New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
ODDS AND ENDS OF SPORTS.


THE PASSING OF ORANGE corNTY's OLDEST
BREEDING sTUD-w. E. D. STOKES EsTAB-
LIsHEs A STOCK FARM IN KENTUCKY
WILLIAM SIMPSONS TRoTTERs
AND PAGERS.
The historic Stony Ford trottlng stud which
now ranks a. the Oldest breeding farm in the
North and with the exception of WOODBURY., as
the oldest establishment of its kind in the country
will soon belong to horse history. Peter c. Kellogg
g. Co having received instructions 10 close out the
broodmares and young stock on the noted Orange
County estate at their sale in Madison Square
Garcen next week Charles Backman, the vener-
abe founder of Stony Ford will continue to live
at the mansion the farm, and he will retain
Acantara. with perhaps half dozen other animals,
but his career AS a breeder Will virtually end with
the coming sale.
Mr. Backman made fortune in business in New
York during the war and In 1864 the Stony Ford
stud was organized a small scale merely as a
diversion At that time there was no intention Of
Increasing the establishment to the magnitude 1t
afterward attained. but it was not long until Mr.
Backman found himself possessed Of the most ex-
tensve and important trottng stud In the country.
lie was one of the first men to foresee the coming
prestige OF the then obscufe rotting sire. Rys-
dyk's Hambletonian and for years he bred many
OF his to that afterward famous horse, frst
at stud fee of sa5. and later at 500. BY the time
the IIambetonian boom was at its height and
breeders from all the country were coming
to Orange County for sons OF the Hero OF Ches-
ter" Mr.. Backman had something like a corner on
the market. and everybody who wanted to buy a
stock horse went to Stony Ford to find him 1t was
there that the late Senator Stanford bought Eec-
toneer the great Of Hambetonlan. who is the
sire of more trotters than any other horse that
has yet appeared Messenger Duroc. Dauntess.
Masterode, Cuylcr. Victor Bismarck. Menelaus.
Idol. August Belmont. Banker. Corsair. Kisbar.
Dean Sage. Leland. Mohican, Pickering. Redwood.
Romulus, Startle Twilight. Waikiki Prince and VIII
kins Mcawber are other producing sons of the old
horse that Mr.. Backman raised at Stony Ford
Messenger Duroc was about the most promising
colt OF the lot. and MS owner placed him at the head
Of the stud after refusing an offer of $4,000 from
O. G. Rowland and George b. Alley when the son
of Hambletonian and Satinet was two-year-old
Early in his career Messenger Duroc got the sensa-
tona colt Prospero and several other winners. and
he looked upon for long time being
the best son OF his famous sire. Mr. Stanford tried
to buy him in 1877. but unable to do so. and so
took the neglected Eectionecr at one-quarter the
price he would gladly have paid for Messenger
Duroc When Peter G. Kellogg d Co. he'd their
frs, public sale OF trottng stock in New-York,
March n lszS Mr.. BackmIn bought Kentucky
Prince for 5000 then the highest price ever paid
AT auction for a ,rotting stallion. Until Alcantara
went to Stony Ford last year, these TWO horses.
with their sons Antonio, Prince George and Mans
q.
ef. and thelr blood is prominent in nearly all Of
the animals to he sod the closing out OF the
noted stud
Almost simultaneously with the retirement OF
Charles Backman A breeder OF troting horses
W T. n Stokes is establishing n stud IN Kentucky
which bids fair to rival Stony Ford. Everybody
who has visited the blue grass region is familiar
with the finely equipped Bowcrman farm "A few
miles from Lexington the Versailles pike. This
the place that Mr. Stokes recently purchased and
his noted stallion Patchen Wilkes. for whom he
paid $iO02i at the Jcwett sale few weeks ago, Is
now quariercd az the kentucky farm. Among the
other flyers tina, sooner later Will be sent there
are Constantine 2.l2is. by Wilkes Roy. Alcyone
IT, 2.i5. BY Alcyone J. J. Audubon. 2:ls. by Alcyone
Hcuz,tta grns. by onward Jane L.. 2.lsl2, 10y
Hambictonlan Mambrlno. cora r.. 22ois, by Ken
lucky Prince. and the PAGERS he Sure ?:1A., by
Bessem"r. Angie D. sV' by Nike Agan' Miss mia
ec.s. by j J Audubon. and Josie b. 2:i3S, by
ChaticrboN. together with number OF other well
bred ones ihai nave hpt y"' Eain'u Pup.Ic r',orns
IN the latter class are half a dozen or more orof
os ,m6 n'a, TS0 WS o FAR s' One %, Of the
orion stations. Bzpodobny. "A handsome black i've
& Pctersburr Paris and Chicago. and that trotted
a mile in 2.25is last year. Is TO De crossed win
! Old orion mare that has many prizes. Will be
mated Win Patchen wilkes. sire OF the famous
Joe ragns% To- fh s' Gar a Peer Duryea Who has
made most of me important purchases OF tr1,,lng
The widely circulated report that william smp-
pi1n pacing stallion from John X. Gentry TO PLAIN
GENTRY Is erroneous Mr. Simpson says he would
give ne horse another name atosether II me ION
OF Ashland wilkes had not gained hts reputation
and his record OF 20ss. As John X. Gentry. Rather
MI IT,, The old name stand The New-York breeder
il likely to nave one Of the strongest stables on
" j. Andrew. Who trans the Empire city Sta
ble is now working AZ the covered mile track near
Buffalo John II. Gentry, 2Oj.; Bouncer 2IV,., by
ouaIltv 2:2l by Eloctionccr and the PAGERS Katie
Grccniander. 2:i1t.. by Greenlanicr Spalpeen.
2l1a. by Hummer Adornment 2lsi. by VIII am
t.: Midi 2l9 by Electrician. and Sufic.ent Z.Zl'.
by Hummer along with number Of colts and
nllics that have not yet started In public One OF
the. Is the thrce-y ear-od trottcr Rebecca Sim
o Sr az. She has developed a great turn OF
snrcI and her owner mas hopes that will be
good enough next October to win the $4,000 Ken sen.
IrTy tu'p lont record Of 2e as two-year.old
a. ''", lin - Ivfsinn of the Kentucky Futuriy
sn,p"en who paced in 2:l7s. last as three
vearrod has taken to trotting this year ana IL
entered in the 5000 stake FOR the 23o class at the
Andrews the trainer. will make a long campaign
with the Empire city Stable. opening the season
and after trotting around the Hub for three weeks
will take his horses West to Wnanor Gina "' 10
New York After the Fleetwood meeting the STA,
bic will probably so 70 Boston Portland, NE an1
cuba \ Y where Mr. Simpson proposes TO hold
high-cass trottlng meeting In connection win tne
Cuba Fair. winding up the campaign, III tIs Hcs'
with starts at Terre laute Lou's''"e anu LIZA
Mr. simpson has just purchased from John r.
Madden OF Lexington M he P"tchen She is
the dam Of II. r. c. Watson's great campagnss r
Oscar Wiam I dEscc ana simmons rs of Mr. simpson
bought her to breed to Hummer hoping TO get an an
other Bouncer S,O*, tn Mainline ,nt.gr Patchen
POOIROOMS HARD HIT.
, ,u,o Nv March l5-All the poolrooms were