Owner of Ramapo and Girofle: Mr. Donners Turf Prominence-Michael Boys and Charley Gray Riding in Chill, Daily Racing Form, 1907-12-08

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OWNER OF RAMAPO AND GIROFLE. Mr. Dormers Turf Prominence Michael Boys and Charley Gray Riding in Chili. New York, December G. They were discussing at the rooms of the Jockey Club today the dealth of II. O. Havenneyer, known as the "Sugar King," who left many millions to three children. He was only sixty years old, young In one sense, and there were statements made today in the Jockey Club that if Mr. Havemeycr had chosen years ago to take up with the turf, as did a former associate, he might still bo alive and perhaps live years longer. Mr. Havemeycr bred roadsters, but never had to do with thoroughbreds, mores the pity. The former associate alluded to was J. Otto Donner, the owner of the famous Girofle, which was sent to England in 1SS3 and there cut an inglorious figure. She had been leased by "Plunger" Walton, who expected to follow up with this daughter of Leamington some of his great ring successes of 1SS1, when he won fortunes on Iroquois in the Derby and St. Leger, and still larger sums on Foxhall in the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire. Girofle was, however, a mare of peculiar temperament, and she never ran up to her American form, which was of the highest class. No doubt she missed in England the patient handling of quiet old Eph Snedeker, who for many years . traiiicd for Mr. Donner and the confederacy which owned Kingston before he was sold for 12,300 to the Dwyer Brothers, who desired to protect Hanover and Trcmont froin dangerous competitors the following year 1887. Billy Donohue, who is still In England, whore he was last year training for Mrs. Langtry or Mr. Jersey, as the turf world knows her, rode Giroile in England as he had done in this country, and the then arrogant English jockeys and horsemen ridiculed the Yankees seat in the saddle, he thus antedating by some years "Willie" Simms and later the Reltfs, Sloan and all the galaxy of good jockeys who, after a year or two of experience on tho British ,turf, have gradually left England, either to return to America or to ride- in other countries. Tho late Mr. Donner was an Idealist. He was a great student of pedigrees and of the action of race horses. When the California photographer, Muy-brldge, first showed the real action of a race horse by his system of picture taking, Mr. D.onner had a set of the photos mounted on a circular, moving platform and set them In motion, thus getting an exact idea of the different phases of action through which horses go. Mr. Donner bred Ramapo, that grand looking chestnut by Pontlae himself a jet black horse, and after David Gideon leased Ram-aio, a horse slow to develop, he became about the best of his age In the year 1S04, having won the Suburban from Banquet, Sport, and others that season, the race having a sequel In a match between the first and second, and also engendering a quarrel between the respective factions which It took years of diplomacy on the part of P. H. Mc-Carren and others to wipe out. Tlic senator realized then that the turf could not stagger under such a quarrel as the row between the Messrs. Gideon ami Dwyer bade- fair to be, and so In good lime the welcome news was made public that the legal matters had been settled. The principals to that quarrel have settled down to be as good friends as possible, and there Is no unpleasant post mortems of the rivalry between Ramapo and Banquet. Both these horses afterward went to England. The latter, n gelding, could not, ot course, be of any use to a. breeder, and the story has often been told that he became n cab horsv, but those in a position to know have always denied this. Itamapo, however, In due time went to the stud and became the sire of sonic good two-year-olds. He is young yet, and there is ample time for him to develop into a success abroad. That he had all the individual characteristics necessary is recalled by the race-goer of that period. I saw today at the office of the Jockey Club, Harry Michaels, the American jockey, who has just returned for a six months visit to his parents at Coney Island. Harry Michaels, his brother and Charles Gray, the latter once so well known on tho western turf, arc the three leading jockeys in Chill, South America. The three divide between them nearly the entire program of a race day. Michaels tells me that he Is paid 00 a month as a retaining fee, with 0 for mounts. Unluckily, the Chili money is worth only twenty cents on the dollar of American money and hqnee his earnings are not so large as appears on the surface. But Michaels has saved, his money and is evidently, like others of his race, loyal to his parents and so desirous wore his father and mother of seeing both their sons, now absent several years from home, that they had -negotiated for and purchased two round trip tickets to Santiago, Chili, at a cost of 00, when tho elder son reached home. It Is a matter which puzzles Americans why some jockeys do so well abroad and so poorly at home. Perhaps a little incident which recently happened at one English race course may throw some light on this. That most respected nobleman, Lord Derby, head of the house of Stanley, which has carried on racing there for more than a hundred years, sent for "Danny" Maher after he had won a race for him and complimented the Connecticut youth upon his fine horsemanship. This is the kind of appreciation which binds a person to his employer stronger than steel fetters, and It is not surprising to know that Maher is so eager to ride a Derby winner for Lord Derby, whose ancestors gave his name to the Epsom fixture, that he would go to great lengths to achieve his object. It must 1C a source of great satisfaction to Maher to have so eminent a person, a close associate of the King of England, pay him so high a compliment. Maher intends to pass the winter at a place called Davos, in Switzerland, noted for its dangerous tobogganing, races being run oyer a course upon which more than one fatality has taken place. Maher will accompany J. H. Skcets Martin to Davos. The latter is a winner of some of the prizes and intends to " try again. J. J. Burke.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800