The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-11

Zkxzr-TSSysss---,tf OF the Old Do
rs sss--s = s<r'--s-s minioa gave tone
10 the sport OF
Kings" by an active participation in Its
measures rendered an the more fascinat-
,rc rs the glorious uncertainty proven
hialv Characteristic OF racing. From 1901
81 1906 the Washington City Jockey Club
,.es I'm it's glory, composed Of such men as
governors Oele. Bowie, Wright.Lloyd and
piscclv. Of Maryland. while such able and
veu known repi esentatives OF Virginia
and other Southern States as the Threl-
kells. Lufboroughs, ThorntoDs, Masons.
'.,locs Pcterscs Hamptons, Seldens
ffloncses Willises and others were the
oo,ncrs OF strong stables. ready and
o-,ious 70 compete for glory at every
ornartunity. The central course at Wash
,rcton being an intermediate point. was
me arena for the North and South. In
The vicinity Of Richmond the Fairfield
and Free Ilill courses were in full blast
,ortb Of the James river. while south OF
mat noble stream the Broad Roc& course.
IN Chesterfield county, was the scene OF
many great contests, most Of them four
mile heats.
AZ that time the sons and daughters
~ Imported DiOmed were in the heyday
az a successful career as turf performers
~ the highest merit. Among the brilliant
,-,iaxv of race-horses springing from the
WAS Wilks' Potomac. who ilumlned the
,--oyp as star Of the first magnitude.
save his first start when by accident he
mot defeat, his turf history presents an
gnuroken series OF victories. Inc
subject Of this sketch known in turf annals
and otherwise ss Wilks' Potomac the GER
fiocate Of Mr.. Mark Alexander, written
from Mecklenburg county, Va, tebru-
.-. l. 1910. and published in the American
r-.rr7er Of December. 1871 describes
ne being a fne bay, foaled 1903, sixteen
hands high. handsomely marked, very
fsrc4 bone. great muscular power, lengthy
and In form not inferior TO any morse on
earth. Potomac was bred by Ihomas
HasSins. Esq, Of Mecklenburg county,
rbo also bred his dam Fairy, by Pc
,.sr,s son of Semmes' Wildair. While
,orv Young Potomac was presented by
v~ HasLins TO his son-in-law, Edward
Dennis. Esq, Of Brunswick county. MI
Dennis kept the colt till he was two years
o,d and sold him to Burwel Wilks, ESQ.,
also OF Brunswick county. for slow
After Mr. Wilks' death Potomac
WAS sold at the executors sale
n his estate for $3 800 to Colonel william
Towncs. OF Mecklenburg county. Colonel
Townes stood the horse two seasons IN
that section and then sent him to Georgia.
The pedigree Of Potomac, as given in
Rruces American Stud Book, is that he
WAS sired by imported Diomed' hrst dam
Fairy. by Pegasus, second dam Nancy
McCulloch, by Young Yorick Ga cold
Hooded horse), third dam by half-bred
horse called Silver Eye. fourth dam by
"A common wagon horse, fifth dam, COM
mon plow mare called The Estray. rms
pedigrce was taken from the STUD BOOK
II Patrick y. Edgar, published In 1898,
which was considered unreliable, its au-
thor being an eccentric old Scotch-lrlsh
bachelor, full Of prejudices and whims'
EGear's version OF POtomac's pedigree
war not accepted as true by his contem-
poraries The American Turf Register OF
April. 1898. page AS, gives it as follows
Potomac by imported Diomed, dam by
Pegasus, grand dam by Yorick, great
grand dam said TO be high bred, In which
form IL is given in Mason & Skinner
Stud Book, and in the same manner 1t is
brought out in SINNERS English and
American Stud Book. Both Of these vol
umes were published subsequent 10 Ed
CARS book, and both show that Skinner
rejected Edgars version. The stud book
published by Edgar was hOpelessly unre-
nunerative and this fact soured him. His
publication did not even include the pedl-
gree Of Sir Archy-the GoldOlphin Arabian
Of America-omitted, IL was said, on ac-
count of hostility toward the owner or the
mighty son of Diomed and Castianira.
The description of Edgar is so unique that
IL is reproduced here. He is spoken or as
riding through Southern Virginia mounted
on a sorrel mare Che disdained to own
horses In any form but mares, and those
sorreD, with sadde-bags bursting with
horse manuscript and wearing apparel
riding from plantation house to plantation
house talking pedigree and declaiming
against every animal that would not
trace to imported mares, descendants OF
English celebrities. He was Veritable
Don QuixOte, always ready 10 attack
windmills that fell in his way in the form
Of unextended American pedigrees. He
rallied at the fine horse Billy Townes,
though he was a son OF imported Fylde.
because his dam was by Virginian. He re-
rarded Virginan and Sir Charles, the best
sons Of Sir Archy, as half-breeds. because
one remote dam Of each could not be iden-
titled. and was unceasing in his depreca-
ton OF native-bred animals of unextendi-
bic pedigree.
The purity OF Potomac's blood has been
strongly upheld by Judge Robert w.
Hughes. Of Norfolk. and that gentleman
iu d couple OF letters written few years
aro 10 the Turf, Field and Farm, of New
York (whose senior editor, Colonel 5. ID.
Bruce. is the author of the American
stud Book, brought out strong argument
% sustain his position. while Colonel
Bruce holds an opposite view, ana Is irm
iu his belief that sufficient evidence has
never been furnished TO prove that 20
tlmac was a thoroughbred horse.
Judge Hughes. in his argument, goes
on 10 state that while Potomac's pedigree
was short on his dams side, IT was as
good as that of many noted horses or
that day. Bred in a section In which
cold-blooded horse was rarely SEEN dis
tnctively a race horse region inhabited
hv rich planters. whose fancies went out
entirely 10 the harse of warm blood. IL was
unlikely that Fairy's owner would have
sent her more than one hundred miles 10
the court Of imported Diomed. the highest
priced stock horse standing in the State,
without being satisfied in regard to the
purity OF her blood. That he had good
ground for his belief was sustained by
The career OF Potomac, who had the |
form and finish of the thoroughbred In
every particular. He had the great speed |
and stamina which enabled MN 10 stay
me route over any distance, from mile |
dash 10 four-mie heats. Mr.. Wilks, Of |
fered 70 wager $4,000 that he could beat |
any quarter horse in America, starting |
fresh at the last quarter. after he had |
beat any other horse a fair mile race, |
or az any other distance. His turf career |
began as a three-year-o when. In his |
maiden race, he was, owing TO an accl-
Dent. defeated by Stump the Deai-
er another son OF imported Dicmed. Dur
Ing that year he was twice a winner,
once at the New Market course, near
petersburg. which was owned and con-
&c.,