Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-30
National Jockey C1ub7and Course.

An old New Orleans correspondent of the
Spirit of The Times. Cotton Broker" has
taken up the pen in favor of establishing
national race course, and of making New
OrleaLs its locality. Hear him:
To carry into effect such an annual nation
al meeting as this, requires several essential
conditions not 10 be overlooked. First. il
should be held in the vicinity of a city large
enough to accommodate comfortably the vast
cOncourse (say 25,000) of strangers who
would congregate 20 witness the SPOTS. and
the amusements of which would be of such
a character as would fill up pleasantly the
idle hours. before and after each days race
thus offering additional inducements for
strangers to come and remain during the
meeting; and second. jockey club or racing
association. composed of gentlemen of spirit
and fortune sufficient to venture on so grand
and glorious an undertaking.
Can these two important conditions be
found? / think they can. New Orleans is
the place and the Mptairie Jockey GLIB are
the gentlemen to do it, New Orleans is easy
of access nv its railroads and river. Its vast
hotels and restaurants can accommodate
thousands. With its brilliant shops and
crowded streets. with lis numerous theatres.
saloons and concert rooms, none need weary
from the want of amusements. And more
than all. for our purpose. with large portion
of its population thoroughly imbued with
the spirit of racing. both able aud willing to
bet, it offers to the heavy better on horse
events a field for opertion unequaled in
America.
VIII the Metairie Jockey Club and As
ISOLATION offer the purses? From what | know
Of their spirit and liberality, l think they
will. The purses seem large. but if the
receipts and perquistes are in proportion to
the number and character Of the horses to
run; and the eclat of the meetings they can
easily be paid. RecOllect the receipts during
the Lexington and LpcOmte excitement
would here state that the number of strangers
who visited New Orleans to witness the con-
test between Lecomte and Lexington is es-
timated at twelve to fifteen thousand. So.
| think, my estimate of twenty-five thousand
to witness ten days racing, such as the above
purses would can is moderate.
Would the racing men, | mean owners and
breeders of race horses. respond to the call.
and visit New Orleans each year in the
month of April? / should rather ask. could
they be kept away? What is now done?
Stables of race horses now leave Kentucky
and Virginia, and. after running in their own
States respectively, travel through Ten
nessee. Alabama. Georgia and the Carolinas:
each stable visiting some five race courses,
with the purpose of running at each one for
the purses. A horse thus travelling NAV run
for five jockey club purses, let us say. for
example, at four mile heats. of an average
value Of eight hundred dollars. If he win
them all, his owner receives $4,000 Just the
value of the four mile purse at New Orleans
while the expenses of travelling. the risks
from accidents, from change of stable, climate
and water would BE- five times as great as
coming direct from Virginia or Kentucky. to
New Orleans. These two extreme points
being as near to New Orleans, ria Memphis.
as to any central race cOursc in Georgia or
South Carolina, Besides. Mr.. Editor consider
the increased value of the horse that would
win the Great National Four Mile Race of
America. His position would be fixed as the
best horse of his year, just as the winner of
the Derby and st. Leger is now considered in
England.
NV scheme is this Let the following
purses be offered: Five thousand dollars, four
mile heats: four thousand dollars, three mile
heats; three thousand dollars two mile heats:
two thousand dollars, mile heats, best in 5;
one thousand dollars, mile heats. The en-
trance money to be five per cent. on the
amount of the purse, and all horses coming
from distance greater than one thousand
niles to run without paying any entrance
the horse be dstanced--and
he second horse 20 receive one-tif;h of each
purse and the entrance money. Let sweep
stakes for three year old, mile heats and two |
nile heats, be advertised to come off on the
Wednesday and Saturday of the week pre-
-ious to the week of the meeting-three hun
lred and five hundred dollars subscription, !
with premiums of one thousand and fifteen
hundred dollars. and ten subscribers to fill
zach stake. Let these purses he offered by
parties, to come off at some point
If easy access, in the spring of the year, when
he weather is mild and pleasant, and you
Will have one great annual national meeting. where
very good horse in America will come to
win fame and fortune--the reward of merit.