The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-11
GREAT RACE WAS
LOST BY BOSTON
When North Met South on the
Race Track
FASHIONS VICTORY IN 1912
superb Exhibition of Speed and En-.
durance When Boston Defeated
Himself and Fashion De-
feateG Boston.
FASHIONS VICTORY IN 1912
BY A. E. cAFEEE.

mighty deeds of Boston and his famous
sons and daughters 1 will give his lineage
in simple form.
Virginia was the home of gentlemen
and thoroughbred horses In those days. In
the year 1900 William Lightfoot was cast
Ing about for a race horse of sufficient
class to represent the Lightfoot family
pride on the turf in Virginia. He finally
settled on a famous stallion in England
called Saltram. and brought him over to
the new country. Saltram won some good
races and produced great colts, but the
one which entitled him to distinction
above other horses of his day was a
daughter that became the mother of
Timoleon, the sire of Boston. Timoleon
was sired by the great Sir Archy, and
while Timoleon was a superb animal and
a successful four-mile race horse, his
proudest title to greatness is that he was
the sire of the renowned Boston-the sub
ject of this sketch.
Timoleon was the pride of Virginia.
| Those veteran turfmen and gentlemen.
the Messrs Wynne and that Napoleon of
| his time, Colonel William r. Johnson,
| called him a great horse. They were the
| best critics of that interesting turf PERIOD
and they stamped greatness only where
they saw it. This great horse traced back
to old Diomed for his color (sorreD and
| his faultless conformation. Diomed had
been cast out of one Kingdom to come to
America and found for himself another
Sir Archy, sire of Timoleon, never met
| defeat, and II is doubtful that Tlmoleon
would have lost a race had he not. unfor-
tunately, been started when out of racing
form on two occasions. He started in
/ fifteen Of those bruising battles at three
and four miles against the best horses,
and won thirteen and lost two.
Timoleon was in the stud in Alabama
| at General Hunters plantation in 1928 or
| 1929 He probably died in 1885, in his
| twenty-fourth year, as he does not ap-
| pear in the published list of stations
after that year. He had all the elements
and qualities of a champion, himself, but
his son, the immortal Boston, sheds the
brightest lustre on him, and links his
name through all time with the history
and prowess of the American thorough
bred. Timoleon combined the blood of
the three royal lines of Herod, Eclipse
and Matchem, and this happy combina-
ton Of blood In England through Eleanor
and Julia by Whisky, the greatest son
of Saltram, out of Young Giantees by i'm
ported Diomed was beautifully illustrated
in him.
Boston's Trumphs.
The triumphs that Boston achieved ex-
tended over a period of six years on the
turf, Of enormous effort. CHANGING over
this long term of almost continuous con-
quest, 1t is discovered that he started
in forty-hve races against the greatest
horses In the world. He won forty out
of forty-five-a truly marvellous record
that has never been equalled or approach
ed. Thirty of these heartbrealdng con-
tests were at four-mile heats, nine of
them at three-mile heats and one was
at two-mile heats. The historic race be-
tween Wagner and Grey Eagle has been
celebrated In song and story, and there
was a temporary sentiment that Wagner
was the champion of the United States
Without boast or flourish, when this talk
reached Colonel William r. Johnson, a
challenger went straight from Boston, Of
fering to match him at four mile heats
for $4,000. Great horse as Wagner was.
it was wise that they declined to match
Boston.
Gano had swept Georgia, Alabama and
Louisiana in one triumphal succession of
victories. Stately southern gentlemen of
those states contended that Gano was
peerless standing without rivalry, in
courage and feetness, In the thorough
bred world Straightway Colonel john
son sent forth challenge to Gano to bat
tie with Boston for supremacy in two
| worlds. There were no weak hearts
| among those oldtime southern gentlemen.
and they accepted the challenger and
| put up their money. Colonel Johnson
| sent "Old White Nose tBoston) by dirt
| road all the way to Augusta, Ga, to meet
| Gano. The race proved that Gano pos
sessed no more right to battle with Bos-
ton than a callord youth to wrestle with
Hercules
EneIlshmen Back Down.
Then, two Engllshmen affecting scorn
for Boston's prowess challenged to run
a English champion against him at four
miles. Colonel johnson, Il the spirit of
battle, quickly replied, offering to run
Boston against any horse they could pro-
duce in this country or by Importation
for $4,000 side-thus involving 100000 in
the contest. He offered to run the first
race in this country, and then, In case
the English gentlemen were not satisfied,
to take Boston to England and race them
on their own soil The gentlemen wisely
declined to stand up to their Boosting.
Colonel Johnson then offered to wager
$4,000 against $4,000 and run Boston
against any number of horses they might
import, allowing them to select their
horse to start against Boston, at the post.
This sportsmanlke offer was declined In
the spring Of 1S41, and Boston was sent
home in Virginia and placed in the stud.
n. was
not Travelled In palace cars with retinue
of liveried servants. but often over coun-
try roads from one race course to an
other. He was cared for by trainer, a
rubber and a jockey, and lucky horse
that he was, he had, over and above
these. the almost prophetic Judgment of
Colonel William r. Johnson, who, as
gentleman and sportsman, was in him.
self all that Boston was as a thorough
bred and race horse.
] now give a minute description of the
great race between Boston and Fashion,
the north against the south. in which
Boston was defeated by most unlucky
accident and injury in the first four-mie
heat. 1t was the fastest race ever run,
7:321z, and perhaps Boston's most famous
| race. This account is taken from the off,
| cial newspaper report.
| Fashion was pronounced by all judges
| to be as fit as mare could be. Boston,
according to his trainer, needed a little
| more seasoning to run such a bruising
race as was expected of him. Bostons
running was directed by Colonel Johnson;
| Gil Patrick, his usual jockey was in the
saddle. Fashion was ridden by Joe Laird.
| son of the trainer.
| The Great Race.
| First heat-"Boston, on the inside, went
away with the lead at a rafting pace,
the mare lying up within two lengths of
| him, down the straight run on the back
| stretch; the half-mile was run in IS Sec
onds. The same position was maintained
| to the end of the mile (run in 153). but
soon after Fashion made play, and the
| pace improved. Both made strong rum
ming down the backstretch over the hill