The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-12
FAMOUS BREEDING FARM
And Training Ground, Ashland Park.
Has Become a Tobacco Patch

The announced passing OF Ashland
Park, for nearly four decades a famous
horse home in the heart or the Blue
Grass region of Kentucky, is the dis
mantling of another landmark around
which, to horsemen at least. many
pleasing recollections cluster This IA
nous stock farm, being opposite the
old home of Henry Clay, was named
Ashland Park by the late trotting horse
breeder. Barney ]. Treacy. who in his
active days of business had a great
trotting stud here.
The farm proper contains more than
700 acres, being a portion of the Wick
life estate, which passed to the wife of
the famous Confederate leader, General
w. F. Preston, and the present heirs OF
the valuable estate are the sons and
daughters of the gallant soldier of the
lost cause.
Ashland Park first became prominent
as breeding establishment in the early
part of the seventies, when the Sim
mons Brothers. Y. E. and w. L., came
from New York and located the famous
trotting stations George Wilkes and
Honest Allen there, with a number OF
brood mares. The veteran driver Dave
Muckle, had their horses in charge, and
during his occupancy Of the place laid
out a mile track, which in time became
one of the finest training courses in
Kentucky.
Barney ]. Treacy became the next
tenant, and for many years had at Ash
| land Park collection of stations and
mares second to no trotting farm in the
country. among them being at one time
| or another Prince Wilkes (2:14A), sold
to foreign government for $4,000;
Wilson (2:16A). Charley Friel (2:15A),
| Wilcox (2:163z), Keene Jim (2:16A), Al
dine l2;l974), Eta Jones (2:20), Glen
dale (2:2015), Bermuda (2:2015) Mcleod
(2:21A). Allie West (2:25), sold for s25,-
600; Tom Allen (2:22), Nil Desperandum
(2:2D, Lottie Thorn (2:231a), Maggie
Briggs CPD, Wilkin (2:2O.
Treacy, in the latter eighties, as an
adjunct to his trotting business, es-
tablished a thoroughbred stud. He
adopted the plan of buying high class
| broodmareS and mating them to the
fashionable stations of the day. Such
good race horses as Rudolph, Irish
| Chief, lila, Alfonso, Morissey, the great
Response dam of WitfuD, Melody and
Semper Rex, all raced with distinction
in the Treacy colors.
The panic of 1898 brought financial
reverses which finally necessitated the
scattering of the great breeders stud
and for a year or two Ashland Park,
with its superb improvements, laid idle
| Then the veteran driver, Charles Mar
win, leased the place, and here trained
| Captor, POSI-, Cardiman, 2:16A, his
good 2-year-oId of 1892, Hilgar, and
other cracks. Last year Marvin enter
ed the employ of Senator J. w. Bailey
and gave up Ashland Park to the thor
oughbred breeder, J. B. Ewing. The
latter at present occupies the place, but
will now soon have to seek other quar-
| tiers for his stud.
Wickliffe Preston, who has in the
will of his parents fallen heir to this
portion of the great estate, has at this
time no interest in horses, and as to-
bacco men will pay "a higher rent for
the property than it is worth to horse
men, the7end of the Ashland Park has
come. The weed in time win grow on
the soil made sacred by the hoof-
beats of brilliant trotters and runners,
and the barns which were once the
homes of so many equine celebrities
will become country tobacco ware
houses.-Cincinnati Enquirer.