virgil, ran two miles in 3:371i, the best race at this distance, weight for age. and brother to Bassett, the same ag3 with 110 pounds up, ran the same distance in 1 :3.r . Aristides, son of imported Leamington, ran two miles and an eteMa in 3:45 and two ami a half miles in 4 :21l z. be th the fastest time ever matle at the respective distances. Ten Broeck reduced time on three occasions. First when he made two miles and five-eighths in 4:."i82, second when he ran three miles in 5 :26V.t and third when he beat down the recorel for fe ur miles to 7:15-°»4. In citing these performances the point was constantly and firmly made and scarcely denied that the horses appearing in this vear weio far superior to those « f any former period. Ae-cepting this view of the case it becomes intere-sting to note as a striking indication of the constantly improving quality e f our thoroughbreds that even these record-breaking feats, which were con-sidereel in their day phenomenal, have since then been many times surpassed by having many seconds knocked off of them. The e.nly :ecord which has stood during the years which have elapsed since it was first placed is the record of 4 andSH for two miles and five-eighths, made by Ten Broeck. SIGNIFICANT OF I ROWING INTEREST. It is also significant of the growing interest that characterized turf affairs at that period that there was no falling off in the ensuing year as regarels the entries and other general preparations for the season. This was especially gratifving when it was considered that the extraordinary features connected with the observance of centennial year had a natural tendency to stimulate an exceptional activity in the turf world, as In other affairs, that engaged the attention of the pleasure-seeking public The conclusion was irresistible that the American turf was firmly established upon more solid ground than ever before, and that the interest of sportsmen and of the public generally could no longer be considered of a trifling or ephemeral nature. The character of the attendance upon race meetings had also reached a higher plane than ever before, having In this respect shown a steady and gratifying improvement for a decade past and holding out equal promise for the future. Looking over the field as it existed at this particular time, one can scarcely fail to be profoundly impressed with this aspect of general development and the universally , high standing to which at last the turf had attained in nearly every part of the country. The revival had been eagerly looked forward to and persistently labored for and had been a long time in coming, but it had finally arrived and in a way that delighted ail who were in any way concerned for the welfare of the blood horse or eager to raise the turf to a position of national importance. It was particularly betwt-en 1875 and 1880 that exceptional changes were taking place in the status of racing. The record of 1876, as we have just pointed out, was exceptionally brilliant, but it was surpassed, in some respects, in the years immediately following. Some definite idea of the character of this remarkable development may be gained by careful examination of some of the most important turf fixtures of the country for several successive years about this time. These will demonstrate, more than any argument or lengthy dissertation possibly can, to what extent jockey clubs and horse associations were growing in power and influence and how responsive horsemen were becoming to the liberal inducements that were held out to them from various quarters. STAKES AND ENTRIES COMPARED. A comparison of the stakes and entries at the principal courses in the country for the closing years of this decade is certainly instructive. The recapitulation will give a reasonably fair idea of the status of the turf in that particular period. On some accounts the presentation would seem to be much more favorable than it might have been in ether years, for the rease-n of the advantageous ce nditions that attached to 1876 as being our first centennial vear, the members of the jockey clubs and racing associations seeming thon ti unite in special efforts in the interests of the sport. Nevertheless, these figures, even though somewhat incomplete, .may be accepted as giving at laaat a reasonably fair suggestion of the condition cf the turf as it existed ten years after the close of the ivil War ami a little more than two decades since this was written. There is suggestion also in the discovery that notwithstanding the unexampled activity vZ the centennial year the years immediately following showed at all points of comparison a marked and gratifying increase. In 1876 the LaatovflMa .Jockey Club had fourteen stakes for wbca there were ,66 entries, the same stakes having 375 entries in the following year and MS in 1S78. The Kentucky association ha 7 eleven stakes with 166 entries in 1876, fourteen stakes with 291 entries in 1877 and fifteen stakes with 304 entries in 1878. The Nashville Blood Horse Association to 1876 closed nine stakes with 192 entries, twelve stakes with 241 entries in the following year and thirteen stakes with 228 entries in 187S. The Queen City Jockey Club had eighty-four entries for four stakes in 1876, five stakes with seventy-nine entries in 1877 and five stakes with 111 entries in 1878. The three stakes of the Louisiana Jockey Club had thirty-five entries in 1876 and twenty-nine in 1877; with one stake added in 1878 there were thirty-two entries. The Columbus Jockey Club, against three atokea with forty-three entries in 1877, had five slakes with seventy-eight entries in 1878. The Maryland Jockey Club also showed a gratifying increase during these three years, its stakes for 1876 being nine in lui.iht r with 212 entries, to Vtt ten with 274 entries and in 1S78 thirteen with 353 entries. A DISTINCT FALLING OFF. On the other hand, there was a distinct falling off in the business of the two great northern courses at Saratoga and Jerome Park. Saratoga, which in 1876 had closed ten stakes with 355 entries and in 1877 the same stakes with 506 entries, could now command only 347 entries for its ten stakes. The American Jockey Clubs presentation showed, however, the most alarming eleea-de-nce. At Jerome Park there were sixteen stakes fa 1876 with 597 entries, while in the following year there were 775 entries for the same stakes. In 1878, however, the Maturity Home Bred Produce anel Maryland Stakes were dropped and the remaining fixtures only called out 481 entries. The St. Louis Jockey Club came into the field with nine stakes, for which there were 257 entries, and the assoe-iation at Mon-ine uth Park v:is revived and had 408 entries for its twe.ve stakes. Altogether the rtcari for these three years showetl in its grand total a gratifying increase. The entries, which were 1,983 in 1876 and 2,611 in 1877, rising in 18 /S to 2,989. A statemeit af the number of races run and their vaue for several years also shows the wonderful development of the period. In 1S74 there were 950 races run, of the value of 96,772; in 187", 866 races of the value of 90,649 ; in 1876, 7S2 races of the value of 85,509. With 1877 the advance became noticeable and continued thereafter. In that year 907 races were run, valued at 41,652; in 187S there were 1,058 races, valued at 61,395, and in 1879, 1,221 races were run, valued at 45,064. In 1877 fully 1.000 horses started ; in 1878 the number had toeraaaed to nearly 1,400, while in the following year it ran up to over 1,500. At the same time the number of brood marcs in the country was about 2,100, while the stallions numbered over 300 and the annual number of foals was estimated at fully 1,400. To Be Continued.
