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Here and There on the Turf Simms Dispersal Sale. Buying Weanlings. Epinards Visit. A Suggestion for England. The news that the entire thoroughbred holdings of Edward F. Simms are to be sold at auction in New York City, Decsmber 10 and 11, has come as something of a surprise. The Xalapa Farm has besn, for soma years, one of the largest and most important thoroughbred nurseries in the country and the colors of the Xalapa Farm and Lexington Stable have been carried by many horses of high clars. The fine breeding stock now at the farm will, ubtcdly, attract an immense amount of i .mpctition when they are led into the ring. Some of the strongest and most successful blood lines of the United States and Europe are rcpressnted in the Xalapa stallions and marcs which are scheduled to be offered next month. There is little doubt that good prices will be realized, especially for the stallions, most of which are young and full of promise. The weanlings which arc to be offered also represent choice thoroughbred families and many of them will be bought only to be resold at tha Saratoga yearling sales next August. If the purchase of a yearling is a gamble, however, that of a weanling may be considered even more uncertain. The most expsrt judgment is often confuted in the case of horses and yearlings purchased at high prices. The slight development of a weanling makes any sound judgment of his value dmost impossible. In spite of this there will be many expert horsemen at the ringside when the Xalapa weanlings arc offered who will trust their judgment of blood lines and conformation to the extent of backing their conclusions with substantial bids. Some of them will profit handsomely from -their investments in all probability, while others will not be so lucky. The Simnls sale, apart from these considerations, promises to be one of the most important thoroughbred dispersals which has taken place in this country during a long period. The magnitude of the offerings, numerically, und the genercl high quality of the individuals to be sold, combine to make it an exceptional auction in every way. There have been many dispersals of racing stables and stud establishments in this country in recent years, but not since the sale of the great establishment of the late W. G. Whitney, 5n Madison Square Garden in 1904, has there been any vendue to compare with the one just announced. Pierre Werlrieimers Epinard has sailed away. He failed in four starts in this country, but his coming did great good for the turf. When the magnificent son of Badajoz and Epine Blanche -was brought to this country he was the undisputed champion of Europe and, while there -will always be many who will offer excuses for lis dsfeats, and with good reason, his coming and his ebfeats give a new appreciation of our own thoroughbreds. It is admitted that the distinguished visitor was glorious in his defeats, but while he was glorious in those defeats we had the horses to show him the way home. Our horses demonstrated that Epinard at his best would find worthy foemen in this country and that is to the everlasting glory of the American thoroughbred. It would be a pity indeed if the failure of both Papyrus and Epinard in this country would discourage the English and French sportsmen from trying again to win away our laurels, but even should there be no other invasions, those of thesa two great horses have given a wide-spread publicity to the importance of our own product. What remains now is for a like invasion of France and England with our best, but that would only be possible by a co-operation with the governing bodies of the turf abroad. There are foreign races to which our horses are eligible. From time to time there have been American starters in the Epsom Derby and Iroquois was om proud American winner, but while there have been bountiful inducements offered by our turf that brought over both Papyrus and Epinard there has been no like inducements for us to send our horses abroad. It has been the proud boast of England that she produced the best thoroughbreds ; that the British Isles were headquarters for the greatest and best horses. But there were some writers abroad who were foolish enough to suggest that the defeat of Papyrus in this country, when he was sent over by that sterling sportsman Ben Irish, might jeopardize the English thoroughbred market in other countries. If England does not produce the best, then England is not entitled to this foreign market. Now if England cares to prove that hers are the best thoroughbreds, there comes the time when she can invite our best to try over the English courses. It is safe to promise that, should the proper spirit be shown, there will be found American sportsmen who will be eager to invade both England and France for the glory of the American thoroughbred horse. Ben Irish did a big thing for the British; turf and Pierre Wertheimer did a big thing for the French turf, in sending their horses to this country; now it becomes the duty of England and France to show an appreciation by making possible an American invasion.
