The New York herald., 1866-09-27
Progress OF C,vil,za,,on-The Inauguration


Races Of tho American Jockey Club.
We have recently had the pleasure Of record
ing the revival in this country of the ancient
Greek drama and Of the Grecian fine art
of selfdefence. Madame Ristori and Mr. Nc
Cool have received that prompt recognition at
our hands which their different but superlative
N, its demand. But now another OF the Gre
clan games has been inaugurated here in grand
style. The Greeks were fond of the drama
and Of puglism, but horse racing was equally
popular among that refined and intelligent
people. The Americans, who are about to
take the same rank among nations that the
Greeks and Romans once held, do we'll in fol-
lowing so closely in the footsteps Of the an
clients. By developing their minds, their
muscle and their horses in the theatres and
Olympian games the Greeks and Romans pre-
pared themselves for the conquest Of the
world; and we, who undoubtedly have the
same proud destiny before us, are fitting our
selves for the glorious future by the same
course Of education.
The modern Latin race has not taken kindly
to the muscular arts of the ancients. In Italy
horse racing is almost unknown, except when,
during tho carnival, lot of young horses are
let loose in the streets Of Rome. Instead Of
racers or pugilists the Italians give us great
artists, such as Ristori In France racing has
been a lost art for many years and has only
recently been revived as an imported English
custom. In Germany the races are of very
! inferior class, not TO be compared with
n,eao at the Jerome Park. The Anglo-Saxon
| race, ho"o'o4, - r-.a more attention
to classical mnscularity ln- ,,st gene
ration Of English noblemen pan.,;ze
| both the rrize ring and the race
course, aDi made them not onl,
respectabb, but famous. But horse racing,
like puplsm, has seen its best days in Eng
land. Gamblers and Jockeys have crowded
the nobility off the turf and the English
stbles have 80 deteriorated that French
Iorse was able to win the last Derby AMI
Goodwood cups. The race course seem, to
have been kept pure only for a generation,
and the lords and ladies who once gave it the
halo Of fashion have passed away, while
gamblers, roughs and sporting men have
usurped their places.
We see in this country the same curious pbe-
nomena. The old families Of the Revoluti on
rasiding in New York, Virginia and South Caro-
lima instituted the races here, and for several
years they were managed by gentlemen and
attracted spectators from all quarters Of The
republic. They eliminated in the great tri-
umphs Of Eclipse, which we well remember,
and which were then regarded as sectional
victories-the North over the South. After
that racing gradually fell into disreputa. The
Chevsier Webb came out as head jockey, and
used to parade himself in bottle-green coat,
the classic art its death blow. Trotting horses
became more popular than racers; professional
turtles displaced the gentlemen amateurs;
races were bought, sold and decided before
they were run, and, instead Of the brilliant
throng of the first ladies and gentlemen of the
land who attended the Eclipse contests, crowds
of gamblers and thieves polluted the track
But now all this is to ba altered. The now
generation has resolved to revive the Grecisn
game in its original splendor. An association
OF young millionaires, the products of the late
war, has been organized as the American
Jockey Club, aud the inauguration races Of the
club are being run at the Jerome Park under
the patronage Of General Grant and his staf,
male and female, assisted by the beauty and
FASHION Of the metropolis.
Our reporters have already described the
magnificent scene at the opening day Of the
races, and in every particular it far surpassed
tina. presented at the demoralized English
Derby. We hope that the Jockey Club will
continue TO conduct Its performances with the
same tact and taste. These races will supply
the metropolis with an entertainment which it
has long needed; and as the Jerome Park il
close 10 the city and easily accessible by cars
and carriages, She masses OF tho people will
undoubtedly attend. II the breed Of Ameri-
can horses is improved by the Jockey
Club there will be much for which to be
thankful but let not our men and women be
neglected. The ladies are, Of course, very
near perfection; but the men, aud even the
members OF the Jockey Club can be vastly
improved. The revival Of the Grecian fine
arts will be useless unless we also revive that
intellectual and physical refinement for which
the Greeks were remarkable. We must de-
velop actresses as great as Ristori, pugilistic
professors who can hold the belt against tho
world, in or out Of Congress, and horses that
will beat the French winner Of the Derby as
badly as our troops, under the new re;yin,e,
will beat the French in Mexico. This is new
era, and we must come up to its requirements.
The Greeks and Romans used the drama, the
race course and the ring to train themselves for
conquest, and with such educators as Madame
Ristori, Mr. McCool and the American Jockey
Club we ought to accomplish equally wonder
lul results.
A.. 0.rr m Iaxax, ux,.ar A. IL. i..i L