Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-06
SPRING MEETINGS.
SHALL SACRAMENTO BE THE RAG.
ING CENTER!
Proposed Annual Spring Events Un-
der the Patronage of the State
Agricultural Society.


the State Agricultural Society. This is a
matter pregnant with interest to the citi-
zens of this city, as it means the possible
establishment of an annual event that
would bring many thousands of people to
the city, and in very short time would
ssQal in importance the great racing events
OF the State Fair. In no other part of the
United States can early spring turf meet
ings be conducted as successfully as on this
coast, and there is no other place on the
coast where turfmen would prefer to test
their runners in preference 10 Sacramento.
One OF the arguments in favor of these
spring meetings is that they will greatly
stimulate the business of breeding fine ami
mals, business that has already grown to
such dimensions as TO place California on
par with the famous blue grass region of
Kentucky. The proceeds of sales of yor1ng
stock from Senator Stanford's Palo Alto
breeding farm last year are said to have been
upward OF 100000 and only few weeks
ago the Geographic columns of the RE
ORD UNION recorded the fact that three
California breeders had met with phenom-
email success in disposing of their Young
stock In New YorF city. L. J. Rose alone
sold Sl2O,O0O worth of youngsters. Bv
having spring meetings here the Young
California horses entered in the great East
era circuits would be brought together and
turfmen from beyond the Rocky Mountains
wonld be attracted hither to witness their
performances, IN order To be able TO select
ior purchase promising colts that might
nave good summer engagements. The bet
Ter colt IS engaged the more valuable he
becomes, especially if he shows up well in
his spring form. This fact means much TO
breeders.
BECOMING A NECESSITY.
The boom-if such it may be called-in
horse breeding in California demands that
a great annual spring meeting be estab-
ilshed. 1t IS sure to come, and cannot long
De de aged. Its significance to Sacramentans
exists IN the question as to whether or not
It snail be inaugurated here or elsewhere.
Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and Les
Angeles will no doubt all be eager to
secure the prize, but Sacramento stands in
position 10 capture 1t if she will-if her
business men can be induced TO consider
the proposition from business and finan-
clal standpoint. The idea is to establish
turf event that will be on broader and
hlgher scale than anything heretofore al
tempted on this coast. The stakes should
be of such value as to command the atten-
ton OF turfmen and breeders everywhere
with very small guarantee from our citi-
ZenS, coupled with the liberal aid offered by
the State Society for the inaugural meeting.
sweepstakes of from 50, 500 to 81, 500 can be
offered the winners, Stakes of this char
ac1er, under proper con litions, would in
sure the entry of every colt of promise
bred on the coast, 10 say nothing of those
brought here from the East to winter in
our genial climate. An incentive would
thus be given to Eastern men TO come here
oh iich
few years California would be without a
peer IN the word as the home of the horse
THE STATE BOARDS LIBERAL OFFER.
An enterprise of this character could be
managed and fos,ered by no organization
so well as by the State Agricultural Society,
and as the Directors of that institution
have considered the matter. and signifed
their Willingness to take hold and conduct
II, the citizens Of this city should be eager
to accept their aid The members of the
State Board have siguifed their willingness
to stand responsible for at least So 600 of
the sum required for the initial meeting
and with an equal sum contributed from
other sources, they are satisfied they can
formulate a series of stakes that will insure
the entry of high class of colts.
--&he fact has been demonstratei-but is
not generally understood outside of turf
clrcles-that the thoroughbred is most
valuable in his two and three-year-old
form. The richest events in all the great
meetings of the East are contested
for. by colts of these ages. They are
all entered IN yearling form, to run when
two or three years old, and in order
to properly inaugurate the proposed spring
meetings one year hence action must be
taken at once. If the citizens of this city
can be made to realize the importance of
this enterprise they will promptly set about
securing the necessary s., coo to start the
thing going, and once started it will run
itself. There should be among the shrewd
and prosperous merchants and business
men OF Sacramento, many with sufficient
foresight to recognize
THE PBcUNIARY ADVANTAGES
To result from subscribing-say S500-to a
stake 10 be named after the donor. or his
establishment, as he might elect. Such
events, or stakes, would be perpetuated
and increased by the State Agricultural So
ciety from year to year, as funds permitted.
As business proposition, merely, il IS a
good one. The value of advertising in
Judicious manner must be apparent TO
every individual or firm that has succeeded
in mercantile pursuits, and even in many
Of the professions Robert Bonner was the
first man in the United States to pay as
high as $4,000, but Immediately thereafter
his name was in everybody's mouth
and millions of people who had
never before heard of the man
began to inquire about this horse crank. -
They discovered that he was not q turfnlan
not even breeder of horses-simplv the
publisher OF the New York Ledger, a story
paper. The fact was hefaded far and wide
through the press of the country, and COM
mented on until people began TO subscribe
for his paper, with the hope OF learning
tf,sat 7 ffn
for piece of horsehesh. Business men
who had been Flooding along in the old
and well-worn ruts at first criticised some
what sharply BOnners method of attracting
attention to himself and his business, but
they finally had to acknowledge his keen
foresight, as his business increased in a
wonderful degree, and he soon began to
figure among the milionaires of the land
SACRAMENTO THE PLACE.
But, aside from the opportunities afforded
for individual gain, the establishment Of
the proposed spring meetings in Saera-
mento would undoubtedly result in perma-
nent gain TO the entire community. Saera.
mento is more advantageously situated
than any city in the State for the promo
ton Of an enterprise of this character.
The spring climate here is delightful.
the track and hotel accommodations are
of the best, and the railroad facil lies are
unsurpassed. Taken all in all, there is
no place in the State 50 well adapted for a
successful spripg racing meeting as Sacra-
men:o. WI also has the advantage OF
being the hes quarters of the State Agri-
cultural Society, which il is proposed shall
stand sponsor for the success of the pro-
posed meetings.
There is lit:le doubt that spring races
here would soon be as largely patronizsd as
those of the State Fair, which attract SC
many thousands of visitors even in the heat
of CALIFORNIA; Indian summer.