New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-23
RICHARD CROKER'S HORSES.
HE TALKS ABOUT TURF AFFAIRS.
rur rAMMANY CHIEF THINKS BELLE MEADE
WAS GOOD INVESTMENT

TUT rAMMANY CHIEF THINKS BELLE MEADE
WAS GOOD INVESTMENT.
When It was announced that Richard Croker had
purchased half interest in the stock Oh the famous
BELLE Meade farm turfmen In this neighborhood were
snrpris< Mr. Croker Is a close observer Of men and
their methods. lie visited nearly all the breeding
establishments I'm Kentucky before he went 10 Ieh'
nessec lie discovered that at Belle Meade, down
70 the smallest detail. everything was done sys'e-
matically. Dy gancing at his books General JACK
sen can tell day and hour that any mare on the
farm was bred TO the stallion that in his judgment
urould prove most successful with her. Mr.. Croker
said Yesterday TO Tribune reporter While taxing
about his purchase a. consider the Pelle Meade iarl
the most successful of all In this country. n pc-
C.nner In the breeding or any other business shouu
aim 70 associate himself with men that have been
sucoessful. Theorists very well In their place.
but II is the practical men who are successful. ph
the extremely wealthy can afford the luxury u &c
veloping theories. Results alone count. Nheh any
body looks back over the history Of the tnif' ana
counts the long list Of great winners Ired al benz
Meade and the Of the Youngsters SOLD al 'ne
annual sales, lie must be convinced that nobody can
say that 1t not good investment 10 buy nan
,n,ercst I'm the stock on the Belle Meade farm.
"There are les mares that fam. ana I'll OF
them were selected for their breeding ana 'hoiViuu
atty. As for the stations they need no comment
Iroquoi5 Is tiCucht by many slrewd 'u'imch ~ ="
the very best Of the great bennington lio"e.'.
7 Do not want to claim too much Tor hiih Ills
progeny nave established MS 'IaiH 10 ''c P''
sire OF the country"
Mr. Croker here remarked: 81 am satisfied III MY
own mind that Moreo Icy Eolus another son OIL Leani
ingtnn Is the best OF the two-year-olds OF lo9.'-
al greatly admire fremont. and think that Win
ore he will prove himself one of the great sres'
Great Tom IS t,yeny-sx years old, but bears his age
lightly and will probably be vigorous for urce vi
possibly four years longer. The hlheS by ufea' lo'
are not sold at the sales but reserved ior Dr'cu's
imposes. II is the with the get OF the sohs
of Great Tom through the mares bred to sons OF Lean
ngton that has produced the best results 80 ua'
makes 1t advisable 10 keep the Great Tom mares.
The other sircs at Belle Meade have proved them
selves factors the turf as many Of tlelr get are
winners. Clarendon, the giant son OF ST. Blalse' Is
one OF the grandest looking horses have ever seem
Anybody who his great race in The Metropolitan
Handicap at Morris Park knows that lie was AS fast
for a mile az any horse that raced in this or
any other country. Tristan, Tenny, Ambulance,
Tournament Riley and Senorita. as we'll as CLARENDON
never recovered from the effects of that race Every
record beaten at every fraction OF mile up 70
mile and an eighth 1t Will readily be seen by turf
men that Carendons get out of mares of undoubted
stamina are sure to sell TO careful students Of racing
ain regard TO the horses owned by me that are In
training, iet me say that / do not intend 10 race
extensively The mares Fairy, loskyille Belle and
Red Banner are bred ir the purple. Fairy should sod
her own with the sprinters. She LOOKS spiehoiuiy.
Yorkvine Belle think. is OF the great mares
of the American turf. There Is little doubt that she
is capable OF holding her own in her class AZ the
end Of the season intend ship her 10 Belle Meade
and breed her to lroquois. As for Red Hammer west
ern turfmen talk Of her ability 10 defeat Helen
Nichols OF that / am not so sanGuine. ! may De-
better able TO Judge after April 30 as Helen Nichols
NAV meet MoIell6 that day al Nashville. am
partial to my colt Dobbins by Mr.. Hckwlck Dam
Thora / fancy he eNces any colt OF KS age that
saw on my tour among the breeding establishments
I'm the South II any accident HAPPENS TO DobilnS
he Is desirable for stud purposes. What little racing
nv horses may do will tend to give me the outdoor
exercise which my physician has prescribed for me.
aTo return 10 Belle Meade. 1t i General Jack
SONS intention 10 Increase the number Of bOodmares
to 900. The greatest care will b. exercised in their
selection As all OF them will have to be up - The
standard Of the other metrols now there; ] pur.
chased FLY by Bishop dam Bessie Belle, by Bonnie
Scotland. at Lexington eonditionally If she Prov,
herself to be up the standard that Mr. Madden SAID
she she will becme my property. If not she she
will be returned TO Lexington al my expense Belle
Meade has been extensively advertised lately, and
the yearngs should sell for high prices.
II will be noticed that In the foregoing interview
Mr. Croker says that he is the. owner Of the colt
DobbSns which was. sold at the Ehret sale last
November for sc2 900. Michael F. Dwyer was the
Bidder. and the colt was knocked down TO him. Most
turfmen have supposed that Mr.. DIVER owned Dobbins
but IL appears that he acted for Mr. Croker who Is
the real owner