Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-29

HORSE RACING IN COLONIAL DAYs-A PROSPER
Gus PRESENT AND BRIGHT FUTURE.

HORSE RACING IN COLONIAL DATs-A PROSPER
Gus PRESENT AND BRIGHT FUTURE.
The liberal and progressive management Of
the National Jockey Club has. within the short
| space of several years. given the Washington
track rank alongside the most popular and
noted Of the country. The best stables in the
land are now In the book Of entries for the Ivy
City meetings. Love of horses is a marked
characteristic Of American people, and the turf
Is steadily growing in popularity. The early
settlers, those sturdy pioneers. who with axe
| and rifle. blazed the way for the white man
In America. cherished fOndness for
thoroughbred horses. Almost as soon as they
had cleared ground enough to raise the neces-
sary bread, they laid out race tracks. This, how
| ever. applies only to the middle and southern
colonies. The straight-laced Puritan looked
upon racing as one Of the wicked de-
vices OF the Evil One and would
have none of it. But the cavaliers and the
aristocracts c. Virginia and the Carolinas intro
duced oioOded racers as early as the middle of
the seventeenth century. Even with their
lneager and uncertain facilities they imported
horses, both for the turf and stud. In 1850 in
Maryland and Virginia. the Caronas. and even
as Tar north as New York. racing became an in
sfitution favored by legislative enactment. At
were sought after with as much energy as marks
these times.
THE TURF RECORDS OF THOSE ANCIENT DAYS
contain the exploits Of such flyers as CeIer the
| best son of JANUS of the renowned sons of i'm
ported Traveller, Tryall Yorick of Partners re-
nowned son, Lees celebrated running horse,
slark Antony. In 1852 Col. Tasker's imported
Selma, by the GodolDhin Arabian. beat in Vir-
glnla the pick of the horses in that state from
the stables of Westover, Mount Airy and others
OF equal note. The winner was then four years
old, and was owned in Maryland. Selma beat
all competitors. and was famous also afterwards
"a the dam OF winners. Her son Seiim. by i'm
ported OtheliO. was regarded as the best horse
OF his time, and beat, in succession. the fastest
racers of Virginia. PENNSYLVANIA and New York.
In 1764 the year the great Eclipse was foaed
in England, Selim was the acknowledged king
OF the American turf. About a year later Fear
naught was imported, and he improved on tn e
progeny OF his illustriOus predecessors. his get
| running with great distinction at Annapolis,
THE AMERICAN NEWMARKET OF THAT ERA.
The little town of Annapolis maintained it's
distinction as the leading place of the country
for turf sports until the breaking out of the rev.
0lutionary war, when racing was necessarily
suspended The independence OF the colonies
had scarcely been won. however, until the love
OF the turf reasserted ITSELF Racing was re-
vived with zeal that seemed more animated
because OF the long enforced suspension and
tue turf held its way In popular favor until tie
civil war broke out. During the progress of the
civil conflict racing became almost extinct In
New Jersey and Kentucky an occasional meet
ing was held. but the more serious business Of
war so engrOssed public attention that but few
attended the race courses. The owners of thor
oughbrecs and noted racers kept up the breed
through all these trOubOus years, and as was
the case after the revolution, turf sports were
"a oSn1. hY,t fIn
revival did not cover all the states that had for
merly been noted in turf annals
TURF SPORTS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES
virginia, distinguished through so many
years for her fine strains Of racers has made no
effort to regain her former prestige in that re-
spect. Though her people retain their ardent adj
mlration for the thoroughbred horse and many
OF them enjoy the ownership of fleet trotters
and runners, there are no jockey clubs in the
state The paralyzing effect OF the late war,
which made Virginia its chief theater of action
accounts for this; but now that the state has
| recovered from the shock of conflict that the
waste places are all rebuilt and prosperity
smiles upon her people, it is only question
OF time until the Virginian's inherent fOndness
competition for the hOnors of the race
! course. In South Carolina the revival
has set in. Some of the best
stables, comprising horses that annually
uciiohStidtt, upon tHO courses north
| and south. their blood and training are owned
| In that state. Georgia, too, IL beginning to ex-
hlbit lively interest in the breeding and train
! ing Of thOrOughbreds. In Louisiana also, racing
| IS growing In popularity, and the meets at New
Orleans yearly show Improvement in the num-
Der and breed of home-bred horses In the
early years OF the present century the Carolinas
and Georgia were foremost in turf matters
Horses bred In those states won distinction on
the turf and in the harem. The brilliant achieve
\ lnf nf TifrNl vsrS4
Lady Lightfoot, Sir Charles. Rather, Sumter,
Henry and others Of equal fame are among the
most creditable in the annals Of the turf.
| IN THE NORTH, WEST AND SOUTHWEST
the outlook was never brighter. Not only is
there growing interest in racing as a relaxa-
tion, but the value Of the turf to the economi-
cal interest of the people Is understood and ap-
preciated It has stimulated friendly compe-
titiOn for the improvement of blood and devel-
Opment of speed. the effects of which is
witnessed in the superior horses generally in
use throughout those sections The American
bred horse, not content with hOnOrs at home.
has crossed the Atlantic; and in England and
| France has shown his superiority in contests
with the very best racers of those lands. The
victories of IrOquois and FOxhall on foreign
| courses is but the beginning OF
ACHIEVEMENTS ABROAD OF HOME-BRED HORSES.
The narrow view once so common as to horse
| A"'ins 10 i"st disappearing, anu IL is generally
regarded now In proper light. 1t is looked
upon as an inspiriting, an exhilarating pastime,
harmless enough, If properly pursued, but. like
all other things Ofths earth, capable of mischief
If misused. The erroneous idea that there is
| some inherent danger in horse-racing is about
| dspelled and the merits Of the sport are recOg-
nzed. The value of the horse depends upon his
capacity to perform. The individual or assOcia-
ton that contributes to the enlargement of this
capacity. tends to make the horse more durable,
active and obedient. and to improve his blood and
increase his speed. creates an economical saving
power to human labor 1t not only adds to the
value of the horse, but increases the pleasure in
| owning and using the animal
| PUT - THE VAGS,, TO WORK.
A Change OF Heart.
| Gin glancing over the report of the action nj