The age-herald., 1901-08-01
rOttng Pacing ss%f7s 6sas.. .. .ss ssis; sss. ByAE cAFFHH and Racing World


 The South has always been the real home of the race horse. He has been bred and trained and improved here as an ideal and out of pure love for him and for rac- ing as an institution. It was in the utili- tarian North that racing first became a business, and the high Ideal of sports manship set up by Southern gentlemen shattered and dethroned. If a complete history of horse racing in America were told 1t would be found to include much of the history of the nation. For instance, many of the best and stoutest pedigrees in the American Stud Book trace back to mares imported by Harrison of Bran don, two of whose descendants have been Presidents of the United States. The breeding of thoroughbreds is a science, but without exact rules on principles, ex- cept that certain winning lines of blood mated to other winning lines of blood should and do produce horses that race and win.
 There are but handful of men who can afford to race their horses on the high plane that was in vogue among Southern gentlemen for many generations. It costs the Belmonts, the Keanes, William c. Whitney and Pierre Lorillard from fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars annually to gratify their love for the thorough breds, and 1t takes a good season to make ends meet.
 The Commando.
 Commando, the great, has been de- feated again. Once he met reverses as two-year old in the Matron stakes A few weeks ago he fell before The Parader in the rich Realization stakes. There have been many excuses offered for his down. fall, among them poor condition, sore heel, etc. I think Spencer's orders were responsible for the defeat of Commando. The lad Loyalty obeyed orders to the let ter and lost The Messrs. Keene's nigh ty three-year old should have been sent out to the front and run the rest of the horses into the earth. It Is repufsive to one's feelings to see a horse like Com- mando running under stiff pull with his mouth wide open. This does more to destroy his chances of winning than is accomplished in the way of saving him for the finish. Then, too, when the horses went to the post Commando danced a minuet, the beautiful colt seeming to feel that he was out for good time, and when the flag fell he deliberately cut across the track to the outside rail and was a half a dozen lengths behind when the timers flag was lowered He closed up quickly but not until the crowd yelled at Spencer to ''go on with the horse" When according to orders. Spencer moved Commando up for the lead, McCue also let out link, and the great son of Domino could not reach him.
 Beautiful Saratoga.
 After so many years, the thoroughbred Is again to gallop the picturesque course so famous in the annals of the turf quarter of a century ago. The exciting
 lox, of Mttou V.nn low. Harry Bassett and Grey Planet are to be re-enacted, and once more Sarato- ga will resume the exalted station nature intended 1t to occupy in the esteem of those seeking health. diversion, sport and recreation Mr. w. w. Worden is at the head of the movement that is to re-crown Saratoga queen of summer cities.
 Looking down the long vista of years what memories spring forth of the old golden days when equine giants or the South, North, East and West met upon the fair field of Saratoga and battled for supremacy Reverberating echoes of hoof beats seem to finger in the mind as l contemplate the turf struggles that are to come again in the city of the cooling shade of the tall and stately eims-silent monitors to awaken the thoughts of past glories; and to memory, too. there ap- pears as if silhouetted upon the screen of times figures of those who contributed so forcefuily in the dead past toward making Saratoga the focus of the entire racing world. William R Travers, its first president, Colonel Woolley, August Belmone the elder, Prince" George L,orillard, M Fl Sanford of Kentucky. Frank Morris and Leonard W. Jerome, and others of renown, have passed into the shadows and only. a flaw of the old guard remain to rejoice at the restora- tion The above are named for true lovers of the thoroughbred to conJure with, for they are redolent with sweet memories
 Jerome Park was another of the old tracks that will live forever in the mem ories of horse lovers. It had its glories when 1t arose in it's beauty and magnifi- cence from the, magic wand of wealth, power and social prestige and was re garded as the racing paradise of this earth as 1t nestled in it's vernal beauty in the valley of Fordham. But the track was the shape of the letter and it's reverse turns proved drawback. and with all it's prestige and big prizes it fail- ed to bring forth the stirring contests that were witnessed at the foothills of the Adirondocks when the veteran turf men of the earth struggle to win the Saratoga cup. Is there a horseman liv- ing who can remember the heartbreak- ing "eend to eend' contest for the cup in 1875, with it's magnificent field of starters when Preakness and Springbok ran a neck and neck dead heat, without thrill