The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-08-11


Si,2S6. was pretty hard run In those
days, as had several big undertake
ings ON hand which required good
deal of cash, so, TO make sure, | de-
posted $4,000 in bank there TO the
credit OF Louisville institution and
taking the 1886, went down to Long
Branch. There was going to be race
run here, aud there was horse in il
which knew would win unless he
fell down. was determined TO bet
every cent had on him anyhow, for
had my return ticket, and if he lost
could do without anything to eat
Till got home. IL only took &c hours.
The event was tho Ocean hotel stakes
and when got there the day of the
races the betting was simply terrible.
kingiisher was the favorite, and near
ly every pool would start with 81 800
bid for him. This would run up TO
81, 200 and be knocked of. Two other
between $3.50 and $500. Then came
my horse, and the pools on him start
cd at 1928 and never ran over S275 or
under S245 Mark this last figure,
for it is significant. Time after time
bid $225, and held out till my limit
was reached, but the betting always
ran at least To S245, or SO more than
had. There was between $4,000 or
So, 800 IN each of the pools, aud tell
you | was sick to get one OF them, for
knew what picnic the contest
would prove for the horse of my
choice. Finally, becoming franctic, /
jumped up and shouted that | would
bet 800 to $3.50 that the horse had
been trying to buy would win the
race. The crowd rushed at me as
though they thought | was crazy, and
several of them came near tearing of
my coat in their eagerness to take me
up. Well, the race was won, and IL is
needless to tell you that II great west
crn colt, at that time 3 years old and
hitherto unknownin the east, won it.
The knowing ones in the east were
paralyZed. When the colt came under
the string he seemed to be galloping
along leisurely, and his rider was look
ing around hehind him to see what
had become of Kingiiisher and the
rest. That race, by the way, ruined Abe
Buford, Enquirer's owner. He won
over 100000 besides the stakes, and il
gave him the big head, flushed him
with wild and extravaganza notions
and led him int methods which iiual-
ly proved his ruin. At Bosque Bon
tia, his blue grass farm, there was a
beautiful, convenient and comfortable
cottage good enough for anybody
When he returned from the east that
fall, he had this torn down, built an
elaborate and costly house and spent
$4,000 in fitting it up. But neither
his great horse nor any that he subse.
Quently owned was TO prove such q
gold mine again, and everybody
knows the final series of catastrophci
which overlook the old general, who
had big and good heart in him.
"Mr. NissmaH, tell me something
about Enquircr's early history" asked
the reporter.
"For some time before nc was foaleC
Lexington was the only great stallion
in this part of the country, aud people
who had Lexington mares We're at ,
loss, as they desired to cross thu
strain.
had fine mare sired by LeXing
ton, out of which WANTED u thorough
bred colt, but did not know where I,
go. was in Cincinnati just after tn
war closed, and about that time Gen
eral Forrest came up there with t
drove OF mules. There was n maj
there by the name of Davis, who WAS
mule-trader and race-horse man
aud was talking TO him of All avail
able stallion. General Forrest VIII,
was acquainted with Davis, heard u
and told me that General Cameron ha'
lately sent fine stud, imported Lean
ingtOn, out to General Buford's plac
from the east and advised me to taxi
my mare to Bosquc Bonita. accept
ed the suggestion and sent her there
That summer was the only one Lean
| ington spent in Kentucky, and bu
five colts were left which claimed hi
royal blood These were Enquirer
Littleton, Lynchburg, Longiellow am
one mare, the dam of Katie Pierce
Littleton and Lynchburg were bot!
fine horses. Enquirer aud Longicl
low are world famous. When my col
was foaled gave General Buiord
half interest in him to raise and trai
him. According to the contract wi he
he went ON the turf the general and
were TO share his winnings, after eN
penses were paid, till he was 8 year
old; ifhc won nothing the general I
stand the expenses.
The first race he won was at Men
phis, where he captured prett! goo
purse, about 81 400 After that he ra
two good races at Lexington, and W
both knew that we owned one of tn
| 4, ;,,,,s ,f tho tnrf rhIs UNA Xvhila n
was in his 2-year.O odd form. When I'll
spring of the following year role
round, and our contract was out, | sa
that Buford was impatient at I'll
terms under which he was handlln
him. lie was entered in the gree
stake races in the east, but it woul
be expensive TO run him, and he migl
not fulfill the expectations we had, !
finally offered Bnford $3.50 to mai
proposition or accept one from III
lie considered the matter day or tw
and then came to me and said he Ia
decided 10 lie, me make the prOpoi
ton. ] at once offered TO sell my sha
/ in the colt for 5000, and he accept,
it. That ended my connection with OF
of the noted horses of modern tim,
IL WAS Jus lhst hullilhcI iolloNluR I'll
| had the experience at Long Bran
| have already recited.
"The King Fisher race establish
! Enquirer's fame, didn't itF'
. ayes. After that there was scarce
J any betting against him 10 a subs
. quent race at the same track and in /
! Saratoga events. General Bufo
. won very little money on him aft,
ward except the prizes"
= what caused his retirement fro
the trackF
/. "rhat fall, after he was brought ba
\ to the bluegrass and turned into {
E. pasture with shoes on, he cut tend
D. which marked his finish as rae