Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-02

gsnitor of 3 race OF knce-ioioing
homjp, .beaters, he would have emas-
culated the colt in his ysar-old form.
The ryend race-horse Revenue, the best
Of his dsy--the sire Of the " Great Red
Horse Of Virginia." Planet, and the
sire, also, Of the game four.mile mare
Fanny Washington, and host oflssser
lieh,s-to be the ancestor OF light
harness horses! This is, indeed, too
bad. That the blood Of the thorough
bred is all that there is of value in any
horse goes without saying, and this has
been proved since the days OF Charles
H. but God forbid that he should be
prostituted to the begetting Of trotters.
Let virginians breed mules from large
we'll. bred mares they sell we'll always
at two years Of age; and let US keep
what we have of our turf-blood pure.
IL will not always be night in Virginia.
| think Judge Hughes, in his able
paper written in so bad cause), Is
mistaken in charging the breeding Of
the Boston Lottery mare Nina to the
elder Major boswell. Ash understand
the matter the elder boswell had been
a breeder and racer of the thoroughbred
from his youth, but bad only met with
ordinary success upon the turf until
the produce Of the Zinganee mare Sarah
Washington made their appearance as
candidates for turf.honors. The elder
boswell acquired Sarah Washington by
purchase, and about the same time his
SOD, the present Major Thomas W. Dos
we'll, purchased in South Carolina, |
think, Nina, by Boston tson Of limo
leon), from Erolicsome Fannie, by Lot
terry. Each had raced well AMI their
breeding was OF the best. After a
thorough canvass Of the whole matter
father and son decided to breed these
mares to Revenue (Botts's), and the re-
suit was that Sarah Washington threw
to Revenue Fannie Washington and
Nina threw Planet.
| love to think of Planet. He was
bred like q red-fox dog, able to stay
over any distance Of ground, and pack
ton. Weight made little difference
with Planet. lie was generally able
to tomp home a.winner whatever his
impost. His stride when racing his
best was a miracle, and was the occa-
sion Of his having been beaten by
Socks (son Of Albion, imported,) when
they met at Charleston, S. G. When
the race between the swift, hard-bct-
toned horse Socks and Planet came oil
the track over which they ran was a
loblolly; it would almost have begged
a saddle. blanket. The writer and a
young cousin, then on tkeir way to
Texas, in which State they purposed
to and did for a time reside, were
much interested in the forthcoming
contest between the two great horses.
On the night preceding the great race
a young Virginian who had quietly
backed old Nina's son 10 win a pot OF
money was very respondent, and said
in my presence : Socks will, owing to
the mud, beat Planet tomorrow.
Planet is such perfect steam-englne
and has such q fearful stride he will not
be able in the mud to gather himself
quickly enough to beat the son Of AL
bioD, who is finely bred, able to go the
route, and is altogether better mud
horse than the Red Horse Of Vir-
ginia.'" There followed some moments
of silence, and then the lad threw up
his head, ard while his eye kindled
and his face flushed hot, the following
was fred out /: Yes, Socks will beat
Planet tomorrow but if be does, he
will never make another track upon a
race-course. Planet will break his
heart" Socks never raced again. The
task set him was too much for Albion's
great son. He went aniss after the
race, and was subsequently purchased
by Thomas Mckinney, Of Austin, Texas.
| knew the horse well. In Texas he
became the sire of Rebel, who, in turn,
became the sire of Little Reb and other
good race-horses. Poor old Rebel . he
recently died Of old age near Mobile,
Ala. K. NJ. CONWAY.
NoTE.-Reyenu was the great-grand-
sire of the splendid Eole, by Eolus (son
of imported Leamington), Sarah Wash
ington being his great-granddam and
Fanny Washington his granddam.