Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-30
The RUNNING TURF.
An Eastern Sporting Paper Becomes
Excited Over the Coming West
ern Racing Conference.
Some Plain Talk About the Mat
ter in QuesiiOn-The Real
PuTpOrt OF Colonel
Slark's Sall.



The Spirit of the Times imagines it has
struck Il mare nest inColonel Clarks call
for a conference Of Southern and Western
racing associations, te be held in this city
November 2l 1t intimates that the ac-
ton referred Is implies a threat against
the Eastern clubs, and is the result Of the
disoourteousness of the Eastern stables in
not sending more horses for the Champion
Stallion Stake just what the nature of
the threat is the Spirit does not explain,
but the inference is that II Is in the shape
Of some sort Of nefarious combination
against the East by the Western associa-
tions. Now it is very old tradition
that the wicked have strange habit of
fleeing when no man pursueth, and the
Spirits bugbear seems to be an attack of
this sort. This Louisville Jockey Club
has certainly had cause enough TO feel
justified in Ignoring the East, or even in
forming combinations against it, but
out here in Kentucky men have
most cOmmendable habit of being
courteous, magnanimous and honorable,
and the shortcomings of others are per-
haps too easily overlooked. In reference
10 the Stallion Stake, the bid of the
A4VhleNlllA bbikN1 AluU WIS SIMPLY Nil
indirect expression on the part of Ken
tuckians of desire TO sec those great
race horses who had first seen the light in
Kentucky, had fed on Kentucky blue
grass, had given evidence of their coming
greatness on Kentucky race courses and
had proved the superiority OF their Ken
lucky breeding by their grand victories
over the first racers of two continents 1t
was the wish of the truest lovers of the
thoroughbred on earth to do homage 10
the turf soyereigns they themselves had
given TO the world.
The Spirit Of the Times truly says that
Colonel CLARK was disappointed ut the
response to the generosity Of the Louis
vile club, and il is well to add that this
disappointment was shared in by the
entire community. There is, in fact, a
general impression throughout the
West that Louisville has been the
victim of most dscOurteous, not TO
say dishonorable, trick on the part of the
Eastern owners. The Spirit endeavors TO
excuse the affair by saying that none Of
the three year olds eligible for theStallion
stake, excepting Miss Woodford, were fit.
II is true that there were none good
enough TO beat tho great daughter Of
Billet, but the second money was rich
prize Of itself, and does the Spirit mean
to say that Gonfalon, Carnation, Breeze
Caramel, Heel andToe, All HandsAround
Bluegrass, Belle, King Fan, and half 8
dozen others, all eligible, and who were
all running and winning at that time in
the East, were not fit company forSlocum
Wandering and Wallaower in theStallior
stalker
But, leaving this stake out of the ques
ton were not the prizes offered at Louis
vile good enough 10 enable any OF tn
Eastern owners to pay much more thar
their travelling expenses, and, after they
had given assurance of their presence, wa
II not somewhat underhanded for them 4
70 back on their word2
Thepeople here expected TO SEQ Parole
Iroquois, Aranza, Eole, George Kinnel
and the other great cracks. Had thel
come, special prizes Of sufficient richnes
to satisfy any one would have been otiere'
TO bring them together, that the peopl
among whom nearly all Of them had beel
reared might see them in glorious strug
giles for the mastery Is Il any wonde
that, expecting all these things aud real
izing none Of them, there should 30 suin'
feeling here about it2 As is limited above
the Spirit Of the Times seems TO realize al
this, but instead of admitting IT, with ii
usual fairness and candor, il tries 10 shiel,
the Eastern men, and at the same timo in
dulges in illusions to possible reveng
to be taken by the West, which there /
? no reason to believe exists outside Of tn
!. Spirits guilty Imagination.
As the Courier-Journal understands il
the coming Conference Of the Western
and Southern Associations is for the pur
pose Of adopting a uniform system O
weights and rules, and to arrange som
plan for the prevention and suppression o
frauds. Simply this and nothing more.