New-York tribune., 1905-04-09

fess snd eaytEOumeut vDzld haTs resulted n the
hzxe beea impoTtsd az great expense. and better
n.y. a. whole. Or fOreign-bred sres and dams
In his book on The American Thorouehbred-
Hr. TrSyathan has done for the running horse
N America what Hamilton Busbey did for 1.-The
1TOtfang and the Pacing Horse in America IN
bis volume In the same series-the American
6pOrtsman's Library. He gives a very compre-
hens1ve summary OF the history OF the turf in
this country from its earliest days to the pres
ent time. together with the achievements OF
rs most noted representatives To England we
owe the thoroughbred well as the sport OF
which It is the exponent; and America was the
6rst country TO begin the breeding Of horses for
the turf and for the purpose, whether mainly or
Incidentally OF their general Improvement As
early as 1892 we find the record OF the importa-
ton Of the English stallion Bulle Rook into Viz
ginia, and il was in that colony that the de-
soendants Of the Cavaliers introduced the sport
Of racing into this country. For more than fifty
years al the best thoToughbreds were owned on
the plantations bordering on the James and
Rappahannock rivers OF on those in the Caro-
lnas
Like the men who imported and bred them,
the horses. and the sport, too, soon took on
peculiarly American type; and until very recent
years, the four-rnlle-heat horse was the king of
TIE turf-upon which. however, the author neg
Iects 10 mention. he no longer runs. Gruelling
races they were-those four-mile heats, when ii
sometimes took five Of them TO decide a race.
Cruel too. they often We're as judged by present
day standards when jockeys kept their mounts
up 10 their work by constant application Of lash
and spur, bringing their plucky and sturdy ami
mails past the judges stand streaked with
bloody lather- Yet this was pre-eminently the
Gcx-E sazraT NM SO
than now. in spite Of the beneficial influence
exe-ted in later years by men ike Belmont,
Jerome and Whitney. At Charleston, S. C., In
the closing years Of the eighteenth century, the
courts adjourned for race week business was
suspended. and clergyrnen and judges Wed Win
one another in doing honor 10 the occasion
with such a stimulus to propriety and good
morals" writes Dr. Irving, the chronicler OF the
Carolina turf. no wonder that order, and so
briefly and good fellowship prevailed as abun-
dainty as they did in those days" We wonder
Referring 10 Black Maria's memorable race
sor the Jockey Club purse Of 5000 at the Union
Course on Long Island, in 1892. when she won
~the greatest endurance four-nile race ever
brought of in this or any other land" MI Tre-
vathan asks Il there is horse on the turf To
day that could stand up under like test An
gwering his own query, the author says;
We fear not: for unfortunately. the English dash
gjde OF the Atlantic for the good Of our stock. We
have learned 70 look TOO much ior Speeq ana 10 pay
100 little attention the more valuable quallty OF
endurance. The speedy horse without lasting pow
si-77rlv ornamental. The horse that go
fast and long is only ornamental, but useful
H is Of some account even when no longer aDie 70
carry the coOrs 70 the front when opposed by
younger and naore nirnble companions. It is a sad
commentary upon our system OF racing when a
purse FOR contest Of four miles-a fOur-mlle dash.
not heats please bear minG-fails TO secure run
worthy OF the
IN her performance on the Union Course, Black
Maria won the first heat, dead heated the sec
on5, was second in the third and fourth and won
the ffth contending at the end Of every four
miles and in the twentieth mile Of the race
carried the field so fast that she stopped them
dead. and came along home. winning without
touch Of spur or whip!