The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-14

W0 udV0 J0ot CuI OuiChou eoU s0csO0t nVttiihH
time on record. II was accomplished by a.
horse named Dexter, Of the celebrated Hsmble-.
Sonian stock, on Fashion Course, Long Island, q
mile being frosted in two 'minntss and eighteen
arA one-ifth seconds. Al fftb Of second
is cutting time pretty closely, and it is
difficult to imagine how II csn be COM
puted. This extraordinary feat has created
quite sensation in sporting circles. II recalls
to the memory of old sportsmen the days of
Eclipse and Sir Henry, Fashion, John Bascomb,
Post Boy and Boston, among the old racers,
and the later triumphs OF Dutchman, Lady
Suffolk, Flora Temple, Ethan Allen, George M.
Patchen and many others well known to fame,
among the trotters. We are glad to, notice this
healthful revival in American turf sports, and
are pleased to see that it is not alone confined
to trotiing, but that racing Units most approved
and exciting form is becoming fashionable
and popular entertainment The races at Pat
erson, New Jersey, under the patronage of the
Passaic County Agricultural Society, are notice
able from the number and respectable charac-
ter of the spectators. AS many astwenty thou
sand people have witnessed some OF the racing
matches on this course, and among the number
were many ladies. Whole families, including
fathers and mothers wives and daughters, sons
and brothers, were to be seen, in carriages or on
foot, in attendance upon these Paterson races.
Racing is one OF the native sports Of America.
Whatever may be said Of the racing temper Of
the English, we think the Americans are in ad-
vance Of them in the earnestness with which
they enter into and the relish with which they en-
joy the sport.
We are not SO perfect in our hurdle matches
or stceple chases a. the English; nor do we
have the glitter of nobility, nor the splendor
and patronage of royal courts, to add brilliancy
to our racing meetings. But we can challenge
comparison for elegance and fashion with any
other country if we take the meetings on the
Saratoga course the summer just past, or il we
consider the glorious racing days-in the sunny
South before the war. Properly conducted,
racing Is an exhilarating and ennobling amuse-
ment, and the Americans are making rapid
progress in the matter Of surroundingit with an
air of refinement.
The French, as nation, affect the English In
pretty much all their sporting matters. We
very rarely, however. hear of anything note
worthy among the French inregardrto yacht
ing. No French yacht, we believe, has ever
appeared in American waters, while we have had
several English yachts on this side Of the
Atlantic. In horseracing the French have
achieved some handsome triumphs, and, as the
Emperor and Empress are both admirers and
patrons Of the French turf, racing may be re-
garded as one of the fashionable amusemenis Of
the French beau monde. Among the French racers
Of note are Gladiateur, who has won several
matches against full fields Of English blood stock;
File de rAir, winner OF two thousand guinea
purse; Yarmouth and some others. But we
doubt whether the victorious French racer
the victor over all England-can sIrpass some
Of our American thoroughbreds. just beginning
TO win a reputation upon our turf Take the
American four-year old Kentucky, or bis rela-
TONS steroid and Norfolk--and we think
we could make safe match against the
French Gladiateur or any other champion
racer Of the English or French stables. But
granting that this class OF horses are equal for
endurance and speed in Europe and America,
how far ahead Of all other nations is this
country as respects irotting horsesy Fast irot-
ters are comparatively unknown in either Eng
land or France, with the exception of few
speedy animals in the stud Of the French En-
peror. In the United States on the other hand,
man or opulence or style is considered Of
small account unless he can show a
pair Of feet horses on the avenue Blooming
dale road or the Park. The English
boast Of their hunts; but they have only their
moors and private preserves, with poor little
hares and long-tailed pheasants-not bad eat
ing, by the way-while we have the buffalo,
The bear, the deer, the prairie fowl, the wild
turkey and wild goose, to say nothing OF our
unapproachable canvas-back ducks, all rowing
or flying wild over our boundless praries or in
our oystcr-bedded and celery-bedded bays and
inlets. We surpass the English in the sports o.
the chase as we shall eventually in the sports Of
the race. In our yachting encounters we have
proved our superiority over the English in
their own waters; and "a yachting has been
reduced to science in this country we shall
not be surprised 70 hear before long thai
the American Yacht squadron have achieved
further triumphs over their English rivals in
some grand ocean sweepstakes. The Eng
lish also have their cricket clubs and Other
sports of that description. But the Americans
not only initiate but excel them in this sport
and besides have another of similar character
Of their own. called the national game of base
ball In the exercise Of which they are un
rivalled.
We do not object TO the imitation by Amer
cans of whatever there is Of merit or novelty II
the sports Of Europeans. But there is one
thing we consider in bad taste, and tina
IL the adoption of the English terms ST
Leger," the "Derby," &c. in describing ope
rations on the American turf We ought 4