The Helena independent., 1889-01-26
LITTLE TURF.
The Man VINO Bred and Raised the Fsmov,
osldlnE. In the City.

osIdinE, In the CITY.
VIM Flsnnery, Of Gallatin, Is visiting
the city. This gentleman Is quiet and
unassuming gentleman who lives ON
ranch Of 1,0i0 acres in the eastern part of
Gallatin county. He was theOwner OF Lit.
tle Turf, the bay gelding that made several
fine performances on the Montana turf.
Little Turf is by Turf Gallery, dam by
lsflemRn, by imported Glencoe. Mr. Flan-
merry owns the sire and dam yet When
Little Turt was three years old he was en-
tered on the Helena track by his owner In
n mile dash, lie ran In very fine company
and pulled up second 10 Repetta IN lao.
The young gelding was always pitted
against strong field and In every race he
had been entered had u contend with
horses OF The same class as Repetta. He
al ways came second In his races at Helena.
When Tom DAILY and Vice Regent ran a
dead heat IN quarter dash here two
years ago Little Turf was AZ their necks.
A year ago last spring Mr.. Flannery sold
the horse 10 Col. j &C. Thornton Of Butte,
who matched him In several stake races
which he won handily. The widow Thorn
ton sold Little Turf to Mr.. Van Brunt soon
to New York where, for the first time, be
was placed In proper hands and received
careful treatment. Mr.. Van 1lrunt is a
member OF the aristOcTatlc ST. Nicholas
club Of New York city and great admirer
OF race horses. After being In his stables a
short time the Montana gelding showed up
In splendid form, aud being ridden by ex.
pert jockeys he was soon ready for the
tird. Mr.. Van Brunt entered him In
two Long Island City races both OF which
Little Turf won. One Of those was mile
and quarter race which he captured In
the splendid time of 2:l0 and the second
race, three quarter mile dash, he won
hand,ly In l:l5. The splendid perform
ance Of the Montana horse won for him
many admirers and his owner re-
fused good round sum for
him. lie wanted the horse for himself.
lie was sent 10 England last fall and en-
tered there against field Of famous horses.
Being a rather small horse he was not
looked upon as having much speed, and
sold In the pools at great odds In a mile
dash. His owner had great confidence In
him, however, which realized him fully
500 900, as Little Turf showed his nose un.
der the wire first. The money won was
mostly cleaned up from bo0kmAkers Lit
tie Turf captured second race while in
England, but he sold we'll In the pools.
The performances OF Little Turf during
last year only 20 tn strengthen the prtdlc-
ilOn that the time il not far OF when Mon
tana-bred horses will be the kings and
queens Of the turf. The prediction is slow
ly but surely being verified, and the blue
grass state will soon have tO look after its
laurels. Within few years Montana has
produced few horses which have always
been credit 10 the territory, among the
list Of which may be mentioned Montana
Regent, Vice Regent and Doubt. The
latter broke the worlds record for half
mile heats at Oakland last summer
Mr.. Flannery says he has seventy-ive
| full blOOded horses on his farm. He has
a full brother and sister OF Little Turf, and
while he considers the latter the speediest
horse, for any distance, produced Ia Mon
tana, he thinks the two he has left are even
speedicr. Mr.. FlanDery Is a great lover of
| horses, but says his other business matters
will keep him from entering any OF his
stock on the turf this year. Besides these
| he pays a good deal of attention t0 farm
ing and during the past season raised 425,-
900 bushels of oats from $50 acres, which
he says is the biggest crop every raised on
one ranch In the territory. This grain he
has piled up In stOre-hOuse awaiting q
rise In the price. lie came 10 Montana In
lhd5 and by hard labor has accumulated a
comfortable competence which he Is en-
JoylDg at his quiet little place where
he resides with his aged mother.