The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-08
WHITNEY A TURFMAN
ONLY ONE DECADE
Was Pillar OF Racing, and Last
Year Led List Of Winning
Owners.
A LOVER OF GOOD HORSES
Paid Big Prices for Thorough
breds, and Won Many Races
Both Here and in England.

NEW YORK, Feb. THE late William c.
Whitney's active interest in racing did not
extend back ten years. but during that time
lie made himself one Of the sturdy pillars Of
the turf. giving munlfciently Of his bounty
10 the advancement of ali racing interests
in America. Not only was he an owner Of
horses that were raced for sport alone, but
he had built for himself q magnificent stud
IN Kentucky, stocked with priceless brood
mares and the greatest stations that the
power OF money could find in the home
market and abroad. Had ne left no other
monument 10 the memory Of his enthusi-
asm in turf affairs, none viii ever forget
him for the splendid course az Saratoga,
which stands to-day as the product Of his
personal ardor and devotion. He was one
OF the charter members OF the Jockey Club.
II was on a summer day in 1896 that
August Belmont and Mr. Whitney met by
chance on the platform of the railway sta
tiOn at Jamaica, L. /. Each was awaiting a
connecting train TO his country home-Mr.
Belmont his way to Babylon, Mr.. Whit
ney TO Westbury. II was q time fraught
with peril for racing interests. The Nor
rises-Alfred Hennen and Dave Hennen-
sons of the late John a. Morris. had an
nounced their belief that racing could not
continue under the new law, and had
declared off the classics that had been de-
cided year after year at Morris Park, their
inheritance from their racing father. In
this emergency Mr. Belmont had made him
self working leader for the preservation
Of racing at the Westchester course, and
had personally appealed to friends for sub
6crptiOns Of money for stakes and purses
that meetings might continue TO be held.
Mr.. Whitney, although keen sportsman
In many lines, had never been identified
N = n wa hrTf ATr TlpIu ont
had no hesitancy in approaching him with
the plan he had I'm view. Exactly what
was said between them on that summer day
may never be known. but this much is sure:
Mr- Belmont suggested that Mr.. Whitney
subscribe certain amount, and the an
Yes. but make it twice what you have
suggested.
Although by that act Mr. Whitney did not
bind himself to racing interests, il was then
and there that he first took an individual
part in turf affairs. Other subscribers of
that time have never owned a racer or in
any way been Identified with racing. They
simply helped Mr.. Belmont to get a fund
which was a guarantee of the payment of
stakes and purses at the following fall meet
ing at Morris Park. AS one result, there has
always been racing at the WeStcheSter
track since then every year and, as another
result, MI Whitney was won TO the turf.
Probably his first venture in ownership
was when he bought that cracking good
crOSs-cOuntry horse Shillelah, with several
other jumpers that were raced in 1888 in the
Whtney's sOn-in-law. That same year he
bought Sir Vassar, who won the Amateur
cup during the spring meeting at Morris
Park. with Mr.. Paget in the saddle.
Having made these comparatively small
beginnings Mr.. Whitney made clear his in
tention of having a nTst-class racing estab-
lishmant. He started the turf by buying
the famous HOlmdel-bred tWO-year-old Jean
Beraud from John DAILY. This youngster
had been beaten only once his first time
out, and had won four times in succession
when he attracted Mr. Whitney's attention
II was just after the Great American stakes
at Gravesend and on the eve of the rich
fremont stakes at the same course. that the
transfer Of ownership was made, and Jean
Beraud won the fremont in his new col
Ors.
II was said at the time that the price was
$4,000. and the wonder was that the colt
should have commanded such a figure so
early in the season, for il was then only
June. But Mr.. Whitney always had char
acteristic explanation for such transac-
tiOns.
Il buy a horse" he said. because he
suits me and because I want him. 1t may
happen that L may at times give than
what another man would consider a fair
valuation in open market but a horses
value 10 me is the valuation that my own
fancy puts upon him. l do not buy a horse
for the express purpose of winning back
with him the amount / have paid. 1 just
want him, and if 1 can get him I'll have
him, and the price will be to my satisfac-
ton"
Perfectly characteristic of Mr.. Whitney
a remark that he made to an inier-
viewer in the years when he had become a
power on the turf. There had been a ques-
tiOn OF politics
Politics." said he, II care nothing for
politics Let Us talk about horses. The
more L see of them the more love them"
The achievements OF Mr.. Whitney's thor
OUghbredS, both in this country and in
England. are well known. His greatest
turf success, however, came last year, when
his name was at the head of the list with
more than 100000 10 his credit \ stakes
and purses This was in spit a re-
markabe series of occasions OF which
horses bearing his colOrs were beaten 10y
mere inches in some of the most valuable
events of the year.