The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-03
MILLION DOLLARS A DOZEN.
That Is What Horses of the Highest
CIass HIVE Cost.

Class Have Cost.
From the Philadelphia North Amer
lean.
The celebrated Rcthschild pearls-a
string of fiawless gems. and one OF
the proudest possessions of the great
banking family-becomes a mere bau-
BILE, both in value and beauty. when
compared with a string of peerless
horseflesh, which could be gathered by
one who possessed sufficient money and
the inclination to spend it for such
matchless collection.
Only few Horseshoe could almost
count them upon the fingers of either
hand-would represent the enormous
aggregate of more than $1,000000 of
good American money, a price almost
twice that of the sum paid for the
string of pearls over which the courts
of Europe have raved. In fact, 81, 0O0,-
600 has been paid for fewer than a
dozen horses.
Flying Fox first comes to mind.
When the estate of the late Duke Of
Westminster disposed of him it mark
ed record, as Mons. e. Blanc paid
the equivalent of $191 500. No such
price has been before and may never
again be paid. According to some of
the best judges, including John Por-
ter Flying Fox is the best horse that
ever wore plates. His record on the
English turf certainly warrants this
assertion, for he carried everything be-
fore him.
Ormonde held the high-price record
until the sale of Flying Fox. For this
grand horse w. OBJ. Macdonough paid
Senior Broceau S15O,OOO. This horse
originally was owned by the Duke Of
Westminster. in whose colors he car
ried off the triple honors-Derby 1000
guineas, and St. Leger-in 1886. This
grandsire is now in this country, but
none of his set has so far shown any,
thing like his class.
Next in order in the amount of
money paid for him is Galtee More He
was purchased by the Russian govern
ment for $l12,500 from j. Gubbins. Like
Ormonde, this son of Kendall placed the
triple honors" to his owners credit in
1897. st. Blase, another Derby winner,
was brought to this country by Au-
gust Belmont, and by him sold to
Charles Reed for an even 100000. So
far ST. Blase, although a son OF The
mighty Hermit, has not produced a
world heater for our turf
The horse that has been made favor
lite for the coronation Derby is another
expensive piece of horsefiesh. Sold by
r. S. Sievier to G.. Faber, Duke of
600. He started only three times as a
2-year-old, and won in each instance so
easily that he is looked upon as the
best 3-year-old In England. 1t was to
measure strides with him that Mas
turtium ($50O00) was sent across the
water.
The largest price ever paid for a
yearling was $4,000. Scepter was sold
by the executors of the late Duke of
Westminster to r. S. Sievier for that
sum. In this country King Thomas
holds the record, he being sold for $685.
600.
AS to harness horses, Arion's sale to
J. NJ. Forbes of Boston was a private
one, but the price was $125,00O. AK
tell when sold by c. w. Williams, cost
the purchasers $4,000. Antelo, under
the hammer. was bid up to 100000,
while w. S. Hobart paid $4,000 for
Bell Boy. e. II. Hartman gave his
check for $4,000 for Stamboul, while
The Abbot cost j. ]. Scannell $4,000.
The best price for a yearling was $10,-
300 for Miss Previous, while a weaving
trotter has been sold for $4,000
From the figures quoted above 1t can
be seen that it takes money to own
race horses of the highest class. The
names of nine have been mentioned,
and together they are worth 1886. GOO, an
average of $92,S45 for each horse. Eight
of the light harness cracks have been
sold for total of $433,S00 an average
of $54, 225 The lot of seventeen at the
prices at which they were sold. would
cost 81, 269, 400, or an average of SI4,611.
In view of this it is small wonder that
the owners display real grief when one
of these animals die.