view raw text
EARLY PREAKNESS STAKES 9 Founded in 1873 in Honor of First Dixie Stakes Winner. — ♦ Modest Beginning With Only ,000 Added — Survivor Successful In the Initial Contest. ♦ BALTIMORE, Md., April 20. —The Ken-ness is one of the oldest stakes on the roster of the Maryland Jockey Club. Founded in 1873 to commemorate the first Preakness winner of the Pinner Party, afer-ward known as the Dixie Stakes, it was run continuously at Pimlico until racing temporarily ceased there in 188S, only to be revived in 1909 and featured annually thereafter to the present year. As is well known, Preakness was a bay horse, bred and owned by M. H. Sanford, sired by the immortal Lexington — Bay Leaf, and was named afier a village in New Jersey, near where he wa3 foaled. It was a graceful compliment on the part of the Maryland Jockey Club to perpetuate his name in so efficient a manner and it is known the world over. The stake was a modest affair at first, with only ,000 added, distance one and a half miles, but it attracted an excellent class of horses and resulted in many a stirring contest over Pimlicos popular course. The initial contest for the Preakness was won by John F. Chamberlins Survivor, by Vandal, dam by Lexington, trained by A. D. Pryor, of New Jersey, and ridden by the efficient George Barbee. A picture of Survivor, presented to the Maryland Jockey Club by the son of his former trainer, is typical of the racer of half a century ago, showing a lot of daylight under the body, with the conformation of a greyhound and tremendous length from "stem to stern." He was bred by John M. Clay, of Kentucky, and defeated a moderate field in the Preakness, of which M. Jordan and Co.s John Boulger, and H. P. McGraths Artist were second and third. The Irish contingent had a field day in 1874 when Hugh Gaffneys Culpepper, by Revolver — Gentle Annie, ridden by the redoubtable Donohue, won from August Belmonts King Amadeus, with the same owners Scratch third, there being twenty-two subscribers and five starters, in the slowest time the stake was ever run, 2 :56 1-2. In 1875 John F. Chamberlin again captured the Preakness with Tom Ochiltree, which also won the Dixie in the following autumn, the son of Lexington and Katonah, ridden by Hughes, defeating E. A. Cla-baughs home-bred Viator, by Vauxhall. and M. H. Sanfords Bay Final in 2 :43 1-2, and displaying the quality that made him one of the great horses of the day. As previously related, Tom Ochiltree was acquired by George L. Lorillard, who raced him with success, and presented him to his trainer, R W. Walden, of Bowling Brook, when his racing days were over. The 1876 Preakness was won by Shirley, ridden by Barbee, in Pierre Lorillards tasteful cherry, black hoops on sleeves, black cap, gold tassel, with Thomas W. Doswells Virginia-bred Rappahannock second and his Algerie third, and in 1877 Maryland furnished the winner in E. A. Clabaughs chestnut colt Cloverbrook, by Vauxhall, Cyrus Holloway in the saddle, over P. Lorillards Bombast, second, and George L Lorillards Lucifer, by Leamington, third. The Clabaugh win was immensely popular and the colt, named after his breeders and owners farm in Carroll county, was a more than useful performer, winding up his career on a Virginia stock farm.
