St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-07

HOME OF fine RACERS
A Visit to the Famous Nam
tura Stock Farm in Ken
lucky,
Where Ten Brock Died and
Longfellow at Present
Reigns.
The Great Sons and Daugh-
tiers Of the Two Mighty
SireS.
Nhy Protection May Not Get
Into the Kentucky.
Derby.

small beginning it became one of the
most noted and extensive breeding es-
Establishments and training farms in the
Southwest. Scarcely had the founder
passed away and the place came into
possession of the present owner, Frank
3. Harper, than the sensational len
Brock, with the popular colorS of Nan
tura, brought new conquests to his
home and the turf world by low
ering the recordS-by his unpre-
cedented performances yet so fresh in
the memories of the public. AS a year
ling Ten Brock was looked upon as
one of the mediocre class. He was
small in stature. aud his owner, the late
John Harper, viewed HIM with a con-
temptuouS eve, never dreaming that he
would some day be leader among the
giants of the turf, or that he would add
glory to the laurels of Nantura by the
mingling of his blood with the fleet
daughters of the famous sirens III his
harem.
Frank Harper, his nephew, and sub
seQuent owner of Ten Brock, did not
share this opinion, however, and pro-
tested most vigorously when he heard
that his pet colt was about TO be gelded.
him that his uncle not only resolved to
spare him from the operation, but gave
him to his nephew, adding as abenedic-
ton: Take him, son; he will make
you very good hack horse" Little did
he think that the colt would some day
set a half-dOZen records that would
stand for generations; that he would
cover a mile in the fastest time ever
known in the annals of the turf: thath
would be the sire of horses that, III turn,
would leave records that hold 20 this
day. Little did he think that from Fen
Broeck's loins would spring such race
horses as Drake Carter, Bersan, Valu-
able. Free Knight, Test, jim Gray, len
Booker and number OF others VINO, up
to the present time, have won over half
million on the turf. He little thought
thatlittle, puuy-looking colt would some
day yanquiSh such turf giants as Ais
tides, Bill Bruce, King Alfonso, Mon
mouth. Whisper, Parole, Bill Bass, Vera
Cruz, Mollie Mccarthy and others, or
that as a sire he would rank among the
first four of his contemporaries. Such a
one was the mighty Ten Brock, whose
remains are now marked by marble
shaft, on which is inscribed his time
honored records for one, two, three ana
and four mileS-1 $685., 3:21119, 5:24 and
7:15$4. Three of these recOrdS-one, two
and four miles-still remain unbroken
after thirteen years; the other one, that
of three miles, was only equaled by his
son, Drake Carter.
Pride O all Kentucky. sab
Best stock in the world bred thah-
Rightin Woodford county on
The Ole Harper farm. You sawn
Hoses than like Lexington,
And GRAY Eagle, whilse they run
Heah, an later-fo he died
ole Ten Brock, done santihedl
Ole Longfellow! Thah's boss
AT D nOunce DIES the boss,
Muzzle, tail. an hoof. an name
Pahstin tint and back again
DeS too dad-bun beau .teeful
Fob to talk of sensibul,
Man hasn't got enough eyesight
Scalsly for to see him right!
Old Longfellow is still at the head of
the Nantura stud. Twenty-three years
years of age, but looking as fresh as a
colt. the head swimS and figures blur as
YOU try to number his distinguished
progeny. Remarkable rs q race horse
on the turf, he is even more remarkable
as a sire. He is preserved to remark
able degree. and dozen generations
may yet spring from his loins before he
is finally laid to rest beside Ten Brock.
He has brought golden stream into
the Golfers of Nantura, aud has en-
HANGED the the breed of American race
horses probably more than any sire
since LeXington's time. JilS johnson
holds the second place Of honor in the
Nantura stud. He is son of Longfel-
low and has been selected to succeed
his ilIustriOus sire. He has won fame Oh
the turf, and has already sired such
good ones as JacObin. BrandOette
and Emmas Johnson-all winners. Ger
mantOWn. another stud in service at
Harper's, is out of the celebrated Nan
tura, dam of Longfellow, and has sired
several with creditable turf careers. In
the English horse, RoSsington, Harper
has one of the most highly bred horses
that has ever crossed the ocean. HewaS
purchased for the sum of $4,000, and is
half brother to Ormonde and OSsary,
and fulr brother to Farewell. winner OF
the One Thousand Guineas in 1855. He
is a direct descendant of the celebrated
"Agnes family" the most successful
English racing family of the present
generation, and it was said of him at the
time OF his importation that he was the
only male representative of the breed
in America As yearing RoSSingtoR
met with an accident, and was started
only three times as tWo-year-old, fin
ishing third in two of his races and
fourth in the other event, in which he
met with ali accident.
Lee Christy. the veteran trainer. is
getting the Nantura string ready for
the 1890 campaign. None of them has
been pushed in his work, as it is not the
intention of the stable to start before
the Lexington meeting. The string
will probably be limited to about a
dozen animals all told. There will be
half. dozen two-year-oldS and three
three-year-oldS. headed by those old
campaigners, Fannie and Unite. OF
the youngsters, st. August, by st.
BlaiSe, out of Secret (she by Longfel-
low, is decidedly the best That old
man Harper thinks we'll of the colt is
evident from the manner in which she
is entered. Harper does not like pay
ing fOrfeitS very much, and as cOnSe-
quence he doesn't enter many of
his horses tar ahead or in any more
stakes than is necessary. But ST. Blaise
has been entered in every big twO-year-
old stake in the West. Among the lat
ter are the Quickstep stakes and Lake
View handicap at Chicago. Another
promising looker among the youngsters
is colt by JilS Johnson, out of Via,
called Milt Young. Next to st. Blase
they are tile sweetest on him. OF the
tnree-Eear- COttlceIll, the kentucky
Derby candidate, is decidedly the best.
He is looking well, and is taking plenty
of work. There is no doubt about his
being able to go the distance; he comes
of long-winded stock. He is in the
Maiden stakes and Dearborn handicap
at Chicago. Fannie looks as if she were
good for few more hard battles before
being retired TO the harem.
Word comes from Memphis that the
Scoggan string arrived there safely.
Before starting. Proctor Knots owner
said lie would not start the big gelding
at the Memphis meeting that he was
merely taken along so as to be ready
for Nashville. knatt is several, weeks
off a race vet, being soft from lack of
work. There are several among the
two-year-olds in this string, however,
that will probably make their debut at
Memphis. Eli Kendig and National
are the best of tine colts, and Lady