Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-17
BLUE FLOODED HORSES.
Where the Thoroughbreds Got Their Speed and
Stamina.

In combination Of Arabian, Barb and
Turkish blood. He was developed to bis
present beauty, strength and speed by the
favorable conditions Of climate generous
feeding and judicious crossing under the
protection and encouragement cf the roy.
atty and nobility Of England. abe Herod
blood, now 50 highly priced, represents the
Byerly Turk, thc.ire Of Jigg, sire Of Part
ner, sire Of Tartar, sire Of Herod. Match
EN- blood Is descended from the Godolphin
Arabian Barb who sired CaGe, sire OF
Matchcm, sire of Conductor, sire Of Imper-
ator, sire of Trumpetc- sire OF SOrcerer.
The Eclipse blood comes from the barley
Arabian, sire Of Bartlett's Childers, sire
of Squirt, sire of Marske, sire of Eclipse.
who sired King Fergus, Mercury, Volun-
teer, Dungannon and Others equally IA
nous. The names of these horses will be
found in the pcdigrccs Of all the most
prominent race horses of the present day
James l was the first to promulgate
rules for the regulation Of horse racing.
He had established contests for speed in
Scotland and seeing the benefits 10 be de-
rived from such tests in the way Of i'm
provcment in the speed and endurance Of
horses ut once took steps on ascending tho
throne of England to give racing the royal
! countenance The Turkish and Barb blood
so freely used with the English mares to
produce horses suited for the turf, had
effected but little gain in the way ofspeed,
| and James in looking abOSt for new
blood 10 give increased speed and stamina
| determined TO try the Arabian blood for his
outcross. James purchased a splendid spec
linen OF the Arabian horse for q large
| sum from q merchant named Markham,
| but the Duke of Newcastle, then an au-
| thority on the horse, took violent dislike
to tho Arabian and wrote book against
his use in tho stud. Notwithstanding the
| failure of the Arabian to take with the
English, James very soon after purchased
the celebrated White Turk, shortly fol
lowed by the Duke of Buckingham . Helm
ley Turk and Fairfaxs Morocco Barb
Such blood speedily effected a change In
the character of tho English racer, and
when Charles l assembled the throne he es-
tnblished regular race meetings at Hyde
Park and Newmarket.
The civil Wars somewhat retarded tho
improvement of the blood hor~, but the
advantages derived fronN. light and active
cavalry were apparent TO both parties As
soon as Cromwell had the rcns of power
thoroughly in hand he at once established
II racing stud and did all in his power to
promote the interests of the running horse
throughout the kingdom. Charles III,
with his natural love for gayety and dissi-
patton, turned at once toward the excite
ments Of the turf, giving royal plates to DO
contested for at each of the race courses.
Much now blood chiefly Barb and Turk IL
the careless records arc to be trusted, was
brought into England during the rein of
Charles H.
The thoroughbred, as then known had
at that date been marvclously improved in
speed and stamina and the superiority of
the native stock over the imported horses
was very apparent to those interested. The
horse of that period is described as one Of
rare beauty of form, with good speed and
great sGoutncss, with fine constitution
The breeders were far from satisfied, and
all kinds of attempts We're made to get
colts with better speed. Travellers from
the east would relate tales of the wonder
full speed and stamina of the despised
Arabian-dospiSed as the book of tho Duke
of Newcastle, written nearly 100 years
before, still affected the opinions of the
horsemcn. A MIR. barley in the latter
part OF Queen Annc's reign, determined to
try the Arabian blood and through his
brother purchased in the desert of Palmyra
" hdO - INV hitNh lHt UuTtUb VI QUIZ
best racing stock, the barley Arabian.
The old cuts of this wonderful horse show
him to have Possessed almost every require
ment of great turf performer, even meas
ured by the strict standard of today. 1t
Is to his get more than to that of any 9TH
er horse that we are indebted for the thor
oughbred of the present day.
With very few exceptions, rs In tho
case of Sampson and Bay Nation each, al.
though the best horses of their day, with
q trace of vulgar blood, the thoroughbred
horse of today is the result of English skill
md English climate working upon east
ern blood. For the past 100 years tho
strictest kind of attention has been given
to pedigree and no pains has been spared
to have the blood pure. Great attention
was paid to stamina, as all tho racing In
England until 20 or 80 years ago was what
Is known rs heat racing. Some marvel
BUS statements arc made regarding tho
speed and stoutness of the old thorough
bred. Flying Childers is reported to hnvo
run a trial over the round course ut New
market miles, furlongs and 90 yards In
minutes 40 seconds, while Eclipse is
claimed to have been the fastest horse that
ever ran mt Newmarket He was never
beaten, frequently carrying 1853 pounds In
iour mile heats
The first thoroughbred horse landed In
America came to tho shores Of Virginia, In
hose days the recognized home of tho
Into that state came such
horses as Medley, Shark, Bedford, Priam
md Diomed, the winner Of the first King
ish Derby and the greatest stallion ever
brought here. His blood courses In the
'eins of nearly every famous horse that
las ilourished upon the turf Of this coun-
ry. Diomed was the sire of that wonder.
sir Archy, SO frequently called the Godol-
)hin Arabian Of America. Imported Priam
tired the famous Crucifx (winner of
he Thousand Guineas and Oaks). Miss
lefty and Industry (Oaks winners as well
rs great brood mares), Sarpedoy (sire of
Mice Carneal, dam of the race horse Lex
ngton) and many equally good ones.
James Jackson imported into Alabama
ilencoe, one of the best horses ever landed
IN our shores, and purchased In Canada
he famous Galopade, tho founder OF the
great Reel family. Colonel Delaney
brought over the Cub mare by Cub, from
whom many Of the most famous thorough