The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-20
BuDD DoBLE's CAREER.
VIII Lay Aside the This season
jay Gould's tner.

new lQIk JOuEldls
Budd Doble. the most famous Of trotting
horsemen, has retired from the surf. for
the present, at least, and il Is very doubt
full whether the man whose name Is linked
Goldsmith Maid and Nancy Hanks will be
seen In the sulky again. Mr.. Doble Is about
nIty years old. put hardly looks his years;
night Mr.. Doble said that all the recently
published rumors as TO his retirement were
partly business. but more largely private rea-
sons, he decided TO withdraw from the trot-
ting turf this year, but further than that he
has no defined plans. In a few weeks he.
with his family. will sail for Europe. to be
gone until autumn. Mr.. Doble has large min
Ing interests in the West. and these are occu-
pying his time now, and probably will do SO
in future. but have no direct bearing on MS
European trip.
1uod Doble has been longer a prominent
figure of the trotting turf than any other
man living, and at one time In his turf in
terests he was a partner OF Jay Gould
The way that came about Is an interesting
story. Away back In the early seventies.
in the palmiest days of Buffalo Park. one
race day Jay Gould, Jim Fisk and George
Hall were the judges. The noted Judge Full
lerton was the favorite, but when in the
second heat he was beaten by Judge Brig
ham, a comparatively green" horse, In ID
great time. in those days. for a stallion
the result was that Jay Gould. Fisk and
Hall bought the horse for $4,000. and he
was given to Doble TO train, and named
a u uIoC 4lAA alAC - -
famous. He retired unbeaten.
After the tragic end of Fisk, Budd Doble
bought that interest for $500. and shortly
900. He later transferred these interests TO
H. N. Smith. then prominent In wall street,
who secured the horse for MS Fasnion
Farm, at SIS, CO.. The same horse was sold
two or three years ago for so In a New
York ring to a man who bought the old
fellow for sentiments sake.
Doble talked reminiscentiy of the great
horses he had driven last evening. His hand
guided champions when all trotting races
were to wagon or under saddle. He saw the
was still 'in harness when ii became obso-
lete. For nearly thirty-fve years he was in
the front rank Of harness racing, and In all
that time scandal has never touched his
The first noted race I was in" he said.
was in 1853, when George NJ. Patchen and
General Butler were matched for 5000 at
| two-mile heats over the old Fashion course
on Long island. / rode Patchen and won:
Dan Mace rode Butler. But before that l
/ well remember that / had to carry nine
teen pounds OF lead and an eleven-pound
saddle to make up 145 pounds. That was in
1861"
Then came the days when Dexter was
the star, threatening to rival Flora Temple.
Hiram Woodruff had him., and when he
man recommended young Doble for trainer,
driver and rider. In 1867 Doble drove Dex-
ter in 2:17lz, making him king of the turf,
for $780, O0. After the retirement OF Dex-
ter Goldsmith Maid came into Doble's
hands, and their joint career for years was
the wonder Of the turf, eliminating with
the Maids championship mile In 214. In
1874, when she was seventeen years old.
There never was a more sensational rae
ing career than that of Goldsmith Maid
under Doble's management. From ocean to
ocean she met and defeated all the great
horses of the time-with one exception
Including George wilkes, Lucy, American
Girl, Accident, Lulu, Smuggler and Rarus.
She never defeated Lucy Thorn, and then
bones moulder side by side under the quar-
ter-stretch of the track at Fashion farm.
Mr.. Doble believes Nancy Hanks, 2:04. his
last champion. the greatest trotter thai
ever lived. =.
"She was just as fast and game as Alix,
he said, and q lot more reliable"