The New York herald., 1870-07-24

Horne 88c1ng.
The marked revival Of racing within the past
ten years is an evidence Of that growing clvili-
cation which refnes popular enjoyments, and,
In so doing, incites the enterprise OF the expert
and the enthusiasm of the capitalist 1t would
be an interesting study to measure In the his
tory of popular diversions and public passions
the influence of the individual upon the many.
John Q. Stevens displeased with the unfair
means resorted to by a racing competitor to
save his money, forsakes the turf and goes into
yacht building. The turf proper declines at
the North, and the 'Olympic dust Of the Cur
ricle" Of Rome--where horses are still only run
on Mardi-gras, without riders--takes the place
of Eclipse and Henry, of Black Maria and
Trihe, of John Bascombe and Post Boy, of
Fashion and Boston. The trotter usurps the
Hippodrome, and breeders and buyers rush
into the trotting lottery, from which have been
drawn a Lady Suffolk, Flora Temple,
Patchen, an Ethan Allen, Dexter, Lady
Thorne, and others Of fame.
We have said that racing disappeared from
the catalogue Of Northern enjoyments when
Stevens left the turf for the ocean-Apollo for
Neptune. Many of US remember the success
sive stages of his developmentin his new voca
ton, through the Gimcrack, the On-ka-hy-e,
the Maria to the America, and her marvellous
triumph over the mariners OF England, with
their Inheritance Of amphibiousness and naval
science. Years elapse. Commodore Stevens
was gathered to the tomb, and we have had,
as an emanation of the American Yacht Club
he founded, the matchless race Of the Hem
rietta, the Fleetwing and the Vesta, cleaving
the Atlantic in time of which steamers need
not be ashamed.
Though its Northern patrons left the turf it's
horses remained, and the South still remained
faithful to It's traditions. New Orleans, with
the enormous stakes contended for success
sively by Gray Medoc Sarah Bladen, Reel,
Miss Foote, George Martin, Fanny King,
Peytona, Veriier, Revenue, Brown Dick,
Lecomte and the king of the turf, Lexington,
and the marvellous race of the latter against
time, began to revive the turf feeling in New
York. The Fashion Course inaugurated a
new era; Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and
Alabama came to the post and resurrected
awhile the glories of Eclipse and Fashion.
Then came Paterson-a brief success because
inaccessible to the masses-and then Jerome
Park, a brilliant and public-spirited inspira-
tion. While it was being shaped and fashioned
the Saratoga Course had grown into favor as
refined resort for the fashionable multi
tudes of that time-honored watering place.
Jerome Park became success, and by it's
Inauguration may be said to have established
racing under the guidance of a club Of great
numbers and of irreproachable respectability,
and marks the elimination of the new era into
an institution.
There Is an old proverb, s'the more the
merrier," which holds good Of racing. The
attractions of yachting are limited in the scope
Of their enjoyment. The victory Of the Sappho
had the tempered influence upon public feeling
vs os Derby day or any other distant sporting
event. But the race is like the popular
drama-for the many and not the few. As
Horace says, ''black care sits behind the
rider" while joy and excitement are the
attendants of the spectators. 80 ,....-....
/ The success Of the Saratoga races proved
the possibility of triumph OF the turf at Long
Branch, and the liberality and splendor of the
purses, the variety Of the events, with the ad-
mirable arrangements for the accommodation
of the public, and last, not least, the accessi-
bility of the course by two palatial steamers,
cannot fail to make the enterprise complete
victory. One feature Of the meeting is looked
for with great anxiety, and will, beyond doubt,
give unqualified pleasure-the restoration Of
races at heats, of which there will be one each
day, in which the powers Of endurance as we'll
as speed are developed. The race, four-mile
heats, on Saturday, August 6, will doubtless
be the crowning glory of the meeting. For
this purse of six thousand fye hundred dol
lars there are fifteen entries. Nearly all OF
them are in active preparation, and report
speaks in praise of their excellent condition.
Should one-third of this number start in the
race the steamboat railroad and carriage inte.
rests would do well to be on the alert for