The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-25

himself In a nearby corn field, and was
founderea. Unaware of his suffering
from overlooking on green corn. he was
given a strong trial on a full stomach
and lost his eyesight forever" He was
a monarch with a court whose splendor
he could not see.
Old Boston remained at Petersburg
MANY years, and his white nose was
often seen out of his stable window-tri-
limphs behind him, further fame before
him. We all must prefer to leave Lex
ington standing in eternal darkness,
dreaming of triumphs past and to come.
for the story of him cannot be completed
without dragging him again into the sun
light with sightless eyes and his might
as a race horse gone.
A Dlomed Princess.
The sons and daughters Of Lexington
were tribe of champions. There were
SO many brilliant racers among them
that 1t is impossible TO name one of
them as greater than tho other without
sbringing on your head a score of dis
putants claiming equal points of supe-
riority In others. There was Kentucky,
Asteroid, Norfolk and a host of others
that bore plainly the marks of cham
pionship In my opinion the only one
of Lexington's progeny, great though
they were. that threatened his suprem-
acy as turf performer, was his
daughter Idlewild. She was the sweet
est, heetest, gamest filly the turf had
known since the days of Black Maria.
Idlewild was foaled in 1851 Her mother
was the distinguished mare Florine. by
Glencoe, out of Melody by Medoo-run-
ming straight back to the great Virginia
families mentioned in former articles.
In shame. 1 say it, but 1t was in the
midst of the war when patriotic south
erners had abandoned sports for the
sterner pursuits of battle, that Thomas
q. Moore, a noted trainer, deserted his
country and took with him this brave
southern mare to battle on Yankee race
tracks for their pleasure and profit.
Idlewild had behaved so brilliantly in her
races in the south that her arrival at
Philadelphia created an immense sensa-
ton. She won a smashing race in her
first start in the Quaker city. But 1t
was on Long Island, at the old Centre
vile track, on June %, 1863, that Idlewlld,
this southern queen of race mares, ac-
complished her most splendid victory.
She was among enemies of her country,
in the hands of a recalctrant, but her
heart of courage never failed her, and
what she did on that battle day, far
from her passionworn home, makes epic
reading for a man who knows a race
horse when he sees one. Had the race
been run under peaceful national condi-
lions, the name of Idlewild would, per-
haps, have ranked in the records of
equine fame with the enormous Licking
ton.
The Great Race.
The following account of the victory
of this great southern mare on the enc
mys soil was printed in Wilkes Spirit
of the Times, the day after the race:
"Centrevllle, Long Island. June %,
1s63.-Dangerous had the inside-the blind
side of the mare; Jerome on the outside
was on that of her good eye. She sand
wiched In between, reminded one of the
great Queen Bess, with Philip of Spain
on one side and Louis of France on the
other, and more than a match in craft
and power for both. At the word they
jumped off together, but Idlewid was
soonest on her legs In earnest for she
was ahead Of the others going round the
turn. But Tommy Pattersons orders
were to wait, and he pulled her to the
rear as soon as he could
"Gil Patrick now made the running
but not at a strong pace. At the half
mile pole he was four lengths ahead of
Dangerous, and the mare as much behind
that stout little horse. Idlewild was pull
ing as hard as Glenartney when Lord
jerseys other colt Mameluke, beat him
for the Derby, and all the fielders ex-
claimed, IF the bride had a-broke he
couldn't have lost It,
Going round the turn Tommy INDUCED
the mare with a little of her head, and
she ran by Dangerous, taking a place
about three lengths from Jerome, while
the other colt fell as much behind her.
Thus they came along to the stand in
I'm. 59s., the pace not having been strong
In any portion of the mile
Perhaps GIL Patrick now received a
signal to that effect, for they were no
sooner out Of the crowd than he put on
steam. The mare followed suit and main
tanned her realtive position, but Danger
Gus fell little more In the rear.
The pace was maintained by Jerome
all through the mile, which was run In
I'm. 4S1ss Idewild just lay about three
lengths behind the leader, while Dam
gerous was some five behind her when
they came to the stand. Another mile
was run, and there was no change worth
mentioning In the relative positions of
the horses. save that Dangerous dropped
little further back. This mile was not
quite as fast as the second, I'm. 51s. being
the time of running It,
Meanwhile Thompson the trainer of
1dlewild, had begun to feel a little ner-
vous excitability. Tommy said he to
Capt. Moore as the horses ran along
the back stretch, is laying too far off.
Tell him to move up a little when they
come along
shant tell him anything of the
Kind. he's doing vyal
reply
AS they ran along the back stretch of
the fourth mile the mare began to creep
toward jerome Edgar. At the half mile
there was but length of daylight be-
tween them.
Battle at the Finish.
Now the great struggle in reality be-
gan Inch by inch the stride of the
mare closed this gap of daylight. Soon 1t
was all gone. And then steadily, but In
evitably, as the shadow of the moon dur
ing an eclipse advances over the face of
the sun, she fore-reached to his head
But Jerome was not to be passed and
steamed away from her, as the horses AT
Philadelphia had done. Carefully nursed
by GIL Patrick, he had run yet in him
even at the rate they were going. Neck
and neck, with the mare in the hollow
of the turn, as though cheered on bv
the clarion voices Of Clay of Kentucky.
the capital, game colt raced.
las they swung into the home stretch
the mare had about half a length the
best of it and no more. Once in the
straight. however. her stroke strong and
elastic. soon decided the matter She
got clear of her gallant opponent. took
the track and won 1t by two lengths
fsuch was the fat of the judges in 1851
the last mile having been run in 1:47A.