Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-08-13
A. KEENE RICHARDS.
from the Turf, Field and Farm


One of the purest minded and best !
Known men connected with breeding !
md the turf died at Blue Grass Park, ,
near Georgetown, Ky, on SATURDAY,,
March 10. of pneumonia. Mr.. "A. i
keene Richards was born October Ia,
1927, not tar from the spot where he
drew his last breath. He was heir to
a fortune, aud consequently his boy
hood days were not spent in buffet
ing the rough waves of the world
The light of plenty and the daZzllng
star of hope gilded his youth. AT
College, Virginia, he gained
a classical aud scientific education.
and was instructed in bible lore by
Campbell, the founder of
the church which bears his name and
which is strong in Kentucky. The
health of Mr.. Richards was not the
best on leaving school, and with the
object of improving il, his grand
father sent him to Europe. Having
a natural fondncss for the horse, he
determined to study the blood aud
forms of the equine tribes of the
world. In England he saw Ted ling
ton win the Derby in 1851, and critl-
calIy examined the different studs OF
that country. In France he studied
the Norman, aud in Spain he paid
great attention to the Andalusian
horses. Next he Experimental with
the Barbs of Morocco, aad then he.l
travelled nearly the emtire-lengfh of
Algeria, enjoying unusual facilities
for seeing all that was worth seeing
in the breeding line. In Tunis he|
hunted for traces OF the NumitiaH
horses OF the time OF Hannibal, and
in Egypt he Travelled with the first
party of Europeans which crossed
through the desert OF Paron to the
ruins of Petrou. In Palestine aud
Syria he visited the districts where
good horses were TO be found. lie
stopped some time in Damascus, and
then journeyed with the famous
Shiek Madjuel, of the Aneysa tribe OF
Bedouins, TO the ruins of Palmyra.
He collected souvenirs Of all,Lhe lands
| visited by him, which he shipped to
his home i'll Kentucky. One of his
prizes was the mummy of an Egypt.
| an primcess.a The old homestead at
Georgetown, previous to its destruc-
|. tion by fire, was crowded with treas
ures worth kings ransom to the
relic hunter. On his way back to
London Mr.. Richards inspected the
studs, of RussIa, Prussia and Austria,
and he returned to America with a
Il plastic mind well stored with useful
information. Later he made a second
visit to Ara bia, taking with him the
celebrated artist E. Troye. who put
, OH canvass for him many of the strik.
|, ing scenes of the Orient. He became
: 30 attached to Troye ttat he built fol
J him studio atsBIue Grass Park, and
there The artist painted some of his
greatest successes. Mr.. Richards was
ali admirer Of the Arab horse, amt nc
one ever took as much pains to Sc
cure the very best blood OF the des
r ertr for Importation to England o.
8 America. Having observed all fami
ell lies with his own eyes. he knew wha
! to select, and he was Oh the grount
o to see that he got, what he paid for
9 AT Que time Blue Grass Park had al
b Ioriental look. Camels aud Damascu
i cattle grazed upon the lawn, and rea
,f Arabs in native costume led Ara
: horses out for review. Among tn
II stailirns imported from Arabia b.
i Mr.. Richards were Hamdan, of th
l. Loheyle race; Fysaul of the Kcheyl
aud Sacklowie races; Massoud, fron
IS the Aneyzs, tribe; Mokhladi, fror
ri the Torobime tribe, and Sack vie
p the choice of Mr.. Troye over all th
70 stallious he saw in the east. He ais
q imported number of mares, til
,- promineut oues being Lulie, Sada
IS and Il ,reefa, the latter being Bart
,s He believed that the Arab horse coul
j. be improved in size aud speed b
/. judlcions breeding and.treatment,an AN
70 he hoped to revOlutiOniZe the tur
10 but the war came OH and pnt stoI
is in a measure, to his experiments. II
f. was SO crippled in fortune by the civ
,t conflict that he was not able, after tn
10 surrender, 10 fully test his theories
l., Mr. Richards used his great forum
v for the benefit of mankind 1t wa
g his constant aim to improve th
8. bloodedhursc of America He impor
ss ed the knight of St. George, winner c
g. the st. Leger in 1854; Australian
10 who ran under the name OF Milling
n Ton; Emilia, the dam of Australian
TO by Young Emilius, and from her h
Is bred FazzolettO, Jr., Crusader all
is Ulrica; Lanercosi. mare,and her sol
se Hllisborough, by Stock well Metros
1t by Melbourne, and her daughte
b. Target by Ritieman ;from Melrose
2. bred Melbourne, DR., by Knight
id ST.. George, Moss Rose and Elk
at Davis; Spilcita, by Stockwall, fro
v. whom he bred Spinoli. by Austr
ce liam, and Fenian, by Mickey Free. I
e- bred and raced Glycera and CuIOssu
d. both by imp. Sovereign; Saratpg
Alexandra, Alumiua, Leona, Tu
x. man, aud host of others. His color
es the silver and white stripes, we
,r, seen on all the race courses of Il
le land, -and they often shoue in irou
%. MIR. Richards was breeder wi
a.. brains and experience, and n turin,
". with history No llnine is mo
pp prominent in the pages of the Stt
ot Book. lie had faith that an Amer
"a. can-bred horse could win the Eugli
ay Derby, and he encouraged, in su
ct. stantial way, Mr.. Ten Broeck to NAL
Ior the historical racing venture aero
ar. the sea. Before the war he called i
/ a slaves by the thousand. He was {
a true friend of John G.. Breckenridg
le. and he spared freely of his means
4 a advance the political standing of Il,
,ep talented gentleman. He and Ge
,e Breckinriuge turned their backs u
he on the old flag at the same time al
.he linked their fortunes to that of I
nat Lost Cause. Through the intluem
;he of ex-Gov. James +. Robinson. NJ
1T Richards was early pardoned by Pre-
liz. ldent johnson, and he returned
lac kentucky and laborad 10 put the d
ort serted house and stables in order
the was not content to work IN SIN
be way, and consequently was led in
ventures which his reduced forum
would not support. But throu
every trial, in the face of every trO
bic, he was the courteous, pure min
ed, noble hearted gentieman.
10 never forgot his breeding. 1Althou
ent he was identified with the turf for
as many years, and was seen on I
mo quarter stretch of hearty every IN
SEQ course i'll tue country, he was Pre-
tly against the fever of speculation.
never bet u dollar OH contest, a
blasphemy never polluted his lii
IN lie was living evidence of the f,
en- that the associations of the race ira
'h- are not debasing TO manhood. Il
or home circle at Blue Grass Park w
up delightful. He was fond OF his W
ON and beautiful children, and wh
len gathered with them around he hear,
en stone he forgot the pressing cares
10 the world. The halls and The wa
JUS OF every room were adorned wi
n rs1