The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-24
Butte Department.
LONG DISTANCE RUNS
Captain Tom Merry Tells Some Old
Time Racing Tales.
THREE MILES FAR ENOUGH
He Thinks q Medium Between the
Short Sprints OF To-Day and
the Sixteen-Miie Races
Should Be Struck.
THREE MILES FAR ENOUGH

in the San Francisco Wasp, gives the toi-
lowing "reminiscences of two. four and
six-mile events:
IT came to California In the winter OF
ls52-ss, and since then have seen many
stirring events on the turf. The first long
race in the state was run on the plains
about u miles south OF Los Angeles IN
1852. 1t was won by Mr.. sepulveda's mare
Black Swan, she beating horse called
sarco, that had been invincible In Mex
ico The distance was six miles-three
miles to a stake in the ground. around IL
and back to the starting place. The mare
was brought here from Australia by rom
Turner She was by Aether. the horse
that run a dead heat with Euclid for the
Grand Duke Michael stakes at Newman
ket England, in 1889. James Wiiletts
trained the mare and David Tidwell stood
at the turning post Black swan reached
the post 40 yards In advance OF Sarcos but
the boy pulled her up and Tdwell
sponged her mouth out. Sarco passed her
and opened up a gap of nearly 200 yards,
but the mare collared him before they
had gone two miles and won easily 1t Is
said that more than $1,000 head of horses
and cattle changed hands on this race.
In 1854 the Pioneer course the location
of which was between Howard and Fol-
som and Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth
streets, was the scene of the first long
race run under Jockey club rules on the
coast. James
brought across the plains gray mare
called Ada Byron. by Gray Eagle. and
Colonel Andrew ]. Gambill, who died two
years ago, leased the mare for racing and
changed her name to Lola Montez The
famous actress of that name was then
playing at the old Metropolitan theater In
this city. Lola Montez won the race in
comparatively slow time. never being
closely pressed at any part of IL. The
names of the other horses have slipped
my memory, but think George Treat
ran one called Head EN- or Die in that
race
In 1855 the principal event was a mile
heat race at Stockton on a track kept by
Colonel John w. O'Neil. II was won by
Mr.. Andrew Stevenson's bay mare Jenny
Walker, beating Atilla, Wake Up Jake
and Nebraska Bill Following this came
a two-mile race at Sacramento, i'm which
Wake Up Jake defeated Nebraska Bill
and Ttilla. After this the same horses
met at the Pioneer course. and Atilla,
trained by the late Henry Walsh, won af-
ter a desperate struggle, Wake Up
Jake taking the first heat From that
time till 1859 there was a comparative
lull in racing.
IN 1857 Nathan Coombs of Napa went
east and brought back two thoroughbred
stations from Kentucky-Billy Cheathan
and Ashland. The former was very
snowy horse. but Ashland was the better
race horse. He was by Glencoe, one of
the best horses ever imported from Eng
land, out of mare called Mary Bell. by
Sea Gull. He was beaten by a horse call
ed owen Dale at mile heats. and after
wards he beat owen Dale at mile heats,
best three in five. There was great
deal of talk over the merits of the two
horses and a match for 5000 was pro-
posed but not made.
THE horses finally met at Sacramento
on the 9th of May, 1859, in a four-mile
race for a purse Of $1,000. with an inside
stake of $1,000 each. making $1,000 for the
winner. Up to within 10 days of the race
owen Dale had the call in the betting on
the strength of a fast private trial at
Martinez, in which he ran two miles in
345. with lis pounds up. and his heavy
shoes on. But his trainer. Robert Wood
ing, was a very severe taskmaster and
got the horse very sore before the race.
Mr.. Williamson selected Jerome c. Davis
his judge and myself as his umekeep-
er Mr.. Coombs chose Hon Samuel ii.
Brooks as his judge and Mr.. ]. A. Ellis
as timekeeper. Mr. Moran, proprietor of
the course. selected Colonel Edward NJ.
Garry. the hero of Bear river as judge,
and L. NJ Skaggs timekeeper. Ash
land won both heats with something to
spare. in TAG and 7:49ls. and owen Dale
pulled up on three legs, never 70 face the
starter again.
Ashland was matched at four-mie
heats against Langford. a 4-year-old
old chestnut colt, bred also by Judge VIII
hanson. He was by Belmont. the sire
of Owen Dale out of Liz Givens, by Com
modore Stockton's horse Langford, i'm
ported from Ireland. The match was for
5000 a side with 5000 added by the track
management. John Williams rode Ash
land and Wilbur Pierce rode Langford.
The betting was TO / on Ashland up TO
within an hour of the race, when II ad-
vanced TO 100 TO 40. l bet $40 that way.
and $50 to 800 that Ashland did not get
heat Langford took the lead at the
start and won every foot of the way.
Ashland barely avoiding the distance nag.
The time was 7:4Sl4, but Langford's party
were confident he could cover the dis
tance in 7.35 II urged. Three weeks af-
terward Langford distanced Susy Haw-
kins. owned by Hon. John Boggs. at four
miles over the old track at Marysville.
From that time till 1864 there were but
few long distance races run in this state.
Pele, an own sister to Langford, won a
four-mile race at the Ocean House track.
distancing Woodburn and beating two
others. and Transita. by owen Dale. won
three-mne dash at the same track
beating Susie b. Moore and May-Be-So.
I'm 1864 came the memorable struggles
between Norfolk and Lodi for 5000 a
side. Norfolk winning The first of these
races was run at the Ocean House track
I'm binding hurricane. which carried
clouds of dust. and in slow time. At the
state fair OF that year Lodi beat Norfolk
two mile heats in S:37i4. 3:s9ik Two DAYS
later the gallant horse broke the worlds
record by beating Lodi three-mile heats
in 5:z7is. 5:2slz. a record that remains un-
beaten to this day. Norfolk got many
good performers. the best being Emperor
OF Norfolk the only horse that ever won
all three OF the 3-year-old stakes at Chi
cago. and Ell Rio Rey. Duchess of Nor
folk. The Car and Rey Del Reyes
After those races there was an inter-
regnura OF nine years. In the fan OF lS7s
Thad Stevens won a four-mile race al
Oakland In 7;i2. 7.so. beating Joe Daniels
ana Ballot Box. Then Thad met Joe Dan
iels, True Blue and Mamie Hail az the
Ocean House track. for a stake OF $4,000
and won again. running l6 miles before
the race could be decided. True Blue took
tha aacnrd haat h-.l-..