The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-23
FAMOUS BROOD
FARM NO MORE
BELLE MEADE TO BE SOLD.
GREAT STUDS WILL BE PAR
CELLED OUT.

Parader and Advance Guard win
BE Turned Into Truck Farms-An-
nuaI Sale of YearIIngs Brought
Millions.
When Walter o. Farmer and his as
| sociates of the Highland Park Jockey
Club bought The Commoner and the
brood mares and weanlings at Belle
Meade last week, the once famous
thoroughbred nursery went into eclipse,
from which, except under extraordinary
circumstances, it will never emerge.
There is a bare possibility that if the
farm of nearly 5000 acres is not cut
up and sold off in smaller tracts in
the next few months, Mr.. Farmer and
his associates, or some one else, may
endeavor to buy the place. In fact,
Mr.. Farmer has made repeated offers
for the old home and a Fargo block
of the land, but he and the adminis-
traitor could never agree as to terms.
Other parties have also looked over
the property, but the price at which it
has been held estopped all would-be
purchasers.
The chances are, however. that It
will never again be used for the breed
ing of the thoroughbred horse, although
1t is beyond question one of the best
equipped nurseries in the United States.
1t has excellent barns and paddocks,
abundant pasturage, miles of stone and
rail fencing and fine stream of water
running through most of it. There is
a dairy plant also of the most modern
appointments.
Belle Meade farm was established
by one of the pioneers, John Harding,
over a century ago. He owned 5000
or 5000 acres in this tract, besides many
other pieces of property. His son
William G. Harding, born in a log
cabin on the place in 1903, inherited the
vast estate. and it was he who entered
upon the breeding of thoroughbred
horses nearly seventy years ago. Gen.
Harding was great admirer Of fast
horses, and early in life he developed
q fondness for the race horse that
was not satisfied until he was the own
er of a vast nursery. A contempor-
airy of Andrew Jackson, and having the
old statesman's love of horse flesh, he
determined to make Belle Meade one
of the most famous farms in the coun-
try. But the civil war interfered with
his small establishment for Gen. Hard
ing was an ardent Southerner and
when war came he sacrificed time and
means to aid the Southern cause. He
equipped a company of confederate SOL
wise. the Confederacy in every way
he could.
Belle Mead's Growth.
But after the war Belle Meade began
to grow as a thoroughbred nursery
Imp. Bonnie Scotland was the ground
work upon which the superstructure
was built. He got some great horses,
Bramble, the hero of the cup course,
among others, and soon made the
name and fame of Belle Meade known
throughout the length and breadth of
the land. There were other stations
at Belle Meade, but the imported horse
laid the foundation OF Belle Meade's
fame. His progeny were noted for their
stout hearts and their great ability to
travel in the mud For years men
pinned their faith to Bonnie Scotlands
because Of their ability on heavy
tracks.
But before the days of Bonnie Scot
land famous horses graced the pad
docks of the old nursery. The mighty
Priam, winner of the English Derby as
far back as 1880, once reigned supreme
in its harem. Here, too, the great
Vandal held his court and is buried,
as are Jack Malone, Sir Richard, High
lander, Childe Harold and John Nor
gan. OF the more recent celebrities
that occupied its beautiful paddocks
were imp. Great Tom, Enquirer; Iro-
quois, the only American bred horse to
ever win the English Derby; Long
street, imp. Genelg, fremont Luke
Blackburn, Inspector B., imp. Tithonus,
Huron and The Commoner.
Around the courts of these noted
sires were many of the best matrons
the breeding world has ever known.
Here were Yorkville Belle, sold at pub
lie auction in New York Tuesday for
Guard; Pretence, dam of The Parader
Tulla Blackburn, Lythe, Gossip, Rosa
Buckden. Carlotta, Majestic; Duchess,
mother of the renowned Clifford Tam
BOURNE, Tullahoma, Trade Wind, dam
of Gotham; Maud Ward, dam of Hugh
Penny. and many others from whom
sprang some of the turf's greatest per-
formers.
Gamma FoRIed mt Belle Meade.
At Belle Meade was foaled Gamma.
the mighty gray mare who dominated
the turf fifty years ago. But more fa-
miliar to the present generation of
racing men are Bramble. undoubtedly
the best performer ever sent from its
p&ddocks; Tammany, Proctor Knott,
G.. w. Johnson. Red Banner, Helen
Nichols. Clifford, Enduranceby Right,
Uncle Bob. Boulevard, Inspector B.,
Huron. Maid Marion and many others
100 numerous TO mention
Belle Meade has furnished horses
that have captured almost every clas-
sic event decided in this country. In
Proctor Knott the first Futurity win
ner was developed. while others have
| triumped in an American Derby. a
Brooklyn Handicap, Lawrence Reali-
cation, Annual Champion, etc.
! During the seventy years Of the ex-
istence of Belle Meade over fifty diff
ferent consignments of yearlings have
been sent to the sales mart for
which over $25O0000 was realized
From 1875 to 1892. COS colts and fillies
brought a total Of $535.125. The best
sale ever realized was i'm 1892. when
fifty-two head brought a total OF $110,-
| ESQ These horses in after years won
millions OF dollars in stakes and
purses. Iroquois alone produced win
ners Of over S1.000O0O. while Bonnie
Scotland's get earned close on to these
! figures. In number Of race winners
bred at the nursery the figures are
well into the thousands; in fact, these
horses won upward of 1900 races dur
ing the past forty years. a record
probably unequaled by any other nur-
sery