The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-17
HORSES AND HORSEMEN.
xrrxrr TO AyyrTA STUD FARM THE
THE HOUSE or JIM GRAY.
Mr.. TickIer's Belmont Farm "here "A'''
Level Son OF Isonoipy HOLDS 'oui''
Evergreen, A emone. Mirth' &C.

Jim Gray, thorouSn-DIeu Sun u
Brock holds court. Five hundred acres
Of rolling land mark the limits OF Ahhi'a
You Chamber UP hillsides. and after reach
inc the ton. pause and rest under the
shade OF sturdy oaks while breezes, direct
from the mountains. cool your brow.
Casting your vision on the valleys below
watered by never failing streams, pleas
ant sights attract the eyes. Broad mares
and toals of rich Thoroughbred lineage
roam the paddocks, divided By substsnt-
ial chestnut fences.
Mr.. a. A. Payne, the owner OF the
farm, makes daily trips 70 the place, ana
passes many an hour directing improve
uents. The farm IS a part Of the large
tract formerly owned by the late Slaush-
ter Ficklin, who bred draught horses
quite extensively. An elevated spot over
looking the country for miles around mas
been selected by Mr.. Payne as the site
for a residence, which viii be built OF
stone guarded on the place. Mr.. Payne
is confident that jim Gray Will prove a
sire OF race horses He is now ten years
oldin color rich brown, and possesses
Brock, dam Alice Gray by Enquirer, and
she out Of Lizzie by War Dance. Jim
Gray proved quite champaigner during
q turf career of several years winning
| among other events, the Platte stakes,
| Tennessee Derby. Dearborn handicap
Bridge handicap, Great American staluon
| stakes and Brewers stake, placing 20 his
| credit over $1,000. After being retired
| from the turf he was taken 70 Tennessee
| and placed In the stud. where he proved
an uncertain foal getter. though since
| coming into Mr.. Payne's possession the
the horse has been broken TO harness and
| given regular exercise. As a consequence
| during the season Of 1892, out Of thirty
mares served nearly all caught, WINE
| three dropped twins =
Jim Gray is kept at Nir. Payne's city
| stables and is frequently used as ROAD
| horse. and makes n prompt. cheeriui
| driver, as ] found during q ride behind the
| brown son Of Ten Brock drawing my
| self and the big, jovial master OF Annita
| ont to the farm, where Nignette, a hand
some bay mare, seven years old.and the
dam Of Artillery. imported by The Jaco-
| bite aud sister to Vigllant. by Eolus out
Of Vigi;ene by Vigil. was nursing a Chest
nut colt by Jim Gray and had been bred
back. Arnta. chestnut mare five years
old and sister TO Royal Garter by Eolus
out OF Jennie Bell by-imported Hurrah.
dropped a chestnut fully last spring by
Jim Gray and was bred 10 imported
Charaxus, who got the colt Charade
out Of her full sister Ada Belle Counter
breeze. the full sister TO Tom Skidmore's
| dam is q brown five year old by Eolus,
| dam Countersign by War Dance. She
foaed a chestnut colt I'm the spring by
| FitZroy and was mated with imported
CharaXus.
| Alice Robertson. bay mare Of rich breed
| ing five years old, by imported Charaxus,
out OF lady Grace dam Of John Cav
| nangh, His Grace. etc. by ROmney and
| tracing back through the dams Of Diabio,
! Midday Diavolo, ETC. TO BOstons greatest
daughter. Nina was bred this season 10
| the crack race horse Eou, brother TO Eoie
| st. Savior, etc. Camera, bay filly two
years OLD. by jim Gray out Of Cantle, sis
| ter to Eolian, by EOlus, win be raced in
| 1894 Fearless a highly priced brown mare
| four years old. by imported St. Blaise but
/ OF imported Dauntless by MacarOni. drOpp-
ed twins last spring both Of which died,
by Jim Gray and was bred back. Juliet.
| chestnut four years Old by BOtheration
out Of Joy by Cattesby, Elvira a bay three
years old by Jim Brown out Of Clara by
| imported Brigadier. were both bred this
season TO Jim Gray, as was Nellie Glen
non by Hyder out Of Plenty by Plan
| tagenet.
While at Charlottesville drove to Bel
mont Stock Farm in company with the
owner Mr.. VIM. J. Fickiin The place
Is located just outside OF the city limits
and it is here that the imported stallion
Water Level and a few brood mares are
| kept
The master OF Belmont. in addition TO
being a shrewd judge Of individuality. is
| quite an advanced student OK pedigrees
! and blood lines also He has but recently
begun the formation Of a thoroughbred
| stud While at the New York latter
sails auction sale in October. 1892 Mr.
| Ficklin purchased IN conjunction with Mr.
| Thomas s. Martin. OF Scottsvne. Va,
Water Level, "A very dark brown, foaled
1887, and bred In England by Lord Rose
berry. The blood lines of Water Level
are exceedingly rich. got by the great race
horse and sire IsonOmy out Of Walter l..
Lily by Lord Lyon. son of the mighty
Stockwell. Isonomy Is the sire Of the crack
English three-year-Old OF this season,
/ IsinFlass, winner Of that most classic
event Of the English turf. the Epson.
Derby and the ST. Leger also. AS yet Alr.
Ficklin has only four brood mares, viz,
imported Gay Deceiver, a chestnut mare
six years old by Albert Victor son OF
| MarSyaS out or HOneybOufne by Young
Melbourne. Gay Decever is a powerfully
built mare about seventeen hands high
though quite handsome and well finish
ed Imported Evergreen, a bay twelve
years old of great size and very lengthy by
Hollywood and Of Sweet Briar by Strath-
conon, was purchased at the Tattersalls
sale along with Gay Deceiver ana Water
Level. Mirth. a low. heavy, set chestnut
mare foaled 1880 by Le6atee out Of Helar-
tie by imported Australian IS the dam Of
the winners Mirthwood and Vance. Anem-
one, also a chestnut, but taller and much
rangie than Mirth, was foaled 1877 and
got by King Pynn (son Of imported AUS
tralian and Gensura by Lexington out Of
LoTentia by imported Australian.
Anemone is the dam OF Delaware win
ner OF a number Of races. Each Of these
mares was bred and considered safe in
foal TO Water Level
Lady Buford, thorough bred daughter OF
Red Robin, by Arlington, son OF Boston, +:
also at the farm. she dropped a chestnut
colt by Jim Gray in the spring and was
bred 10 Water Level. Lady Buford is a
large bay mare owned by Mr. w. D.
Adams OF Lynchburg.
A colt that is showing up IN splendid
, form in the East and considered one OF
the most consistent two-year-Olds out
this season is Henry OF Navarro by knight
OF Eiierslie (son OF Eolus) who IS repre-
scented in the West by his two year old
son Motor, one OF the cracks at Haw.
, thorne Park. Chicago, where ne has Il
his credit four wins out Of five starts
Mr.. F. Dryers speedy colt Hammee