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IUDGE CHARLES F. PRICE Veteran Racing Officials Long Connection With Kentucky Turf. lis Interesting Review of the Sport in Louisville and How Churchill Downs Was Established. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 28. Judge Chas. Price, steward in charge of racing at Dhurchill Downs, is entering his fifty-second fear of service at the historic Louisville :ourse and during his connection with the ;rack has been closely associated with its srogress and development, as well as the srogress of the thoroughbred sport in America. There probably is no one more familiar with the early history of racing in Louisville and Kentucky than judge Price ind he has in his possession many interesting and priceless records, programs, pictures, souvenirs and mementos of the early and struggling days of the sport in this section. Judge Price, whose experience with racing dates back to the days when horses competed in heats of three and four-miles, best two in three, and when races over distances less than a mile were unheard of, is one of the best posted men in the sport and is considered a peer among turf officials. When he was younger he served in official capacities on many of the most important tracks in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but in recent years he has been giving his entire time to tracks operated by the American Turf Association,- serving here at Churchill Downs, at Latonia and at Lincoln Fields. He is steward in charge of racing at each of these courses. UNIVERSALLY RESPECTED. As capable as he is fearless, judge Price is universally respected as a racing official and his close vigilance and administration over the sport is much responsible for the high plane on which it is conducted wherever he serves. Besides his experience in the business management of tracks, judge Price has held virtually every position with the racing department. Formerly city editor of the Louisville Post, he first became actively engaged with racing here in 1886 and has been closely identified with the sport here ever since. Judge Price interrupted a successful journalistic career to aid his friend, Col. M. Lewis Clark, founder of Churchill Downs, in the management of the Louisville Jockey Club. He became secretary in 1892, and during Colonel Clarks presidency judge Price carried the burden of the incessant work, and the foundations of integrity and thoroughness upon which the present popularity of racing in Kentucky is builded were laid by him and Colonel Clark, both working unselfishly for the love of the sport. Upon the 1 death of Colonel Clark, in 1899, judge Price succeeded Colonel Clark as presiding judge and since he has been a steward of racing. FIRST KENTUCKY RACING. In a review of racing written by judge Price, some years ago, he wrote: "Racing first was held in Kentucky about 150 years ago, the earliest record in the public press, bearing the date 1789. Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, in one of his chronicles of Kentucky, says: "As early as 1783 it is known "that races were run on what is now known as Market Street, Louisville. Afterwards there was a race track near the foot of Sixteenth Street, at which horses were run for purses." In the Louisville Advertiser of October 3, 1823, appears the following advertisement: "Louisville Jockey Club races will commence on Monday, October 15, 1823, and continue three days. First day, three-mile heats; second day, two-mile heats; third day, one-mile heats; free for any horse, mare or gelding. Aged horses, 121 pounds; six-year-olds, 114 pounds; five-year-olds, 103 pounds; four-year-olds, 90 pounds; three-year-olds, 75 pounds. Thomas Watson, secretary." Years ago race meetings were given at the. old Hope Distillery course, then at the foot of Sixteenth Street. In the Louisville Focus of October 5, 1827, this announcement was made: "The Louisville Jockey Club will commence on the first Wednesday in October, 1827, on the Louisville turf, Hope Distillery, and continue for four days. First day, three-mile heats, 20; second day, two-mile heats, 0; third day, one-mile heats, 0; fourth day, three best in five, one mile and repeat." ONE-DAY MEETINGS. In addition to the meeting given by the Louisville Jockey Club as an organized body, racing was held, mostly of a single days duration, at the private tracks or farms of individuals, not breeders in the same sense that they are known today, but men who raised a few thoroughbreds and raced them for fast time and not for the purposes of sale. An announcement of one of the contests also appears in the Focus in the year 1827 in which it is stated that "there would be six two-year-olds run over the Beargrass track at Maj. Peter Funks, on the last Tuesday in October, 1827, one mile and repeat, for 0." The famous course in Louisville prior to Churchill Downs was the old Oakland course, at Seventh and Magnolia, now an industrial section. About the year 1830 the Oakland race course association was formed and Samuel Churchill was made its first president. He donated the grounds, which the members and stockholders beautified and improved, the improvements consisting of a modest grandstand and a rather pretentious clubhouse. There were no paddocks in those days and no betting sheds. There were less than half a dozen stables and not over sixty stalls. The Oakland course occupied fifty-sever acres and was an ideal location for a race track. It was skirted by groves of magnifi cent oak trees, from which it derived it: name. The clubhouse, or the "Oaklanc House," as it was then called, was a large white frame structure two stories high. DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS. Many of the most distinguished anc wealthiest citizens of that time were ther members of the club. Their names would no now be known were it not for a deed ir chancery, now of record in the court house, conveying the grounds to George Poindexter in March 1846, for the sum of ,500. Thirty- : three members signed the deed. There were no dashes or sprints in those days. Horses were required to go a mile and : repeat and were often raced two, three and four mile heats. Even the two-year-olds, which now seldom race at so great a dis- tance as a mile, were sent mile heats. It was upon the Oakland course that the notable heat race between Grey Eagle -and Wagner was run. On the first of January, 1839, a stake for all ages, four mile heats best two in three, closed with ten subscriptions at ,000 each, half forfeit. Among the entries were the Tennessee horse, Wagner, which had just defeated every horse he had met in Louisiana, and Grey Eagle, a Kentucky thoroughbred. There were four starters, the other six paying ,000 each forfeit, making the race worth 4,000. But while four horses started, only two Wagner and Grey Eagle were considered to have a chance. It was practically a match race, the other two horses being unsupported. The attendance from Louisiana, Tennessee and from all parts of Kentucky was considered enormous. Ken-tuckians backed Grey Eagle heavily and made him the favorite in the betting. WAGNERS VICTORIES. Wagner won both heats, the first in 7:48 and the second in 7:44, which was considered good time by the turfmen of that period. Ten Broeck, thirty-seven years later, 1876, ran four miles in 7:15 3-4 which stood as a record for many years, but this was a dash against time, upon a much better track and with a pacemaker. Kentuckians asked that the horses be re-matched and a second contest was arranged, this time for only the two horses. A month later, on October 5, these turf giants battled again. This time the stakes were smaller, ,500 a side, but the distance and conditions were the same. Grey Eagle won the first heat in 7:51, but the jubilation of Kentuckians was turned to anxiety when Wagner captured the second in 7:43. Excitement was intense during the running of the third heat. However, it was never finished by Grey Eagle. After running two miles he was seen to falter and dropped back and when his jockey pulled him up he was lame. He had broken down and never raced again. For fifteen or twenty years Louisville was without a race course, and not until the Civil War passed was any attempt made to revive the sport. Then in 1866 the. Wood-lawn track was established six miles east of the city. It was short-lived; its fortunes variable. A few years found jt in a moribund condition and at the founding of the Louisville Jockey Club Churchill Downs it passed out of existence. ONE OF AMERICAS OLDEST. Churchill Downs is one of the oldest race tracks in America, lieetings having been conducted there annually since it opened. It was formally founded by Col. M. Lewis Clark in June, 1874 and Churchill Downs was named after the owners of the ground on which the course was built John and Henry Churchill. The Churchill family, though closely identified with the history of the turf, participated but little in the running of horses. John Churchill, in his day, owned a few thorughbreds and raced them in his name. Racing was at a low ebb in Kertucky and in fact in America when Col. Clark launched the Louisville Jockey Club. Of race tracks there were only a half dozen of any consequence in the country, Monmouth, Jerome and Saratoga in the East and North, and New Orleans, Nashville and Lexington in the South. The period of racing on each was limited and the added money to stakes and purses very small. There were no princely turf prizes in those days no Futurities, no Suburbans and yearlings sold for small sums. Many Kentucky breeders were seriously considering the discontinuance of horse breeding. Col. Clark was in Woodford County at this time and the matter was . discussed with the breeders with a view of suggesting a remedy. SYSTEM OF STAKES. It was necessary to create a demand for the thoroughbred and this only could be ac- complished by the formation of a jockey club t or racing association, the establishing of a system of stakes that would demonstrate the " superiority of certain classes and ages of the j thoroughbred and by reason of the value of , such stakes create a demand for the thor- oughbred race horse. In 1872, thercfpi-e, Colonel Clark visited Europe and carefully studied the systems of 1 stakes, the rules for racing, etc., of England 1 and France. He was the guest of Admiral t Rous, the nestor of English racing and "The 1 i Father of Handicapping,! and was afforded every facility for the study of the turf abroad. Upon his return the Louisville Jockey Club was organized and Churchill Downs constructed. Colonel Clark outlined the program of stakes and other races which was a careful digest of his European observations. The Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, the Clark Stakes and the St. Leger were to be the three-year-old events, and the Louisville Cup, the test of distance for aged horses. These were to be the classics of Kentucky, each modeled after a similar event in England. The Derby was the great event for three-year-olds, one mile and a half, a distance best suited to. show the prowess of the colts and fillies of this age. The Kentucky Oaks was for three-year-old fillies, while the Clark Stakes engaged three-year-olds at two miles. The St. Leger was run in the fall, while the Louisville Cup, staged in the spring, was a weight-for-age race at two miles and a quarter. COLONEL CLARKS PROGRAM. Leading turfmen of the South and West were then invited to Louisville and, hearing of Colonel Clarks program, they gave their support, though some difficulty was had in raising enough money to build the necessary buildings. Of the original capital stock, only 2,000 was ever subscribed or paid in, mostly all in single subscriptions of one share, which included membership and admission to the grounds. Matters looked decidedly unpromising when Maj. W. H. Thomas, a leading merchant of Louisville, came to the rescue and loaned the club sufficient money to complete the grandstand and stables. From this modest beginning, the Louisville Jockey Club grew and flourished until it became not only the leading club in the West, but one of the foremost in the country. Some idea of its early struggles may be had when it is stated that during all of the twenty years of the existence of the original Louisville Jockey Club only one dividend of ten per cent was paid. The money earned was put into improvements and increased stakes and purses. Colonel Clark gave nearly all of his time to its nurture and betterment, for many years drawing no salary or other compensation. It was a labor of love with him.- PRICE SUCCEEDS CLARK. The new Louisville Jockey Club was formed in 1894, and Col. Clark continued as presiding judge, with judge Price as associate. Upon the death of Colonel Clark in 1899, judge Price succeeded him as presiding judge. In 1904 the duties of secretary and manager were relinquished by judge Price, M. J. Winn suceeding him as general manager, and Lyman H. Davis as secretary. In 1906 Churchill Downs was purchased by a syndicate composed of Colonel Winn, Charles F. Grainger, S. S. Brown, Andrew Vennie and W. E. Applegate. A year later the Louis-. ville racing association was formed, being composed of the Douglas Park Jockey Club I and the new Louisville Jockey Club. I Later was formed the Kentucky Jockey I Club, which also took over the Lexington and Latonia tracks, and just a few year back the American Turf Association, of . which Col. Winn is president, became the operating company.
