The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-05-26
Virginia Horses Take the Lead.


There was a day, and that rot far ia
the past, when it was thought q first
class thorough could not be OBJ
tanned outside the State of Kent uclly
1t may not be generally known, but is
nevertheless true, that such claim can be
no longer made, but that Old Virginia
leads the world ia producing fast horses.
The concealment of this truth hereto
fore has grown out of the fact that the
fast horses bred in Virginia have, as a
rule, passed into the hands and owner
ship OF residents, and after winning
laurels haze been posed as the represen-
tatives OF other States
We affirm, without the least fear Of
successful contradiction, that no stock
farm in the world has produced as many
winners in proportion to the number OF
horses raised as the "Ellerslien farm,
owned by Col r. j. Hancock Of Albe-
marie county. 1t has never been the
policy Of Colonel Hancock to raise a
great many horses; but his aim las all
tilN Niiite rs Sil " selNC tIiC WIZ AZ
ing but the best. 70 that end he has
been untiriug in his efforts and is now
beginning to reap his reward in the
Worldwide reputation his horses have
made and in the handsome sums he can
80 readily realize out of the sales of his
colts
Among the many horses from Colonel
Hancock stables that have won distinc
ton on the turf may be mentioned, i5oie,
ST. Saviour, Eoian, Eon, Elkwood, Ell-
rus, Diablo. Vigilant. Russell, Capstone,
Katie G., Charade, Lester, and Ma Belle
These and many other winners We're
sired by Col. Hancock s two noted horses
Eolus and Charaxus. The horses above
named, and many others of like breed
ing, are comparatively young and have
not as yet done their best work Eolian
has to his credit one of the fastest miles
ever run in a public race. Elkwood won
the fastest suburban ever run up to
1880. while Eurus won the same great
event on a heavy track. Every reader
of the papers knows something of the
phenomenal races won by the erratic
Eon. 1t is q fact worthy Of note, that
not one of these famous colts has been
beaten this season, excepting Russell in
the Brooklyn handicap, when he came
in ahead of nine Of the fastest horses in
the world, but did not get first place, be-
ing third. He has within the last week
twice heated the famous Longstreet.
About a week ago Colonel Hancock ship
ped to New York fifteen yearling colts
which will be sold at public auction at
the Gravesend track on the 9th inst
The prices commanded by these young
thoroughsbreds will, no doubt, he far
beyond the reach of many admirers of
tieet-footed horses. On this famous Eel
lerslien farm are kept about twenty of
the finest brood mares in the world, the
most of them having crossed in their
veins the electric blood of Lexington and
Glencoe. Encouraged by the success at
tanned by Colonel Hancock, other Vir
ginians are paying more or less atten-
ton to the breeding Of fast horses. Capt
A. d. Payne OF Charlottesville has now
secured "a collection Of eight brood mares
uneXcelled in blood, and is also the own
er of the famed Jim Gray, by Ten Broek,
and we predict that before many years
the word will record the victory of colts
hailirg from Paynes stables. Virginians
should all be proud OF the distinction
that comes to us through the energy of
these gentlemen.