The New York herald., 1869-05-06

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There was saddle race at the Union Course yester-
day-an event which has almost become novelty OF
late years, their occurrence being so rare It was
match for $1,000 mile heats, to 60 as they peased,
at catch weights between Mr.. Brooks bay mare Eva
and Mr. Christians brown gelding Colonel Roberts.
The mare won in three straight heats two OF winch
she won handy but m the third she was In extreme
difficulties towards the finish, and 1t was as much
as she could do to reach the score In advance HAD
the been protracted one she would IN all
probability have lost 1t, as 1t was very
apparent, in her exhausted condition. that she
could not have gone through another heat with any
hope OF success. The horse is brown Hambie-
tonian, but by no means Dexter neither Is there
likelihood OF his ever becoming He seems TO be
sefwi and unmanageable horse, and In yester-
days evinced strong inclination to show his
running ability In preference to displaying his trot
ting action.
There have been very few saddle races OF late
years. and none worthy Of note except those between
General Butler and George M. Patchen General But
Ter and Rockingham Dexter and StOnewall Jackson
and few Others One reason for this rarity is that
we have so few competent riders our trainers now
adays rather preferrng their ease in sulky to a
laborious seat on the pigskin. The only ones we
have among US at present and who are en-
trely competent and ready for a mount
at any time are john Murphy, Budo
Doble and Dan Mace. Tn. great riders
of former times, the Whelans, the Woodrufrs, the
Spicers and many others whose memories are al
ways green in the sporting world, have passed into
another sphere OF action or have retired full OF
years and of honors, from that turf on which their
achievements shed so much lustre. At the period
we allude to- in the days Of these great riders most
OF the trottng was done under the saddle. Many
OF the greatest achievements OF the trottng horse
were accomplished in that way, as Will be seen
Whalebone, victory, screwdriver, Andrew Jackson
Ned Forrest and Sally Miller together with Dutch
Taconey Lady Suffolk and host Of other notabli-
ties Saddle races were immensely popular at one
time and very attractive as the spectators had not
OF the jockeys. We were Of opinion that we had
the purses OF the Prospect Park Fair offered.
Among those purses was one for horses TO go under
Rapd ie and Iucy. Stil there may be- numbers q
speedy saddle horses but as they are not trained TO
go in that speciality on the track the owners are un-
| willing to enter them for competition.
In relation to the trot OF yesterday we may
observe that the track was in fine order the weather
most favorable and the attendance quite as good as
there was reason to expect. The betting was very
brisk previous to the race ana presented
| several remarkable phases before it was over
| When the betting commenced the mare had the
odds in her favor, which seemed to gradually In
until they were n near aors s~4 the 70 one
brought upon the track, the betting suddenly
changed and the horse in turn became the favorite
and the betting ran up TO two to one on him. After
the first heat the betting in his favor fell OF until t
| reached twenty to five against him, ana SO con-
| tinued TO the third heat, when one hundred to two
| was offered that the mare would win. We append
| the details of the feats and
THE RACE
First Hedt.-The mare won the pole. The horses
came up head and head at rapid rate and left the
Judges stand together Before getting INTO he turn ~
nearly two lengths. the mare soon setteu, gained
rapidly and at the quarter pole was neck ana neck
| with the geldng. Time, forty-one and nall Sec
| onds The mare then showed in front and opened
| a gap OF three lengths down the bac&stretch, the
geldng becoming very much entangled, and hobpling
| along kept falling further in the rear. The hall
| mile pole was passed In 1:2O. Going around the
| lower turn the geldlng broke up and the mare led
hlm six lengths al the three-quarter pole Up the
| homestretch the geldlng came bouncing along az
very questionable gait ana w, was beaten 70 tue
| Second Hedt-The mare was now great favorite
| and twenty to five laid on her winning before
send oil, but ne soon afterwards broke up and lost
| four lengths. He broke again on the turn, ana the
| mare led him to the quarter pole slX iengns IN
| thirty.eght seconds On the backstretcn the mare
trOtted very fast and got away still farther from the
gelding when his rider put spurs 10 nun ana, seno
was head and head with the mare at the hali-mile
pole. The time to that point was i:il. ny the time
the relding had steadied himself into trot again
the mare was six lengths away from hun, which she
increased to eight at the pole and not
withstanding that the gelding was indulged IN an
other long run up the homestretch the crossed
the score a winner by about eight lengths, making
tho heat In 240 The judges paid no attention 10 IN.
running OF the geldng. saying that the mare won SC
easily that 1t was use noticing what the geldins
| had been made TO do. Judges should be more strlc
with riders or drivers and should always ,i, pgnst
them they violate the rules; II not they VIII &c
on from bad TO worse, until the trotfng track will be
I abandoned by all lovers OF iar play.
THIRD Heat.-Leary, who had ridden the gelding
during the previous heats, now resigned @ MS place
| to Evard Shaw At the start the gelding was nearly
| a length in front. but the mare soon drew away
| from him, and that so rapidly that the gelding
broke up in the endeavor to Keep pace with
| her He lost eight ten lengths before he
recovered and was o dozen lengths be-
| hind at the quarter pole in thirty-nin seconds.
| and passed the half-mile pole In 1:lS. She now
began to show signals OF distress and her rider soon
| dscoy yered that he was IN difficulties with her. He
| beran to "come 6acK.n At the three-quarter pole
| he was half dozen lengths ahead, and the Deters
on the stand, who were not aware OF the situation
largest kind Of odds, even to 800 to 1900
| As the mare came up the homestretch 1
was as much her driver could do Il
} urge her along. The geding was hob6lng alon.
at the same questionable gait that he had previously
been going, but he was gaining on her rapidly
When the got TO within hfty yards or the sant
she broke up the accident being recf TO her, ant
Murphy gathering her together quickly went owe
the score little over length ahead OF the geldng
Tie time OF the heat was 2:45. When Murphy dis
mounted he said that he never had been IN such
broken no she would have been beaten To O Ger
tainty and that she could not have trotted anothe
| heat under any circumstances. The LAYERS or TN
very long odds had narrow escape Inc following
SUMMARY:
UNION COURSE, l.. Inlay 6, match $1,000, mi
heats 10 go as they pleased eaten weights
John Murphy named b. m. Eva. l
II. Leary named br. G. Col Roberts. ........ 2
TINE.
Quarter. HdU Nlt
|