The evening times., 1896-03-09
WOMEN AND RACE HORSES
Rich Mems Wives of New York
Prominent on the Turf.
Mrs w. T.. ID. Stokes Has a Team Of
Fast Trotters, While Mrs. Belmont
Owns Scme Thoroughbreds.

! 1t is the fad In New York for women to
own horses. One of the best trotting ST rings,
II not The best that IN charge of Orrin ID.
HickOk, is owned by Mrs. W. E. d. Stokes,
wife OF Il New York real estate man. Mr..
Stokes, although It resident of New York.
is IN reality a FhilaGelphian. He was born
and raised III that city, and several years
ago was lett Il good fortune, rouDdIy es-
tinIatcd at 81 900 600. He went to New
\ iork anu put uic greater share of il in sub
urban real estate. This increased so rapidly
In value that he is now several times MIL
lionaire. In bis way he is fond of horses.
but is not an enthusiast ike his wife. 1t
was her WISH that Miss Rita and Josie h.
should have the cdouDIe-team record or Orrin
Et,kJk woCld never have driven the fast
mile.
what do ! care for records" he said.
when speaking suftheperrormance. Records
amount to nothing. What like to do is
to win races. ike a race record, but care
little for time marks However, Mrs. Stokes
wanted u record broken, ana did it. can
understand why she is an enthusiast on the
subject. That is natural, but the time has
again come when to horsemen the cam
paigner and not the tiu-cup performer gets
the attention"
With the thoroughbreds there is a woman
quite as famous in society as Mrs. Stokes
who Will have horses racing this summer
over the eastern tracks. She has q husband
who is a rea! enthusiast on the subject OF
racing August Belmont.
The news first came out in an announce
mcnt made III the Official racing calendar to
The Effect that Nj. Belmont had registered u
partnership In B!emton stable. For few
DAYS the announcement was a uine-tiays
wonder, and then il WAS found out that the
partner WAS none other than Mrs. Belmont.
Mr. Belmont Is still the owner OF the Nursery
stud farm, but when the youngsters are
transferred TO DemtOn stable Mrs. Belmont
becoues u JOINT owner. Mrs Belmont is
nos The first of New York society women to
have horses. some years ago Mrs. Lorillard
had a pretty good lot. which were raced in
her name. Al present Gay Hampton, named
III the early eastern handicaps, is owned by
Il woman quite famous in New York society.
As for a ugust belmont. he Is well known
as a turfman. and has three entries in The
great handicaps-Henry of Navarro, Do
riaa and Brand Gywilc. The Belmont family
is famous in turf history. and when James
Rowe was trainer for the stable won the
Futurity with Potomac. Masher, his stable
mate. being second. For the past year
August Belmont has been the head and front
Of Eastern racing Officials. When II IcoS-
,.i as if racing was DE ii last spring. he and
others went TO work and really made horse
racing IL tl'c EJs Il sport. instead of game.
He was the man to insist that the rich owner
should race honestly as well as the poOrman-
and ordered one of Mike Dwyer's horses,
entered ina selling race AT IA low figure in
order TO ma ke Il killing. bid up to his actual
worth. MIR. Belmont also insisted that a
punishment when justly administered should
hc enforced, or which Lucky Baldwin
is an example.
So it seems that in New York society the
horse is becoming favorite. Mrs. BEL
mont has the ihoroughbreds and Mrs. Stokes
tl,r tTotters. And 1T is Iretty safe TO say
that at the open air horse show to be given
by the Northwestern Breeders Associa-
ton some of tie best rigs, roadsterS and
saddle horses will he Owned by women weil
known in the social world OF Chicago.