The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-20
From Porter'S Spirit Of the Times)
THE AMERICAN HORSES IN ENGLAND-THE
GOODWOOD CLIP OF 1873

Again we are called upon to record the result of
another contest over English ground, between
American horses-or rather, American horse
and selected horses of Great Britain and of France
for what may be termed the great international
prize of the English racing year, and we regret that
we have nothing better to say, than that we have
met with another bad defeat-a defeat so signal
that is scarcely worth qualifying with reasons of
excuse, and the only translation of which is that
the English and French horses, against whom the
animals which we have thus far sent to England
have been matched, much the superiors of those
horses in speed
Whether the same conclusion is to follow against
all American racers, in favor of those of foreign
breed, is thing which, perhaps, still admits of
some discussion; though the fact that the horses
we haze already sent over are inferior to the racers
of the English Turf, admits of none. There are
many ardent Turfmen here, however, who still
cling to the idea, that England might be matched
by us in some favorite year, and that occasionally,
and In due proportion with herself we have a horse
which is fit to run with her racers upon equal
terms. Their argument for this is that out of the
few racers which we annually breed, in comparison
with the enormous highmettled horse crop of Great
Britain, have right to expect, with equal
merit, to pick the winner of a Goodwood prize over
once in twenty or thirty trials And there is much
pausbiity in this argument, so far as temporary
consolation is concerned. But we afraid, plau-
slble as 1t looks 1T will not administer much of that
solid comfort that sticks to the ribs-Or, rather,
that ribs up If Pryor, Prorcss and Charles
ton, (fOr Babylon will not mention in such
category ran always with credit IN this country
and being in good condition, always without
credit when matched with strangers elsewhere, it is
a long way towards sufficient proof, that horses
here which they were equal to, could do no better
than themselves.
There is another excuse, however, which is put in
protest to account for our defeat, and to deny to
the trials, thus far had, the authority of rule in
favor of the superiority of English speed, which is
more worthy of consideration than the first. 1t is,
that our horses have never, while in England, made
the time which was made by them before they
went: and hence it is contended that, inasmuch as
the English Turf is known to be faster by three
seconds to the mile than the loose soil of American
race tracks; that the voyage and climate, and diff
ference in food, has impaired them of their speed-
in other words that they were not the same horses
when they ran in England, as they were when they
contended in this country; and consequently, that
the trial in which all the disadvantages have been
| allotted to us, is no trial at all
| We do not insist upon this argument but we give
it put forth, in order that the reader may
on it for himself. We can assure our English cou-
SINS however, that this latter idea is very widely
entertained among our Turfmen, and a strong
desire is consequently felt to have some spirit
! ed English gentleman, emulate the conduct
! of countryman, Mr.. Ten BRoEcK, and send
stud of English racers here. A challenge
of almost any terms that are equal to
both parties, would be readily closed with
here; and also venture to say, that the treat
! ment which such liberal enterprise would meet
| with from all clases this side, would be such as
| to show have lively and proper recollection of
! the generous courteses and manly fairness which
! the American equine experiment has met with from
the British people.
Should such a match be made it would be of SER
vice to both countries, and if we were beaten on
| our ground, the trial would have reached its
proper end.