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THE STORY OF THE SPRINTER— XXI. By SALVATOB. The preceding chapter in this series introduced to our story the first two "champion sprinters" that came upon the scene. They were, respectively, Alarm and Rhad-amanthus. The former, foaled in 1869, was a son of imported Eclipse and import-ad Maud, by Stockwell. He ran only as a two- and three-year-old, in 1871 and 1872, and was the first j thoroughbred in America to run a mile below 1:43. While not unbeatable at two, he probably would have been if better managed. At three he was unbeatable, winning all his starts in whirlwind style, nothing being able to meet the pace he set. He broke down in midsummer at three, and never raced again. Retired to the stud, he found-ad the family that we know today as the Domino line — the outstanding pure speed line of the American Stud Book and one of the most successful in the world. Rhadamanthus, foaled three years later, in 1872, was a son of imported Leamington and Nemesis, by imported Eclipse. He began as a stake colt in classic and semi-classic fixtures, but proved unable to go their distances. His intense speed, however, which was superior to that of any other horse of his day, made it possible for him to become the acknowledged short distance champion of the metropolitan tracks, where he campaigned for six seasons. After being condemned as not of stake class he was picked up for a small sum by the Dwyer Brothers and was the corner stone of their immense success as owners. Rhadamanthus perished in a burning stable soon after he was sent to the stud and left only a handful of foals. Alarm, in addition to being the first horse in America to run a mile below 1:43, was also the first on-e to run six furlongs as fast as 1:16, which he did at Saratoga in 1872. Rhadamanthus was the first horse in America to run five furlongs as fast as 1:03 1-2, which he did, also at Saratoga, in 1876. The previous record for five furlongs had been 1:04 1-2, made by Aristides, the first Kentucky Derby winner, when a two-year-old at old Jerome Park, New York City, in 1874. At this period the Saratoga track was the fastest in America among major courses — while today it is one of the slowest. The present Saratoga track, as is well known, is not identical with that of the last century. About 1900 it was rebuilt and the reconstruction took in only a small part of the old oval, the remainder being wholly new. At Saratoga, as the records show, a large number of the fastest races at all distances were run annually every season. And there, in 1874, had taken place the most sensational exhibition of sprinting speed ever up to that date seen in this country, though not before mentioned in this narrative. That was when the two-year-old filly Oli-tipa, by imported Leamington from Oleata, by Lexington, in winning the Flash Stakes, ran a half mile in :47 3-4 seconds. The weights apportioned two-year-olds were then very light, according to modern ideas, and Olitipa carried but ninety-seven pounds. Still her performance was so startling that it amazed the whole turf world. Despite her light weight, she was also many years in advance of her time. Her record stood unbeaten for no less than twenty-three seasons until, in 1889, Geraldine ran in flat 46 seconds over the newly constructed "toboggan slide" straightaway course at Morris Park. Olitipa, it will be seen, was by the same sire as Rhadamanthus — imported Leamington. She was also bred by the same man who had bred both Rhadamanthus and Alarm — John Hunter, of the Annieswood Stud in Westchester County, only a few miles from New York City. We must therefore give him the credit of having been the most successful breeder of extreme speed in the era when short distances were being introduced into this country; and with having produced three "speed marvels" whose performances were not only very influential in their own day upon the minds and methods of turfmen, but of permanent historic importance. The fact is somewhat piquant in view of another one. Which is, that John Hunter who both bred and raced in partnership with William R. Travers, the man for whom the Travers Stakes, the oldest fixed event of the American turf, founded at Saratoga in 1864, was named, then an old man and lifelong devotee of the thoroughbred, had been for a lengthy period identified with the "old school," to which the long distance and four-mile horse of ante-bellum days was th-a ideal racer. Yet he turned out the three most sensational sprinters of the "new dispensation." Olitipa and Rhadamanthus were of the same crop of foals, that of 1872, got by their sire, imported Leamington, who shares with imported Eclipse the credit for introducing a new type of race horse into the U. S. A. But there was about him a most remarkable attribute. Unlike Eclipse, whose get were short-coursed in a pronounced degree, only here and there one of them caring to "go on," the Leamingtons, in addition to prodigious speed, possessed staying power. In proof of which it is only necessary to adduce such as Aristides, Longfellow, Enquirer, Parole, Iroquois, Reform, Netti-e Norton, Katie Pearce, Girofle, and many others of his sons and daughters. The Leamington male line up to about 1900 was really the dominant one, but then began suddenly to die out and in a comparatively few years had become a "back number," being now to all intents and purposes extinct; whereas, the Eclipse line, through Domino, has not only survived, but become one of the most successful ones of the twentieth century. In this connection, however, it is well to rem-ember this: That Domino, while a male-line Eclipse horse, being by Himyar, son of Alarm, was from a mare by Enquirer, son of Leamington. Thus he really combined the two strains of blood that in the early days of the sprinting revival gave us Alarm, Rhadamanthus and Olitipa. The Domino line is one of the three dominant male lines of the American Stud Book at the present time. The other two, as scarce needs be stated, are those of Ben Brush and Fair Play. When we examine the pedigree of Ben Brush we find that he is by Bramble, dam Roseville, by Reform, son of Leamington, granddam Albia, by Alarm, son of Eclipse. Here again recurs the combination of the Eclipse and Leamington blood — a recurrence with more than ordinary significance. It tells us how "blood will tell." How the blood that rose immediately to the top when sprinting was first introduced upon American race tracks, over sixty years ago, remains at the top, after all that time, now when sprinting has become regnant throughout the land. Still again — Bramble, sire of Ben Brush, we met with in a recent chapter of this series as the first winner of the first regular stake event for sprinters ever established at an American meeting. That having been the Congress Hall Stakes, founded at Saratoga in 1879. Ben Brush, having been by Bramble, dam by a son of Leamington; granddam by a son of Eclipse, is it any wonder that his direct male line is today the most successful on the American turf, judged by the ruling criterion of the amount of money won.
