New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09
RACING IN THE VEST INDIES
EVERY ONE BECOMES ENTHUSIASTIC.
AMERICANS MAY SIZE GOOD SPORT At TIKI
JAMAIOA EXHIBITION.


try I'm the coming winter attracted there by the TX
hbition will be many whose love OF horseracing Will
certainly take them to the races In the old island Of
woods and waters The oldest racegoer Of the staes,
too Will see racing that will surprise him and certainly
amuse him. There Is no man welded to horse
racing than the West Indian be he pure white or black
the Of spades. There are meetings all over the
island, but the great held IN Kingston and
Spanish Town. the St. Iago de La Vege OF the spaniads
coming good second. There are generally two meet
ings year, but 1t Is the winter meeting that brings
together the whole island. AS rule, the spanish
Town and Kingston come of on the frst fortnight
of December but this year they have been postponed
TIL the second third week Of February to add al AZ
Effectiveness to the Exhibition, and show the visiting
strangers that there Is good horsehesh In the noun
famous gem Of the Antilles.
Let first visit the chief training grounds. IN the
parishes Of st. AIMS, st. Elizabeth, St. Catherine
and Trelawney. Here the racing stock that supplies
the best horses for all the West Indian Islands Is
raised. Nowhere in the world Is there better past
urage and as the visitor drives along the excellent
roads, many q good horse and brood mare with
colt following will be seen standing either IN the
guinea grass fields or In pastures covered with the
short Bahama grass. The owners OF these horses
are right good men. too, always ready TO welcome
visitor and him round the stables giving hist
DRY Of each equine wonder.
Among the principal Of these men Is Judge Roper
OF Unity Valley, whose white hair, SILK hat, stocK
collar and long black frock coat are a feature OF
every meeting. The Hon. Leicester Shirley always
comes down from Ellington In Trelawney. Charles
Walker of Belmont, goes home richer man after
every meeting, and this also be said OF Morgan.
of Cold SPRING the Hon. Jack PeIsche, OF Mander
ve whose shrll. squeaky voice can lie heard
mile off. Swaby, of Pepper Pen, In St Elizabeth
was a great on tle turf some years ago, olt
he has grown too old for the sport now New
men are entering the field, the most successful OF
whom have been +. McGrath, Of Cleremont, and
c. verey Of Mona. Most OF these men have in-
ported a good thoroughbred stallion from England,
but strange TO say, few, II any, mares.
There is busy work in the stables for weeks
before the take place. and as each man has MS
own track TO exercise his horses on, little is known
of the respective merits Of the several horses until
they come to Kingston which they generally do about
fortnight before the races and are then exercised
every morning the racecoursc. With the earliest
dawn the exercises begin, but there Is always large
crowd present. in buggcs and horseback, but the
majority Shanks mare.
The races last three days, and for that time every
Kingstonian. male and female, let's every mundane mat
ter slide devoes himself and herself solely 10 them
The grand stand Is filed with welldressed crowd,
for every woman puts her newest dress. The
Governor and his party have box and down below
are motley crew. nearly alb c0lored There Is no
actual betting ring but the noisy negro rushes up
and down the crowd holding out a clinched INST.
"Flve shilln' on Beeswing; Beeswing mus VIM
Among the better classes wagers are also lad.
and invariably in doubloonS $40. curious
relic Of the past, which would seem
to indicate that racing carried when that coin
was the standard Of the island. 200 years ago
The is cleared by the police, but the most I'M
portant man in this duty is the clerk Of the course
generally an officer from the garrison who With
good hunting crop and the regulation thong has no
hesitation making the lazy hurry IN with the
| q a,,ntfg fiAn ~
In the paddock all Is hustle, and soon the small
black Jockeys wonderful colo caps much too large
for Them and bare feet hosted into the saddle
To make certain Of not losing their stirrups. thee
barefootcd jockeys pass the biz toe on'side the on'
and ride in what Is called "parsot-flshon' IrV
is seldom much delay at the post. for the starter IS
man of power and his report Of any nonsense IS
sufficient 70 get the boy suspended. There Is mus
Judgment shown In the riding. for the pace IS not
and furious from the start, and whip and spur ar;
used early In the And this sometimes pne
Irrespective Of the distance 10 be which vares
from six furongs for the yearlingsyes. yearlngs hs
writer regrets to say-to three mile heat handicap
open to all. The best horse wins and thos'
in the crowd who have backed il go hai
| mad, shouting dancing and clapping their
hands The band Of whatever regiment Is stationed AZ
Up Park camp Is always lent tor the tiree Gays vi
the races, and plays between each contest TO the
| great Joy Of the popuace. who make an impromp'a
is an eIptical one, and is at the very entrance Oh tho
exhibition building The ground enclosed by the track
Il coyerSd with rcfreshmen. booths, bar roons sweat
tables, merry go-rounds and all that make, race
meeting enjoyable TO ouashc. All Is good n1Iare
and the great blue Mountains m'Ae siH"' JAVA
Many of these Jamaica horses only begin tI'eir rt
career I'm their native Island. There are men Hvu
other west indian Islands interested ny raelhs MY
are present at these rec u ana Pay g SS hpfsns
colonies and improving their stock barbados me
most lhcky populated ,p9t on .ie eatth aas man
votary OF the TURF and the raeecourse at II AIMS
barracks is the trystns ground OF every sportloyins
Ear1ad@n T " Ssr yea and wS them s oo sn oe
Interested in the fortunes of their equine iavorss
These races take place IN July ana January Se is
barbados IN Trinidad halfwa, house between Bar
The savannah Just between Port Of Spain and It's
wonderful botanical gardens Is a scene OF much eA,
each representative OF Trinidad, Jamaica. l,emcrars
and Barbados backs his countrys horse for all be can
Thc following month there are races in Georgetown,
Demerara. Here the sportlcving britsher has made
grand avenue of cabbage palms shows the way to the
durham track. Nowhere In the West Indies Is hee
planters are wealthy most OF them are ond Of racing.
and the purses arr good Their are American 'Ss
Richter and Bcckwlth, and they have generally eare'
| OF the best prizes.
The writer once raced there His entry Ja'
malca mare, with temper as tickle as any wonsns.
our garrison Jockey good an amateur rider as
one would meet In months march. but Ais.oI ~
| seemed TO hate the often this will be sen ~
| the best Of booded stock In the nfst race s,lc
refused TO leave the post and the men Of Eve Les,
Barracks dropped their money. She was entered ~.
| the one and one-han mile handicap to be run tns
following day, and the owner though nearly fourteen
bounds over weight. determined to ride her. lie wa
| by no means an ideal rider. but he knew the MARI
| Twenty to was the price against her, but ever
The mare fractions. but the sentence. s,eSny
Alcy' quieted her, pat on the neck eassnreu ~ =.
quietly as lamb Two In front and steady t. .
OF the bit told the rider that the block marc WAS sos
kindly, but tho wench might bolt at any corner ~
the policy 10 hold back and walt for the hom "a
| stretch. II seemed an hour, but we were ~ II AZ. ~
last and then the riding began Stride by s,rue s
mare gained the leaders and landed the stAses %
| short neck There Joy In the soldiers CAMP
but the civilians turned sadly away.