Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-03-11
JOSEPH BATTELL,
MiddleburY, Vt.
EARLY TENNESSEE TURF HIS
TORY.
BY ALBION IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES
1877.
Continued


1877.
Continued.1
81 assisted in timing all the trial
runs of the stable, and as the race meet
ing drew near, Major Donelson called to
notify me that the last and most import
ant trial would take place on the follow
ing morning, urging me to be on hand
and saying the general and Mr.. Van
Buren, (the vice president) would be
present.
"Gallopng out | overlook the party,
the general being as calm as summers
morning. On our arrival, the horses
were brought out, stripped, and saddled
for the gallop. Busrs, an immense an
imal in size, and of prodigious muscular
power, became furious and unmanagea-
BILE, requiring two men to hold him for
Jesse,lMajor DIS colored boy, to mount.
AS soon as Busiris began 'kerlaraping,'
General Jackson fired up and took COM
mand, and issued orders to everybody.
To the trainer he said, 'Why don't you
1t in an hour Rarey could not have
done it in a week.
81 had dismounted. prepared nv
watch, and taken my place immediately
below the judges stand for the purpose
of timing, the general and Mr.. Van Bu-
ren remaining on their horses in the
rear of the stand, which was a safe and
convenient position, as the quarter
stretch was enclosed on both sides,
down to the stand, no other part of the
course being enclosed on the inside. The
general being greatly excited, was watch
ing Busiris, and commanding everybody.
He said to me, why don't you take your
position there? You ought to know
where to stand to time horse point
ing to the place | intended to occupy in
due time. | 'toed the mark lever i'm
hand, without saying u word (nobody
ever 'jawed back at Old Hickory, when
he was on one of his ways. Busiris
was well 'kerlaraping.' Hold him. .Jes-
Sc. Don't let him break down the fence
now bring 'em up, and give 'em IA fair
start and flashing his eye from the en-
ragged horse to Mr.. Van Buren,. who had
lett his safe position in the rear. and
ridden almost into the track below the
stand, he stormed out, Get behind me.
MIR. Van Buren,; they will run over YOU.
SIR MIR. Van Buren, oheyed orders
promptly, as the timer had done "A mo-
ment before. This was one of the an
ecdotes current among the stump-speak-
ers OF Tennessee, in the presidential
canvass of 1896, between Mr.. Van Bu-
rem and Judge White, to illus trate Gen
eral Jackson's fatherly protection to
Mr.. Van Buren,.
LADY Nashville and Bolivia were
next brought out, and demeaned them
selves in most becoming manner. The
trials were highly satisfactory, and
greatly pleased the general, whose hllv.
Bolivia, descendant of his favOrite
horse, Truxton, was to run in an i'm
portant sweepstakes at the coming meet
ing at Washington. He left the course
in the finest humor, and on his way to
the White House he gave us, in "A tor.
rent-like manner, his early turf expert
ence in Tennessee.
she was the most fluent, impressive,
and eloquent conversationalist | ever
met, and in any company took the lead
In conversation, and nobody ever SEEM
o. HiGnnCnn IN fol xk,h ha
on this occasion found him especially
interesting, going back to the race of
Truxton and Greyhound, at Nashville.
In 1905, and coming up to the great
match l. ween his horse Doublehead,
and Color i Newton Cannon's Expecta
ton, which was run, about 1911, over
the Glover Bottom course, four-mil
heats, for $1,000 a side, Doublehea
being the winner. He alluded to tn
intense excitement and extravagant bet.
ting on the TruXtOn and Greyhound race:
said besides the main bet he won $1,000
In wearing apparel, and that his friend,
Patton Anderson, after betting all his
money and the horse he rode to the race,
staked fifteen of the finest horses on the
ground, belonging to other persons,
many of them having ladies' saddles on
their backs. Now said he, i would
not have done it for the world, but Pat
ton did it, and as he won, and treated to
whole barrel of cider and a basketful
of gingercakes, he made it all right