Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-24
TALES OF THE TURF
Traditions of the High -Mettled
Race Horses.
The Echoes That Come Down to Us
From Our Earlier Years.
sBeston's Great Race With Fashion OF
Long Island-The Beiisarius of
the American Turf-Rich-
ard Ten Brock.

A private letter from San Francisco
tells me that Richard Ten Brock, who
really paved the way for the world-fa
nous victories of Iroquis and Foxhall
is slowly and sadly approaching his end
at San Msteo; that he is living all
alone, his wife having left him some
years ago, and that he is nearly blind.
in addition to his other misfortunes,
This gentleman fills 80 important q
place in American turf history that he
deserves more than mere passing ref
erence. He was born near Albany, N
Y, in the first decade of the fast waning
century, and is known to be past 80
years old. If Henry J. Cotton (whom
met in New York in 1856 is still alive,
he and Col. Jack Gambill of San Fran
cisco are about the only contemporaries
of Mr.. Ten Broeck's prosperous days
that are now above ground. The
parents Of Mr.. Ten Brock were infu-
ential people and obtaiLed for him ca
detship at West Point. At the time of
mis- graduation, however, there was no
war in sight, and he resigned his lieu
tenancy in disgust. The turf
seemed to possess q decided fascina-
tion for the young officer, as it did for
ADAM LINDSAY GORDON,
The famous Australian poet, who wrote
"Britomarte" and Elbow we Beat the
Favorite," and who had been cavalry
captain in the British army. In 1910
the great racehorse Boston, from whom
are descended over one thousand great
racehorses and about two hundred of
our very best trotters, was in the'zenith
of his fame, and Ten Broeck followed
him around from one track to another,
betting on him every time that he
started. In 1842 he received his first
set back, sold Whitenose" being beaten
by the New Jersey mare Fashion, owned
by William Gibbons of Madison.
In Mr.. Ten Broeck's autobiography
which appeared in the Christmas
Spirit of the Times, of 1890,
he Gays he beat Fashion with
his mare Jeanetteau, by Leviathan. If
SO it has escaped record in all other
memoirs of that famous Jersey mare.
My impression is that she WIS beaten
three times-by Tyler, at three years
old. by Peytona at seven, and by Pas
senger at thirteen years of age. jean
netteau was really good mare but not
in the same class of horses as either Bos-
ton or Fashion. Yet the astonishment
in the writings of aman 80 years ofage is
not that he made one egregious mistake,
but that he did not make dozen of
them. 1t is great task to write long
sketch entirely from memory, as did
Mr.. Ten Brock, and aside from that
one error, it was very readable article.
BosroN's ERRATIo TEMPER
caused his defeat on several occ asions,
and shall always believe his defeat by
Fashion was one of them. Gilpatrick
rode him in that race, and when he
came out here in 1865 to ride Lodi for
Judge Bryan, asked him about it.
"Why, sir, think that in the last
100 yards Fashion must have beaten
him sixty. never saw horse sulk as
he did,"
"And did you consider Lexington a
better horse?" .p
eyes, he was better horse, just be-
caus, he was quite as rapid and had a
good deal better temper. He was one
horse in a Million"
When Boston ran against Omega and
Santa Ana at Charleston, the old horse
was not in the very best of condition.
He had made heavy season, forty
mares, that year and was quite fat up to
the day of the race. He showed temper
all through the first two miles of the first
heat and refused to run. My grand
father was there with his ship, loading
cotton for Liverpool, and had one or two
small wagers on Boston, who was over
175 yards behind at the close of the sec
ond mile. As he entered the back
stretch on the third mile, this old horse
suddenly caught an inspiration and be-
gan to extend himself. His owner,
James Long, saw this and began betting
even money that Boston won the heat.
Before Omega reached the wire, two
lengths ahead of him and three lengths
ahead of Santa Anna, he had bet $20,,
900, the last four bets at 100 to 70. Bos.
ton won by two lengths, in 7:42, and
held hard at that.
THE FINEST TURF WRITING
ever done since the press became az
auxiliary of the turf, was Mr.. Porter
great report of the four-mile races be
tween Grey Eagle and Wagner at Louis
Vile. in September, 1885. From thai
day to this there has never been any
thing in the way of reporting that half
way equaled it, for strong and graphic
word -picturing, wholly devoid of slang
Scores of bright and well-posted tur
WAAoOAo hnFO h0A 4uAoO 90 6S0N S~s--Sr~
but failed to equal the master hand Q
"the tall son of York." His descrip
ton OF the beautiful womeI
and lordly looking men by whom
he was surrounded, however, went ia
to make up the attractive total OF tn
report. These horses ran two races a
four-mile heats in the short space of on
week, and Wagner won. both, Gre,
Eagle getting the first heat of the mos
valuable stake yet run for south of tn
Potomac. On the following Saturda
these same horses ran again at the sam
distance, Grey Eagle breaking dow
altogether, and Wagner was never an
good afterwards. Red Bill and Black
nose both beat him and Gamma, q
Nashville, about Elk weeks after hi
brilliant episode at Louisville.
DIsTANCED HIM OUTRIGHT
without being extended at any part {
the race. Yet Mr.. Porter really though
for three years after that race, that Wal
ner was nearly, il not quite. the equal
Boston. Another badly overrated fou,
IL .s<~I ax-at L.