view raw text
j MAJ. BELMONTS HOPES Expected His Horses to Do Well in Next Years Racing. Believed Ladkin Will Show His Best Form as a Four-Year-Old Favorite Yearlings. NEW YORK, N. Y., Dec. 25. That the late Major Bemont believed his stable for 1925 would be one of the best that had ever carried his silks, was well known to his friends, and while he liked to talk of Ladkin. Ordinance. Lucky Play and Blind Play, his chief candidates for the weight-for-age and handicap races next year, he was sanguine that the seventeen colts and fillies now at Belnxnt Park were far beyond the average and included several stake prospects. He firmly bel.eved that Ladkin would show his best form as a four-year-old and was very proud of his development. The fact that Mrs. Belmont is registered with the Jockey Club as a partner in the horses, renders their engagements in thc: stake events, here and abroad, valid, should tho executors of the estate decide to race. To date no decision has been reached in con- nestion with either the Nursery Stud or the racing stable. In speaking of Major Belmonts unselfish devotion to the turf and his desire to ce helpful in every phase cf its activity, a close friend of the late Chairman of the Jockey Club said yesterday: "Major Belmonts enthusiasm in all matters pertaining to the turf was unfailing. Nothing else counted when racing and horse breeding were under consideration. Even those closest to him marveled at the sustained enthusiasm he manifested in every-tning pertaining to the thoroughbred. He regarded the Jockey Club as a treasured institution and was as jealous of its prerogatives as of his own honor. HELPFUL TO YOUNG MEN. "He was especially eager to help the younger men who were coming into the sport and wanted them to succeed. He was particularly anxious that they should get started right in order not to become discouraged. He gave unstintedly of the knowledge it had taKen him a lifetime to acquire and was ever ready to lay aside business to solve a breeding problem or give advice to those seeking the benefit of his experience. He" fully realized, and often remarked that horse breeding is not an exact science, but the success achieved by him as a breeder is proof that he knew the lines of blocd from which great horses come, and had a flair for determining the proper blending of winning strains. He repeatedly bought certain mares to mate with particular sires. He bred Hourless by deliberately reversing the lines that had resulted in Tracery and there are many other instances that might be cited where his knowledge bore fruit. ."Major Belmont talked to his wife constantly about his horses. Mrs. Belmont had no knowledge of horses when she married him, but grew to like them and her husband believed that she had intuition where they were concerned. On their trips to the Nursery Stud they made selections from the foals. Sometimes they liked the same individuals. Hourless, Rock View and Friar Rock were favorites of Mrs. Belmonts. She chose Ladkin as a foal. Major Belmont preferred Ordinance. MARK OF DISTINCTION. "Whether the Belmont horses have some quality that makes them different from their kindred is for experts to decide, but a rather interesting happening the past summer would lead me to believe there is something in it. Major Belmont invited a number of friends, including Major Metcalf. equerry to the Prince of Wales, to see the yearlings gallop one morning at Belmont Park last September. On the way back to the cars a string of fifteen or more horses trotted past the party in Indian file. Mrs. Belmont commented on the appearancs of one of the animals and remarked to her husband that the horse looked like one cf theirs. Trainer Joyner came along and upon being asked what horse it was said: Those are Mr. George D. Wideners horses and it happens that the one you ask about is the only horse in the string that was bred at the Nursery Stud. "Much sympathy has been expressed at various times because Man o War was sold and never raced in the colors of his breeder. Major Belmonts utter unselfishness can best be shown by the fact that no one ever heard a word cf regret in that connection from his lips. He was delighted with the horses splendid career on the turf; regretted that he was not sent abroad, and was as eager 1 to see his progeny acquit themselves with distinction as though the horse was still his property. "The reason Man o War was sold has never been printed. Sirs. Belmont named him, and he and a colt by Hourless that Continued on twelfth page. , 1 1 ; ; MAX BELMONTS HOPES Continued from first pasc. never amounted to much, Avere the Majors faA-orites out of that years crop. The Avar Avas on and Major Belmont felt that he Avanted to be helpful. A big stable is a great responsibility and Avould take a lot cf nis time. He therefore resolved to sell all of tho yearlings but Man o " AArar and the Hourless colt. He finally decided to sell even these. AVhen he reached the decision he said he Avanted to be in a position to give his entire attention to the service in which he had enlisted. It Avas characteristic of him to part with CA-en these faAored ones rather than jeopardize his usefulness in the slightest degree. "Major Belmont had his faA-orites among the yearlings new at Belmont Park. He A-as fond of the Fair Play colts, out of Felicity, Catalpa and Quelle Chance, that have been named Festival, Clap Trap and Chance Play, and cf the Hourless colts, out of Fair Pris-cilla, Careme, and Ballot Bred, that will race as Priceman, Carom and Blackamoor. Of the fillies his favorites Avere Mistral, by B!ack Toney, out of Mission; Question, by Fair Play, out of Quelle Est Belle, and Shenanigan, by Hourless, out cf La Chananeinne. "It will be a long time before any indiAid-ual in the United States equals Major Belmonts record as a breeder. The public interested in racing Avill grant this, 1 am sure. A discussion as to the merits of Man o AVar and Sysonby enlivened a dinner party re-cenuy. As the horses raced in different periods there Avas no Avay cf determining the question of superiority but avc all paid a tribute to the man Avho not only bred Man o AArar, but Avas responsible fcr his sire and dam."
