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Q j : ;tl the sc jc ;u: iri p, j. p y, i, in rj . ;s, : y o a at p f , p v i I 1 A c f I I 1 i f t 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 : 1 ! , . . I i - f 3 1 - i 5 i . t - 1 - f 2 1 i SLASHING RACCR OF OLD Turf Career of Late A. J. Cassatts Good Horse, The Bard. tr Won Twenty-Seven Races, All Stake Events and Over SO,000 hi Purses in Four Years of Racing. , . A slashing racer on the American turf in : late SOs was The Bard, winner of twenty- -seven twelve in sue- -icession races, all stake races, and worth 5S0.S95. The Bard was unquestionably the best horse- that ever car- , iried the colors of the late A. J. Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania railroad and ; father of E. B. Cassatt, who has been a ; prominent figure in eastern racing. j The Bard made his first start as a two- ; year-old at Sheepshcad Bay, June 4, 1885, an allowance race, the only race other than a stake in which he ever started. He was beaten in his first start by Inspector : B., a popular racer of those days. The Bard ; did little as a two-year-old to suggest the successful racer of the following two years. He began his triumphant career as a three-vear-old by winning the Preakness Stakes, one mile and a half, in 2:45, over a fair track Baltimore, May 21, 1880. He carried 118 pounds, won easily by three lengths from Eurus, with Elkwood third, ten lengths farther back. Then Inspector B. beat him a length for the Belmont Stakes, a mile and a half, in 2 :41 at Jerome Park. He was unplaced to Dry Monopole when that good horse won the Green Grass Stakes from Inspector B. at Coney Island. The next time out The Bard was beaten three lengths by Inspector B. for the Stud Stakes, one and three-eighths miles, in 2:23 3-4, and two days later, June 21, he was beaten a head on the post by Winifred in the Emporium Stakes, one and " one- half miles, in 2 :43. He was giving Winifred nine and one-half pounds. At Coney Island, June 30, he met Dew Drop, Conn Cregan and Housatonic in the Spindrift Stakes at one and one-quarter miles. Dew Drop, which was carrying 115 pounds to The Cards 114, made it a dead heat with him in 2:091L-. Dwyer Brothers declined to run again, and The Bard walked over for the stakes. ,925. This was followed by his vie- -tory in the Barnegat Stakes, one and one-half miles, in 2:45, at Monmouth Park, July 15. He beat Quarto by six lengths in a canter, Winifred third. He hooked up with Dew Drop in the Stevens Stakes at Monmouth Park, July 20, each carrying 118 pounds. Jimmy McLaughlin was on Dew Drop and outfinished Fisher. Dew Drop Avon by half a length, the one and five-eighths miles being run in 2:5414. Charity, in receipt of twelve pounds from The Bard, beat him a length and a half for the Baritan Stakes four days later, the one and one-fourth miles being run in 2 :14. But from that time to the end of tho season and well on into the next year no horse showed his heels to The Bard, lie won twelve races in succession from July 27, 1SS6 to June 25, 1887. The eight straights in 18SG were the Freehold Stakes, one and one-half miles, in 2:45; the Omnibus Stakes, beating Dew Drop in a canter by four lengths, one and one-half miles, in 2 :39, Dew Drop carrying 120 to his US ; The Choice Stakes, in which he gave Dew Drop fivfe pounds and beat him a ,-neck, the one and-one-half miles in 2:391,i" the September Stakes, one and three-quarters miles, -with 125 pounds up, in 3 :05 ; the Jerome Stakes, one and three-quarters miles, no time taken ; the Dixie Stakes, cantering away from Blue Wing by four lengths at the end of the two miles in 3 :33 ; the Breckinridge Stakes, in which he gave Blue Wing five pounds and beat him eight lengths, two miles, in 3:35, and the Potomac Stakes at Washington, October 30, in which he met only Elkwood; carried even weights, 118 pounds, and beat him the one and three-eighths miles in a canter by eight lengths in 2 :27. WINS SIX OF EIGHT RACES. The Bard came Out for his first race as a four-year-old at Brooklyn, June 14, winning the June Special, one and one-eighth miles, in 1 :55, from Telie Doe and Barnum. He was pulling up at the end, six lengths in front of the mare. Two days later came his ridiculously easy victory over Hidalgo, Barnum and Elkwood in the St. James Hotel Handi- cap, one and brie-quarter miles, in 2 :08 3-4. By the scales he was giving weight to the others. At Sheepshead Bay, June 21, The Bard, carrying 118 pounds, met Troubadour, then five years old, carrying 122 pounds, and beat him easily by three- lengths, one and one-eighth miles, in 1 :55, for the Coney Island Stakes, Haywood riding The Bard and Garrison piloting Troubadour. " June 25 he Avon the Coney Island Cup, one and three-t quarters miles, in 3 :03, cantering three lengths in front of Barnum. ElkAvood Avas third and Rataplan fourth and last. At Mon- mouth Park, July 4, Troubadour turned the tables on The Bard. It Avas for the Ocean Stakes, and they had the same riders and Avere Aveighted the same as for the Coney Island Stakes. Troubadour passed The Bard in the homestretch and Avon in a canter by three lengths, the one and one-eighth miles being run in 1 :56 1-4. For the Monmouth Cup, July 14, these two Avere again the only starters, and Troubadour was easily the Aic-tor by a length. They had tho same riders, but The Bard carried 123 to Troubadours 121. t The time for the one and three-quarters i a miles Avas 3:04. The Bard got his revenge : when he won the Freeland Stakes at Mon-t mouth August 4. Barnum came into this ; J race with Fitzpatrick as his pilot and fin-e ished second, three lengths behind The Bard 1 s and a length in front of Troubadour, the : time for the one and one- half miles being ; - 1 :39 3-4. He ran again at Monmouth, Au-t gust 9, and Avon the EatontoAvn Stakes by a . o length and a half from Preciosa, to Avhich i he Avas giving fifteen pounds, the mile being - coA-ered in 1 :43 3-4. This Avas his last race : t as a four-year-old. The Brooklyn Handicap, ati.Gravcsend, May o 15, 1S88, Avas the first of The Bards seven l r successi-e A-ictories as a ilAre-year-old. In this race he defeated HanoA-er by a length, g Avith Exile third and eight others behind them. . HanoAer Avas a year younger than The Bard d and they each carried 125 pounds. The time .v for the one and one-quarter miles Avas 2 :13. Next he beat Sir Dixon and Banbury for the ; t, St. James Hotel Stakes, one and one-quarter : i- miles in 2:08 1-2, May 21. Two days later r d he defeated Volante, Hanover and Fenelon l for the Brooklyn Cup, one and one-half miles, , n in 2 :42 1-4. By this time they greAV tired 1 e running after him and The Bard Avalked o.Aer r for the Second Special at GraAesend, May 30, , i : ; 1 : ; . i : l . ; : r l , 1 r , and the Coney Island Stakes at Sheepshead Bay, June 1G, Hidalgo and ElkAvood essayed a contest Avith him fcr the Coney Island Cup, June 21, and he easily shoAved them his heels, the one and three-quarters miles being run in 3 :0G 3-4. The Bard scpred his last Aictory in the Ocean Stakes at Monmouth, July 4, defeating Kingston and Firenze. He ;von easily by four lengths, running the onft and one-eighth miles in 1 :55. His career on the turf ended Avhen Firenze, ridden by Gar-: rison at 113 pounds, defeated him in a canter by three lengths for the Freehold Stakes at Monmouth August 2. Firenze ran the one and one-half miles in 2:34. The Bard carried 120 pounds and Avas ridden by Hay-l ward. The tabulated record of his perform-, ances and Avinnings is as folloAvs: Year. A. Sts. 1st. 2d. 3d. Unp. Won. 18S5 2 11 3 1 4 G $ C.430 1SS0 3 17 11 5 0 1 40,200 1SS7 4 S G 2 0 0 14,425 188S 5 S 7 1 0 0 19.4S0 Totals 47 27 9 4 7 ,SU5 The Bard entered the stud at Chesterbrook in 18S9, but his success as a sire Avas not in keeping Avith his performances on the turf. His opportunities Avere limited. He got sca-- eral good race horses and Gold Heels Avas the best of them all.
