The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-15
GREAT LOVE FOR TIE HORSE.
EXTENDING A MILLION AND 4 HALFOF
DOLLARS ON A THEORY.

traveller visiting Louisville during race
week will be strangely impressed with the love
shown by Kentuekians for their horses. This
love. in some OF its phases. exceeds that Of the
Arabs for the latter. when they possess an ami
NAL OF pure blood and unrivalled speed, desire
to keep the knowledge within the limits OF their
own tribe. while the Kentuckians pride them
selves In having the fame of their flyers spread
all over the world.
/ was particularly struck with this fact whilo
walking through the spacious vestibule and
halls Of the Gait House on the evening OF May
20. after thu kentucky Derby had been won by
Lord Murphy in the fastest time ever made in
that race. Lord Murphy is owned in Ten
nessee.
Many groups OF Interested turfmen were sit
ting or standing in the halls and corridors. In
the centres OF each group such famous turf
oracles M Mr.. j. A. Grnstead. Col Louis Brod-
head Major Mcdowell. Col. J. 7. Williams. A.
Keenc Richards. ESD, Major b. G.. Thomas. Col.
J. w. Hunt Reynolds. Daniel Swgert. Gen. b. q.
Bruce Major Busby. Col Il. +. Clay Price Mo
Grath. Con. Harding. DIR. Fhhian. Major +. b.
Harper. Col. S. ]. Salyers. and many others
talked about the race and horses TWAS asourco
OF consolation to tho Kentuckans that Lord
Murphy was sired in their State by Pat Molloy.
u son OF Lexington.
AShtI. Mhlio 'hloJihG plchbuht chhb WIN
tori writer OF note. Mr.. A. Keenc Richards was
pointed out to me ~ one Of the most remarkable
horsnmen In the world. He has expended
fortune OF about 81 800 600" continued the
turfman in his love for the horse. He has
paintings 10y Hall. TrOye. and other eminent
painters Of horses. One picture Of the Knight
OF ~. George. by Harry Hall. cost him $4,000.
lie IS the only American that, ever visited the
Desert OF Sahara in search Of pure Arabian
horses. In that journey he enjoyed the costly
luxury OF taking an artist aiong for the pur-
pose ol sketching animals. He expended more
than 10000 in the trip. which was only ono OF
three he has made. His home ID "A museum Of
curipsitns from tle Idhl. ~ no y IN utkihg
mood. you will get story from him worth lis
tcnlng TO-"
on being introduced to Mr.. Richards. found
him very agreeable and scholarly gentleman.
He is n little above the medium height strongly
built. large head. intellectual features. short
atsd 4ey @nf 5out qi lis TRAY SSye Bn %as rnba
unwilling to press his theories MS to the breed
ing Of buodcd horses on the public. DIR, Rich
ards finally extended warm personal invita-
uon to visit his farm and examine his stock.
MIR. Richardss farm Is cnlled Blue Grass Park.
Ii ~ situated in the suburbs OF GrOrgctOwn. in
one OF the finest portions OF the Blue Grass re-
glon. The Park contains about $40 acres, di-
yided Into nity and siNty-acro enclosures. The
land is very rich ana rolling. the turf tue oldest
in Kentucky. while noble forest trees add to tho
natural beauties of the place. The Royal Spring
of Kentucky rises IN this park. IL Is the largest
in the State and is the point from which all the
original surveys were made, Mr., Richards has
a race course over The sod. similar TO English
courses Raees were run here as early IN lsOS:
In 1890 Mr.. lchards's grandfather converted
the place into deer park. and many Jolly
over the adjacent fields.
Mr.. Richards. having inherited a love and
sess the highest bred and noblest types. deter
mined. many years ago 10 read for himself the
most authentic books on the subject. and with
out prejudice select the stock no preferred.
whether ~ home, from the aristOcratic pad
docks OF England. the mountains OF Morocco.
or the deserts Ut Arabia. He soon believed that
the thoroughbred English horse WIS the best
Tor all work. In tracing history few genera:
tons back he came 60 the Arab. Barb, and
Turk. closer examination revealed 10 him
that some OF the best English horses had not
this triplet cross. For years the English had
tried the modern Arab cross without much
success.
While investigating the character OF modern
imporiations. he found that most OF them had
been purchased on the coast of Syria. In Egypt
and some from India. With those facts before
him he resolved TO personally import the best
Arabs that could be found in the East and cross
them with the neetcst Kentucky mares.
Mr. richards made himself acquainted with
the modern impor!aiions previous to 1861 by
visiting England. France, and Spain. and in
specting the best Arabian horses In those coun-
tries. he then went To Morocco through Al
geria 10 Tunis, thence to Egypt. and from Egypt
through Arabia Petra and the desert east Of
Damascus rs far as Palmyra.
During this tour Mr.. Richards purchased
Mokhladi. n gray stallion bred by the Tara
bine tribe OF Bedonins In Arabia Petra. In
1896 Alokhaldi colt took the prize at Lex ington
IN the ring OF yearlings. Mr.. Richards also
purchased while on this tour MassOud. rich
chestnut stall and a fine gray mare bred by
the AnAyzR Bedouins. One OF Massouds year
ling ilnies received the first prize both ui Lex
ington and at the State FAIR In Paris in 1886
More thnn encouraged by the result of his
first journey MIR. Richards began preparing for
another trip 10 the East. He believed rs Layard
wrote; doubt whether auy Arab Of the best
blood has ever been brought TO England. The
difficulty Of Obtaining them is so great that they
are scarcely ever seen beyond the limits oi tho
desert
Alter two years spent in maturing his plans
MIR. Richards started for the desert accom-
panied by Mr. Edward Troye. the artist; Mr..
N. n; keene. and Syrian who had been with
Mr.. richards since his first journey 10 the EHst.
Shortly ntter their arrival in Spain the Syrian
died. Mr.. keeno then began to study the Ara
bic language. in order 10 carry out MIR. Rich .
Ardss plans among the Bedouins. lie remained
IN Damascus seven months. mastering the IAN
guage.
Overcoming many difficulties. Mr. Richards
lnglly purchased stallion OF superior torn
aud blood from one OF the Sheiks of the tribe OF
Benl-Iahr. rms horse was aharwarl eN-
changed, with the addition of a small fortune.
for the rich mahogany bay stallion Sack LOWE.
he was large Tor an Arabian, being fully fifteen
hands, and OF magnificent form. lie WIS the
choice oil Mr. TrOyc. the painter. faysal. "A
bright chestnut supposed to De the best young
horse IN the Anayza tribe; n gray coli, two
years old mare. ana two dromedaries COM
pleled Mr.. hichardss importations from the
East.
=, As a proof Of the great difficulty in obtaining
the pure Bedoun horse In tho desert. MIR,
richards relates an incident that occurred To
Mr.. NJ. II, henne. Mr.. Richarlss cousin. while
among the Beni-Lahrs. He WAS pricing a
mare, Nhon the owner told MN That ~ hr
would load her with gold. the gold would still
be his, and he would keep his mare" Tho
English have offered immense sums Tor favor
IT, horses, which the Arabs refused. ana tho
IN sllan have been compelled To take the sec
Ond choice.
There is much trickery practiscd l1y dealers
on Tho coast and among tho towns ON the hnr-
der OF the desert rs 10 the podlglecs OF Arab
horses. In the desert there nre no regular pod
lgreus kept OF their horses. but tho blood of
their best is known 10 all of the tribe tradition
ally. Whom n colt OF high boou Is fOulcd, soy
eril men of the tribe are called in To witness the
fact. stain in the blood NJ any iAmily of horses
Is ~ well known rs n flaw in the pedigree of
any ot our distinguished trotters aud racers.
The gray colt purchased by Mr., Richards was
OF koheylan blood. (Nlmrod. "a famous writer
Tor the English Sporting Mdgd<He, wrote many
years ago that koheyan WAS the finest horse
no over saw His stock had been in the
family ltho Sheik for more than three hundred
years. The certificate Is here given as "A speci-
men OF the pedigree Of one OF the oldst strains
in the tribe:
R,NAnoS DIST. 1872
This is to certify That the date Of 4his document
Hcssrs kecne TruNr. houeht from Shcik iiauucl
Es Sohimau, the son at Shulau. the gray horse, even
the hor~ of Hamncd, the SON oi Sohiman who Is the
son OF Shalan, even the Sheik of the Arabs Annvli
ather, and u an old koeyan mother declare mi,
by fortune to which God. and Mniammed the Apostle Of
God are Witnesses There Is NO better horse being
the side " both father and mother blood horse lie Is
kuhcNlAn, the sun U kOhcylan and his mother II a
kohe Ian purer shan milk lie was born and brought w