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| j I i ! I j j I : | , i , I , ! I | j I j I j j j | DIXIE STAKES LORE Some Early History of Famous Race to Be Run May 1. ♦ Winners from 1870 to 1888 — i — Preakness First — Harry Bas- sett Scares All Out in 1871. BALTIMOBE, Md., April 3— When th« Maryland Jockey Club was reorganized under the able management of Oden Bowie, then governor of the state, as president, Washington Bowie and Edward Lloyd, vice-presidents, James L. McLane, secretary, and Henry Elliott Johnson, treasurer, with a long list of the most prominent men of the state on the executive committee, is was resolved to inaugurate the new Pimlico track with a stake worthy of the occasion and of a community which had been the headquarters of the sport since colonial days. Accordingly, at the memorable dinner given at Saratoga in the summer of 186S. attended by the foremost turfmen in the country. Governor Bowie, on behalf of his associates, electrified the gathering by of-| fering 5,000 to be added to a sweepstakes of ,000 each, for three-year-olds, to be run at the autumn meeting at Pimlico in October. 1870. DINNER PARTY STAKES. There were thirty subscribers to the stake, which was called the Dinner Party Stakes, in compliment to the Saratoga banquet, but only seven horses went to the post, the winner turning up in M. H. Sanfords bay colt Preakness, by Lexington — Bay Leaf, ridden by William Hayward, which ran the two miles in 3 :47 1-2 over a heavy track. Bun- ning in second place was Thomas W. Dos-wells Virginia-bred Ecliptic, with T. G. Moores Foster, afterward famous as a four-i miler on the Pacific slope, third. The race proved an immense success, and attracted an enormous crowd, so that it was determined to make it an annual event, and to change the name to Dixie Stakes, under which designation it was run continuously until 1888. The following year, 1871, to be exact, saw the rise of the powerful D. McDaniel con-I federacy, which furnished so stout a favor-I ite in the chestnut colt Harry Bassett, by Lexington — Canary Bird, ridden by "Jimmy" Bowe. the present popular trainer of the H. P. Whitney stable, that he scared out an opposition and enjoyed the doubtful distinction of a "walk-over." In this Dixie, Harry Bassett showed the class he subsequenly displayed in his memorable duels with the mighty Longfellow. ANOTHER MoDAMEL SUCCESS. The McDaniel stable also won the race in 1872 with Hubbard, by Planet — Minnie Mansfield, the same owners Joe Daniels, second, and John F. Chamberlins True Blue, third. In 1873 EL Price McGrath brought up from Kentucky the famous Tom Howling, a son of Lexington — Lucy Fowler, which won handily under "Bobby" Swims good ride, with W. W. Glenns Baltimore-owned Mero-dac, a beautiful dark chestnut colt by Australian, second, and "Joe" Donohues gray mare, Lizzie Lucas, third. The time, 3:5.8, was the slowest ever made in the Dixie, and was accounted for by the extremely heavy going, rendering anything like speed out of the question. For the first and only time in its early history a filly was returned the winner in 1874, in A. B. Lewis and Co.s great Vandalite, a wonderfully good daughter of Vandal — Vesper Light, ridden by the colored jockey Houston, who disposed of D. McDaniels Madge, and M. EL Sanfords Brigand in the excellent time of 3 :35 1-2, fifteen horses going to the post. There have been few finer fillies in the history of the turf in this country than Vandalite, nated for stamina as well as speed, and she deserves to rank with Beldame, Imp, Firenze and other females of the species that have brought renown to racing and much profit to their lucky owners. -♦ , . ,
