The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-02

Revival of Sport In the Old Pal
metto State.
"reminiscences Of the Oldest Jockey Club in the
United States History of
Famous Course.

ton OF is STOCK the purity or its produce and the
correctness OF its turf transactions would have
continued TO command place in the annals OF the
turf second to that OF no other community on this
Continent. In the breeding and development or
animals an agricultural community will always
take the lead. This Is especially true whenever
wealth, pride and appreciation unite to secure or
produce that which Ia best. TIE English land
owner, whether nObleman or plain farmer, prldes
himself on the excellence OF his horses and hounds
They are the signs manual OF q species OF
GENTILITY
that has come down from Hugh Capet through the
Edwards; through King John and the Eighth
Henry; through Oliver CROMWELL who gave us the
Oldest OF our pedigrees, in the shape OF "White
Turk" through the reign Of the First and second
Georges, wherein appeared the great ''Godolphin
Arabian" the "Darley Arabian and the Beverly
Turk" the progenit0r of the famous "King
Herod;' through the later Georges, and, crossing
the English Channel, through almost every EN-
peror, KING and prince on the Continent. Every
where In fact, 1t is the landed proprietor who has
given tone TO the sports OF the turf. Our
modern merchant buys his fast horse only
because it is fashionable. With MIN the object IL
pleasure, not propagation. He simply absorbs q
product, and seldom adds anything to the great
animal store Hence We say again that it Is to the
agriculturists Of the country that We are mainly
indebted Tor the preservation Of the valuable
stock that now owns place in history. This OBJ
servation brings us back to South Carolina, where
we fnd from the old records that
THE FIRST RACES IN AMERICA
occurred at Charleston, in the year 1874 The
prize offered was saddle and bride valued at EGO,
There were four entries; mile heats; white riders;
and the horses carried ten stone GAO pounds. The
sport was continued from year to year
until the planters began to import fun
FLOODED horses from England, and inter-
mingle with the blood Of Virginia, which,
even at this early period, was largely impregnated
with that of some of the best English stock.
1t Is related on the old records that ''soon
after the celebrated imported Arabian horse
Abdallan, sixteen hands high and never ridden,
arrived in this country he was visited at his sta
bles py all the admirers or horseiesh In the vcin-
lty." On one Of these occasions a bystander re-:
marked, "Mr. Huger you are an intrepid horse
man, but We do not believe that you dare mount
Abdallah." Without a remark the gentleman
challenged planted his hand on the name of the
snOrtlng animal and, vaulting TO the seat, rode
him around the enclosure with an ease and dex-
terity that was astonishing to- every beholder.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RACE
in South Carolina at this period occurred In 1859,
between Adolphus. by Brutus, six years old, bred
In the State and the imported bay horse Shadow,
aged, by Babraham, l0ur-mile heats. Shadow won
both heats easily in 80. 1t was the first match
run between an imported and native horse. The
importation OF valuable blood stock now began
from which 10 raceable many OF the best animals
in the country. The first Josiah Quincy, writing
from Charleston IN l773, says:-"l have been to the
famous races. They were well performed, but
Flimnap beat Little David twno had won the last
out n sna @ e ast @
heat was performed IN SAT-. TWO thousand pounds
were won and lost at this race. and Fhmnap sold at
public vendue the same day Tor $500 sterlng" Dur
ing the Revolution
THE NOTORIOUS COLONEL TARIETON
made repeated endeavors to get possession of this
horse but The negro servants succeeded in con-
cealing him in almost impossible swamps until he
could be conveyed to North Carolina.
Many anecdotes are related concerning the eX
ploits OF the choice animals belonging to South
Carolina officers in the Revolution but we have not
ended new and mere vigorous impulse was given
to the sports of the turf, and the most dlstin-
gushed men Of the state-men descended from
studs Among the imported stock OF this period
was Dancing Master, Justice Marplot, Matchem.
pOna, Psyche, isabella, Creeping Kate ana Com
merce. all OF wn0m possessed brilliant pedgrees
and are now HstngaIsaea 70 d 5ser R9serty
in South Carolina may be said to have commenced
in 1856. 1t was the beginning OF new era. Race
people Of New Orleans now LOOK forward to Mar
digras, or the Liederkranz OF New York anticipate
their annual ball. SO did these good ancestors,
the pleasures OF the turf. There were splendid
equipages, Hyeried outriders gentlemen IN BUCK
skin breechej and top boots-then the latest Lon
don attire-schOols ..tooK recess" courts ad-
journed, business ceased, stores closed, and peo-
pie, high and low, from the dignitarles Of the
also en'0 feature Of tnose early times tnas
horses Tor the pecuniary value of the prize TO be
won, but solely Tor the honor that horse OF their
own breeding and training should distinguish
himself The prize was not a purse, but piece OF
plate, and not few OF these souvenirs are still
preserved in the families descended from those
who owned the race horses OF that day.
THE CHEF OF THE TURF
at this time In the State was Ranger q gray horse
owned by Colonel Washington, OF Revolutionary
beaten by Comet in 1885, carrying lao pounds four
mile heats. Comet was bred In North Carolina,
black horse only fourteen ,,o hands so,s ana
to Charleston. Sometimes he was entered
by Colonel William Aston and some times by
the GOd0lpnin Arabian He was imported into
ilton, Of Prince Georges county. Marc Antony, the
the northern border Of North Carolina. lie was
In the year 1892 the south Carolina Jockey Club
changed its racing ground from the Newmarket
Course to the washington Course, where 1t has
ever since continued to hold its meetings. In 1896
the old chronicles record that the pleasure OF the
club was much enhanced by the novelty OF match
race between Sir John Nlsbett OF Dean Hall, OF the
ancient house Of Nisbetts, near Edinburgh, ana
JOHN RANDOLPH, OF ROANOKE,
in Virginia, each gentleman riding his own morse.
Mr.. Randolph won after close and exciting strug-
GLE" one Of the great races OF the country up 70
that period WAS run IN Charleston, February.
1926, between the bay horse Bertrand, by sir
Archy. years old, handicapped liz lbs., and the
brown horse Aratus, by Director, years old liz
lbs, three mile heats. Bertrand, the winner, then
ran twelve miles Qess los yards) in 23:22. In
1s45 the English custom Of costqmlng the jockeys
was adopted by the club to the end that each
horse might have in Its rider distinctive dress.
1t is impractcabe to enter much into the details
OF the racing calendar OF the Oldest jockey club III
the United states, but the lacts above presented
VIII convey some idea Of the enthusiasm witu
which the sporting gentry OF South Carolina have
annually gathered In Charleston since the RevolIl-
ton unIl 1851, and Of the singular care that was
bestowed on the accumulation aud propagation OF
FIRST rate stock during this long period.
BEFORE THE RECENT WAR
the income OF the club was very large, amounting
to upwards OF S1o0v, and 1t Is scarcely necessary
to add that its hospitality was unbounded re-
spectacle strangers from other States were
never permitted to pay for ADMISSION 10
any OF the stands on the course, anu
Immediately on their arrival were provided
with tickets and a ribbon, which ranked them
everywhere during the meeting. great banquet