The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-10
TIE TURIN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Race Week In Charieston-The South
Carolina Jockey CIub-Its Dinners and
Balls-Prospects Of Return of the
Bright Days.
For more than hundred years previous to
the late war Charleston was great racing
centre, and the mention Of the trace weeks
of the good old days still caases thrill Of
pleasure to Our old and to many of our young
citizens. The gatherings on the Newmarket
Course from 176O to l79l, and on the Washing
ton Course from that time to the late war, pos
sessed attractions for all sorts and conditions
of men. Youth anticipated its delights tor
weeks beforehand, the sternness of age re-
laxed by their approach, lovers became
more ardent, and young damsels set
their caps with greater taste and dexteri-
ty. In earlier times the interest in the
races was universal; it peryaded all classes.
The courts of Justice used to adjourn daily, and
the schools were dismissed as the hour for
starting the horses drew nigh. The stores
were closed and all business suspended. I'm
fact,n says chronicler of the Zines, sit was
! 10 uncommon sight to see the most venerable
and distinguished digntarles of the land,
clergymen and judges, side by side on the
course, taking deep interest in the animated
scene around them" In later years, although
the interest was not quite so generally felt,
vet it was so great as ''to render race week In
Charleston emphatically the carnival of the
State"
EARLY RACES.
Although horses were matched against each
other in South Carolina as far back as 1874,
yet the sports at that early day were what at
this time would most probably be forcbly, if
not elegantly, denominated of the scrub order.
In 1735, the York Course was opened some
little distance from Charleston, and was used
until February 10. l76O, when the Newmarket
Course was opened. 1t occupied that section
lying between King and Meeting streets, about
where the lower depot of the South Carolina
Railroad now stands. King and Meeting
streets, of course, did not extend that far
then. The roads leading out from them were
known as the Little Path and the Big Path.
This course was owned by Mr.. Thomas Night
ingale. In ITO, he resigned it to Mr.. Strick-
land, and the course was atterward generally
called ''Strickland's"
YOU BET on THE BAY.
Among the celebrated horses whose speed
was tested over this course, was Flimnap,
bay stallion by South out of Cygnet mare
Cygnet by the Godolphin Arablan-import-
ed into South Carolina by Mr.. Mansell. He
was quite a celebrity in his day, and his blood
served to enrich the stock of South Carolina.
When South Carolina was invaded by the SOL
diers of Lord Cornwallis, frequent attempts
were made to secure from the farm OF Major
Harleston, Flimnap as prize, for the fame OF
the horse had spread throughout the two ar
mics. But all efforts to get possession OF the
stallion proved unsuccessful. Fimnap event
ually was sent into North Carolina, where
he remained until the British soldiers were
Withdrawn from the other Carolina. And
to this day many Of the pedigrees of the best
horses of America trace back to this small,
but hardy son of South and the Cygnet mare
GOLDEN AGE OF RACING.
When the revolutionary war closed, q new
impulse was given to the sports Of the turf
Among the gentlemen from South Carolina
who now took an active interest In racing
were General Hampton, Colonel Aston, Colo
mel Washington, Colonel MCPHERSON, Major
THOMPSON, Mr.. Sumter, Mr.. Fenwlck, MIR. |
Wiptall, Mr.. William Moultrie, and Mr.. Single
ton. The season Of 1856 opened brilliantly at
the Newmarket Course. The turf became the
fashionable amusement of the hour, and the
era that then and there dawned is referred to
as a F" golden age of racing" In the State OF
South Carolina.
THE WASHINGTON COURSE.
The history of the Newmarket Course closes
with the year 1871, for in 1892 the South Car
ollna Jockey Club opened the Washington
Course, (the present course,) the following
gentlemen being the original proprletors
General C. C. Plnckney, General Washington,
o'brien Smith, John Wilson, James Ladson,
william Aston, H. NJ. Rutledge, Gabriel Mani
uault. General Reed, Colonel Mitchell, General
Wade Hampton, James Burn, Captain White
l.. Campbell, William Moultrie, General Nc
Pberson, Colonel Mcpherson, Colonel Morris,
F. Fenwick and William Mcleod. The gen
tlemen who organized themselves under the
name of the South Carolina Jockey Cluo
adopted preamble to their rules which recites
that, as ''to import into and encourage good
breed of horses in this State must at oil times
be highly beneficial to the citizens thereof, ana
essentially so In case Of war, as the means OF
forming scrviceable bodies of cavalry for de-
fence of the extended limits of the same, the
subscribers do organize themselves" DC.
THE JOCKEY CLUB DINNERS AND BALLS
ssThe Jockey Club" says writer OF an arti-
Gle in Harper's Monthly, entitled 1.-THE Turf
in America" sincreased in strength as the
years went by, and, up to the breaking out OF
the war caused by the firing on Fort Sumter,
the history of the Washington Course was o his
tory Of uninterrupted success. The races were
the fashionable event of the year, and the race
week was one Of gayety and royal display.
But one meeting was held each year: always
commencing on the first Wednesday In Feb
ruary and continuing throughout the week.
a. yryoa,asdoy tba Tockev Climb rave their an