New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-17
ruE NEW KING OF THE TURF.
COOKER SPENDS THOUSANDS ON HORSES.
,.c1NG MEN AMAZED AT THE NEWS OF HIS
LATEST PURCHASE-A FRIEND OF
THE TRACKS NOW.

LATEST PURCHASE-A FRIEND OF
THE TRACKS NOW.
The thought Of famous Belle Meade in the hands of
a.. ruler OF New-York." Richard Croker has been
ued for years, staggered the bodest turmen in this
I.- Yesterday. Belle Meade never has had large
.,.n,us of money on hand In fact. 1t never paid
-, Nils till the annual crop Of yearlings sold
d.r the hammer. General Jackson must have
so,nd himself little cramped financially. else he
.,.r would have disposed OF half interest In the
ND old home of the thoroughbred. Mr. Croker.
Sooraing TO the telegraphic report Of the purchase
s.ss not acquire interest in the farm itself, but
,v half interest In the stud. The sum paid is put
:, quarter OF d million. surely reasonable figure.
The leading turfmen In the city much sur
,.~d BY the Of the purchase that they
IA not care 10 express an opinion as TO what the
s..t Of It would be the turf One limited that
.n.h.e DIVER was interested with Mr.. Croker, which
- NOT seem at all unreasonable he has long wanted
. bwy an interest in OF the great breeding farms
,tA. country Moreover. Mr.. Dwyer and Mr.. Croker
10. become the most intimate friends. and have
IA numerous combined interests on the turf. Mr..
r,.xer,s horses are TO De trained this year in Mr.
o~r.r,s stable and they will probably be ridden by
IT, Dryers jockey.
Rele Meade has had Its share Of the honors Of the
,,,, in the last ten years The stations for service
,,.re now are IroQuois. $500; fremont. $500: Luke
p.ckurn $500; Imported Loyalist, $50; Inspector
y $3.50; Clarendon. $3.50. and Great Tom and En-
,r.r prvatc stations. Iroquois leads the list OF
timing sres OF 1892. and his most brilliant record
v,s made a, Belle Meade. He is the only stallion
,n. has ever lived that in one season furnished the
."~, nth the largest winning horse OF the season,
,,, two such two-yearold FLIES as Helen Nichols
~ Ped Banner and an unbcaten colt in G. W.
Iohnson who sold for mere money at auction IMAM
snv with one excepton) that ever PasSeu
nd, the hammer In America.
c,oions representing Belle Meade In the last three
ears furnished the turf over us winners IN io'-
the number Of races won being $40 ana 'he'r value
over 100000 .,
ross,h,e that he offered $4,000 for Thora the
.,.d dam OF Yorlsville Belle and Dooons because the
mare has undoubtedly seen her best days. Iammah!'
n. largest winning horse on the American turf last
rear was bred at Belle Meade. and Mr. Croker was
one OF Tammany's most ardent admirers. whenever
r.mmany started In race the Tammany chieitaln
rad a bet on him. He never allowed his societys
aamesake TO run loose. 49,
The influence Of Mr. Croker on the turf Is likely 10
n. nowerfl As the political ruler Of the city he has
an immense strength among men OF all classes IN
avery walk of life 1t Is the firm belief OF many well
informed turfmen and politicians that ne Is no" 'He
active agent in the closing Of the poorooms. MS OF
nu,se does not seem on the surface at all consistent
With the current belief that Tammany Hall receives
large revenues from the rooms, which, owing 10 some
strong influence have been allowed 70 remain open
IN defiance OF the law till just at this time. when
Mr. Croker Is investing thousands in stock farms ana
r.c.horses II Is naturally TO Mr. Crokers interest
no 10 uphold the turf in the tope Of securing better
nrces for his thoroughbred yearllngs. II the turf
roes down Belle Meade Is not worth the half OF "ha'
he paid for 1t.
A well-knowu thurman, who does not want 70 DE-
quoted for political said that the poorocms
would have a slim chance OF carving through any
LEGISLATION in Albany looking toward repeal OF the
Yy.s poo, law even in the event Of their proving in
the couts that II was unconstitutional. The rooms
declare that they have raised fund OF Sl5oooo or
100000 To fight the jockey clubs and the Board o.
Control, hut even all that money will avail them
nothing in the face of positive orders from the ruler
81 New.York TO his ninions in the legislature
IL think" said this man. that Mr. Croker has
IN. real interest of the turf at heart. He loves
horses and does not intend to race his for mere
ucre He likes just as we'll when he hasn't
a dollar on as when he has on thousand lie
,ecocnizes that the turf is OF the great nstitu
tons Of the country. and since he became Intimately
acouainted with such men as the Dryers he has
seen the evils that the poorooms bring on the turf
He will be the greatest aid that the racing men OF
Iris country could have found With his support
the turf t safe in the State Of NewYork long as
rammany Hall is the power It is to-day. We need
mt fear the repeal OF the Ives BILL Mr. Croker VIII
attend TO that He is in racing TO stay, and ne won
remain in the background"
Another turfman one OF the RI ting officials did not
believe the report that Mr.. Croker had bought an
interest in Belle Meade. think he must be acting
for some other person. he said Where did Mr.. Croker
get any $3.50 900 to pay for half interest In s'ud
believe You will find that Mike Dwyer Is me
,eaI owner Of the half Of the Belle Meade stud that
has been sold"
A friend r. Mr.. Dwyer said that be did not think
toe latter f. .ed In any way in the purchase
A stou, supporter Of the Board Of Control said that
be did not think the Board would be IN hurry
to invite Mr. Croker to become member. Mr.
Croker" he said. "comes on the turI Just as any
other man Of means, and he VIII have TO pay MS
way as be can we'll afford TO do. NO especial laNors
win be done for him simply because he Is the hcad
Of the Tammany organization. No man wouid pe
more quick to resent such thing than Mr. oroher'
he racing men feel that in him they have strong
lily, and they want him TO be with them as .ons
a. they can keep him. II he throws his political IN
euence with the turf, this will be the greatest year
We ever had In racing In this country" . ,,o,.o
ais not Mr.. Croker likely to attempt 10 oic'a'e
TIE Board OF co nj Tas The organization
II the turf Is not like that Of Tammany Hall The
The Tsmmany followers OF Mr. Croker: mcst OF whom
IRE freQuenters OF the racetrGcks ana iiDcray ~
Isces we're delighted to hear OF Mr. Cookers prnceiy
purchase yesterday. and prophesied that wohueri.
plevatng DAucnces would set in as soon as tne bos
begun to manage the turf In his own way Ihey silu
that he would apply the same principles OF rieid or
ganization the business OF racing tnat had Pr9ad
30 successful I'm the management OF Iammany nan.
Every Judge, starter Jockey, bookmaker ana al! ,ne
turfmen would understand pretty soon who was run
hing things and "the boys could be sure when the
Boss" assumed con mand that their money would be
Baie when 1t was up on his colors u, uo
NJ Judge will last long who decides agin the
Boss entries was frequent comment yesterday.
"A man who bets that Crokers horses Will win III De
safe enough" IT., , 49,, -r
Mayor Giiroy, however, refused to join in these rosy
forecasts. A., <.-,.., .
projects, he said am not interested in the turf,
Is everybody knows - .....
Al Pubc Works who mas the reputation OF being closer
to Mr. Croker than any other man in Isnmany iali,
purchase as that OF the Bee Meade stud at cost Of
o95O.0O0. 10000, -. ~, MI,
M Crnhar rcucht number OF race horses last year,
but Il was for the pleasure he derives from racing;
He needs the outdoor exercise when me pasn,hic
49, sslaaa fllt he Is E0lmg