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Story of Breeders Faith in His Horse Late Admiral Grayson Stanch Supporter of Sire High Time Ignores Pleas Not to Stand Inbred Son xf Ultimus at Stud Judgment Vindicated TJPPERVILLE, Va., May 23. Denied the satisfaction of breeding a winner of 00,000 during his lifetime, although he bred many outstanding horses that fell slightly short of that mark, the late Admiral Cary T. Grayson was accorded that distinction after death, through the "rags to riches" career of Market Wise. To date Market Wise has won 14,890, increasing to more than 00,000 the earnings of stake winners bred by Grayson during a 14-year period at his Blue Ridge Farm near here. That noted establishment still remains prominent among "Old Dominion" nurseries. It is being kept in operation by Mrs. George L. Harrison, widow of the Admiral, who stands the "poor mans" stallion, Happy Argo, at the local institution. Dying in February, 1938, the year Market Wise was foaled, the Admiral was deprived of witnessing the sensational rise of the son of Brokers Tip from the On Watch mare, On Hand. Undoubtedly Market Wises triumphs would have been one of the great pleasures of the noted Virginian. Unquestionably the greatest was the success at stud of another downtrodden, High Time. Although many honors were bestowed upon Admiral Grayson, . it is doubtful whether any gave him as much satisfaction as the recognition of his perspicacity in High Time. That was indeed a triumph of foresight and a clean-cut verdict in favor of a man possessed of the strength of his convictions. He determinedly stuck to them despite counsel to the contrary. Scorned by Breeders That Admiral Grayson was advised against trying to make a sire of High Time is a tale in itself. All the prominent breeders of the country attempted to dissuade him. They stamped the inbred son of Ultimus a 100-1 shot against making good as a progenitor. They told the master of Blue Ridge his prestige would suffer, as well as his finances. In spite of all this he placed High Time at stud. The results speak for themselves. The Admiral was right, the others wrong. High Time was truly inbreeding personified. Bred by Wickliffe Stud and foaled in 1916, he was by Ultimus, he the inbred get of Commando, out of the Domino mare, Running Stream, from the Domino mare, Noonday. Therefore, if High Time was not inbred as much as an inbred could be there never was one. As indicated by his lineage he was bred for speed. That he possessed that quality is attested by his record in competition. He was a whirlwind for five furlongs. But, he could not be dragged farther. As a two-year-old in June, 1918, at Aqueduct, High Time set a new track record of :58 for five furlongs in his first winning start. He went to the front immediately, as he did in almost all his tests, and kept going to -win easily. That was the way of High Time. He just went out there and ran as fast as he could and as far as he could, which was five furlongs. Another furlong would finish him. Time and again he was sent six furlongs only to fold up in the last furlong after showing his heels to such as Billy Kelly and Dun-boyne, who, incidentally, were no slouches, themselves, when it came to turning on speed. Raced for H. A. Porter High Time did all his racing for H. A. Porter. After a career netting ,950, including a stake victory, he was acquired by Grayson, who had an agreement with Porter to place the horse at stud. Following his announcement that he would stand High Time, Admiral, Grayson was swamped with well-meaning letters of advice suggesting he rid himself of the horse as soon as possible. The Admiral was of a different mind. In spite of his determination to breed High Time it seemed at the outset he was to have a hard time of it. No one at first wanted to handle the horse, much less breed to him. Grayson farmed High Time out for a while, first at one place and then at another in Kentucky. In the first group of mares bred to him, was Dr. E. M. Johnstons Rush Box, who, in 1921, dropped a chestnut colt later to become the famous gelding, Sarazen. The incident was not extraordinary at the time. Few people were interested in the colt simply because he was by High Time and, according to their theories, would be a mere sprinter and nothing else. The theorists did not take into account the mysteries of breeding. Sarazen, who was not expected to go more than five fur- . . . longs or six at the. most, because of his breeding, proved to be an excellent stayer, winning up to one mile and one-quarter. Unbeaten as a two-year-old, during which time he raced for Phil T. Chinn, he was sold to Mrs. Graham Fair Vanderbilt for 5,000. He developed into the leading three-year-old of 1924. His triumph over Epinard and Others in the International race at Latonia, when he ran one mile and a quarter in 2:00, was his greatest performance and possibly the fastest ten furlongs in the history of American racing. Sarazens spectacular achievements made High Times stock soar, and those who had criticized Admiral Grayson were the first to congratulate him. In High Times first crop, which included Sarazen, were five other two-year-old winners of 1924. That summer, Admiral Grayson got top price of 0,300 at the Saratoga Springs yearling sales in the High Time consignment for a chestnut colt from Tuscan Red, acquired by W. R. Coe and later named Hot Time. Chinn Buys Noted Stallion Admiral Grayson subsequently sold High Time to Phil T. Chinn for 0,000, not a bad price for a stallion that every one claimed would not make the grade. In 1928 he was the leading sire of the country, with 55 performers winning 07,631 in purses. But it was as a sire of two-year-olds that he was outstanding. He is the only one to lead the list more than two years in the past 40 years and is acknowledged the leading sire of speed and precocity of his generation. He led the list in 1927, 1928 and 1932, and shared honors with Ariel and Sir Gallahad m. in 1936. Besides being a leading sire of winners, High Time is a prominent brood mare sire. Among the accomplishments of his daugh-? ters are the production of such outstanding stake winners as Eight Thirty and Top Row, to mention but two prominent ones. At present at Blue Ridge a few of his daughters are serving as matrons. Others now gone are represented by offspring of their own that are serving to preserve the line started by the Admiral when he brought to this country such mares as Tuscan Red, dam of War Feathers and Chianti; Starf light, dam of Insco; Minaret II., granddam of Augury and Magnificent, besides others that aided in building up the brood mare harem.- Tuscan Red, foaled in 1912, was by William Rufus Fine Feathers, by Gallinule. Among her foals are War Feathers, she by Man o War and the dam of War Plumage, War Magic and War Minstrel, all stke winners; Chianti, a stake winner, and Tuscan Maiden. The latter, foaled in 1918 to the cover of Maiden Erlegh, delivered the stake winner, Fairy Maiden, by Gnome. Sand Pocket, a foal of 1913, bred by August Belmont and a daughter of Rock Sand Pocketpiece, by Hanover, has contributed Continued on Page Thirty-Five ARTHUR B. HANCOCK Americas foremost market breeder, who has the English stallion, Rhodes Scholar, in service under lease at Claiborne, is enthusiastic about the showing made by the get of this sire in England. The only two offspring of the latter who started, both won. Story of Breeders Faith In His Thoroughbred Late Admiral Grayson Stanch Supporter of Sire High Time Continued from Page Three Prince of Wales, Salubria and, among others, the producers, Jubilee and Celebration. Both are by High Time. Jubilee is the dam of the stake winners, Jubal Junior and Jubilargo, while Celebration foaled Accolade, Joyride, Ringie and Third Party. There always was a considerable crop of foals at Blue Ridge when the Admiral operated the nursery. His widow, Mrs. Harrison, continues to maintain the place on the same scale. This year there are 15 foals. They are as follows: COLTS Bay, by Blenheim U. Brave Lady, by Crusader. Bay, by Challenger U. We, by High Time. Bay, by Happy Argo Close Quarters, by High Quest. Chestnut, by Pilate Blonde Belle, by North Star II. Chestnut, by Milkman Step Lively, by High Time. FILLIES Bay, by Abbots Nymph Flying Wind, by Strolling Player. Bay, by Rhodes Scholar Flying Comet, by Peter Pan. Bay, by Psychic Bid Aero, by Teddy. Bay, by Rosemont Minaret n by Ksar. Bay, by Belfonds Modification, by High Time. Brown, by Sickle Watch Her, by On Watch. Chestnut, by War Admiral Squeeze, by Pompey. Chestnut, by Happy Argo Rough Sea, by Sea Sick. Chestnut, by Psychic Bid Running Briar, by Bright Knight. Chestnut, by Rosemont War Wedding, by Man o War.
