Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-23
RAIING HALF 4 CENTURY
AGO.
HeW the jockeys Were Glued
Cato Their Horses Instead Of
Using saddles The Great
Grey Engle-WagHer Race il
LouiwIlle Commercial.

81 guess | am about the Oldest turf
man in America, y said Henry Farris
to Commercial reporter recently.
The speaker was en- old man Of "a
years, with a frank open face, and
pleasant address.
Il attended the first race that was
run on a regular race course; it took
place in the fall Of the year 1917, on
track near Crab Orchard, KY, which
atterward became famous as the Spring
Hill course. was a mere lad then,
and attended with my father. There
we're several entries, but the race was
clearly between horse named Yellow
jacket and big bay mare. People
bad clustered from all parts Of the
State to witness the event. There
was but little betting, the novelty Of
the contest being the attraction
From that day to this | have always
made it point to be present and wit,
ness the races. | have been on every
course in America, owned some Of
the fastest horses OF the day, aud the
strangest thing OF ell is that never
gsmbled a cent on horse race.
II remember how the jockeys used
to ride in the olden days. They had
no saddles, and each man who mount
ed q horse was required to wear home
made linen pants. A vial Of honey
vas poured on The back Of the horse
and the honey coming in contact with
the raw linen, formed an adhesion suf.
teiently strong TO keep the rider in his
position and enable him to ride with
safety.
| trained the horse which won the
stakes in the first exciting race in
Kentucky. | speak Of the famous
horse Josh Bell who ran three heats
in 100 over the course in Lexington,
This was 10 1881. | alterward sold
Josh Bell for Si001, . fabulous price
Tor a race horse in those days. / also
trained Jim Bell, full brother Of Josh
Bell. He was the first horse that made
a mile in l:l6 in America. ln the tall
Of 1873 he beat the celebrated
Sarah Blsden, after an exciting race
at New Orleans, for a purse OF 5000,
Jim Bell subsequently became the
greatest three year old racer Of his
day.
: | also trained and owned Denmark,
He ran $50 miles in public races, the
majority OF which be won In 1928 he
came in winner Of a sixteen.mile race
over the old Oakland track at Louis
vile.
Forty four years ago | saw the
Gray Eagle and Wagner race, undoubt-
eddy the most exciting contest ever
run in the world. Every State in the
Union was represented. There were
no railroads or other TRANSFORMATION
Accommodations in those Gays, but
people AOcked from everywhere, and
the attendance on that day numbered
easily 1900 Kentucky was repre-.
sented by the great Gray Eagle and
! Virginia by Wagner, From the
first it was evident that Gray Eagle
or Wagner would win the race
They took the lead, and Al
they rounded into the quarter stretch
Gray Eagle led the way by an oner
length. Both Jockeys Piled the wniI
vigorously. Wagner gradually closed
the gap and landed at the stand half Z
length ahead Of the great Kentucky
steed. The stakes we're $4,000, and
in addition to this, Campbell, the
owner Of Wagner, told me be won more
than $4,000 on side bets. 10 those
days pool selling or a regulated system
Of betting was unknown.
The man who wished to gamble
generally proclaimed from a box. An
agent always accompanied the
capitalist to make report Of the betl
bis employer made. An instance
which tended to increase the excite
ment Of the day was the death Of .
man namsd Peck. He was a Ken.
tuckian, and had bet every cent ht
possessed, amounting | believe tC
$4,000, ca Gray Eagle. He stationed
himself near the spot which marked
the finish, and when he saw that he
had lost he dropped dead on the SPOT
have witnessed every event Of i'm.
portsnce in the way Of racing since
that memorable day, aud have never
seen, nor do | expect to see, contest
50 exciting or iull Of general interest
A barrel Of money changed hands on
the result. Although | am past "a
years Of age, | am still training horses
aly headquarters are at Spring Hill
course, near Crab Orchard, and | ex
peet To- turn out many winner before
| die.