New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-08
HIGH PRICED STATIONS.

was sold Al auction Yesterday for 81 900. James
r. Haggin bought him at that figure after
lively tilt with Harry Payne Whitney, who pa
$4,000 through H b Viugut. It the third
highest price ever paid for a thoroughbred stall
lion at auction. Flying Fox, the great English
horse. was purchased by N. Blanc for SlSi,5OV'
and St Blaise was knocked down on Charles
Reds sensa tionaI first bid of 100000. w o b
marlborough bought the unbeaten Ormonoe'
sire of OrmondaIe, this years Futurity winner,
for SI500OO while Hamburg sold at auction for
$4,000 and Meddler for $4,000.
With the sale of Watercress and the other
rtalIions Rancho del Paso passed out of ex-
3stence as the greatest thoroughbred nursery in
this country. or in the world, for that mat
ter The four days. sale of this stud was COM
pleted yesterday by the Fasig-Tipton Company
at the auction mart Of Van Tassell & Kearney'
IT. East 13th-st.
one hundred and one head of horses were
sold yesterday for S2t3,650. and average Of
S2115. In the four days 400 head were dis
posed of for S4O4,05O, an average Of S1O1O In
Yesterdays sale eighteen stations went for
S146I5O forty-nine broodmares for %}4,IOo,
tventy-one two and three year old FLIES Tor
S21 600 and thirteen yearlings for S11S0o These
figures speak for themselves as to the strength
of the market. and the wonderful prosperity OF
the thoroughbred breeding industry.
Next TO Watercress, the sale Of Star Ruby
aroused chief interest This good stallion, the
sire of Africander. was knocked down 10 James
B. Haggin for $4,000
Standing room was at a premium when Water
cress was led into the ring yesterday. Inc
crowd. made up Of most of the best known
breeders and horse owners in the country. was
estimated at fully 300 persons Among those
who were gathered Immediately about the block
were James B. Haggfn. Harry Payne Whitney,
F r Hitchcock J. G Foilansbee. James Gal
way F. h Jewett. Andrew Miller, Payne Whit
Tev + G Codin. Newton Bennington, p J.
Dryer. H. De Coursey Forbes. J. N Camden.
ir / Z Seagram, Milton Young. Charles Reid
sydney Paget. F. c. Bishop, II. T OXnard, J. J.
Hyland. A. J. Joyner Thomas Welsh, Julius
Bauer. John Mackey and G. D. Wilson. There
was such gathering of the clans that one
might almost think it was Suburban Handicap
dav
Watcrcress was led into the ring at , O'Clock
TO the minute after the balance OF the brood
mares, the two and three year old FLIES and the
yearlings had been sold and taken out In spite
OF the earnest warnings of Mr.. Easton the auc-
tioneer. a murmur of applause broke out when
Watercress appeared. He looked the perfect
type OF a high class thoroughbred and stepped
about Ike a monarch Of his kind. OF a rich
brown color and magnificently furnished, it is
little wonder he widely admired. He is
sixteen years old, but looks good for many years
IN the stud
Watercress was d frequent and consistent
winner While racing in England. His sire
Springfield the best racehorse of his
day. Watercress is the sire of such high class
performers in this country as Waterboy, Water
color. Nastur1uIn, Watercure Water Light
Reliable Yellow Tail, Elizabeth NJ First Water
ana Edna Jackson. In 1903 Watercress was
fourth on the list Of winning sires his son
WaIerbOy being the largest foUr-y ear-oId winner
of the season. while Reliable won S1O425 and
elght races N IhA, proving himself of the
best sprinters and weight carriers for a decade
IN 1911 he had out twenty-five winners. I'd to
Octooef II TINS year he had to his credit twenty
seven winners His get have class. great speed
60 az distance and campaign renarFa bly, we'll
After a few Introductory remarks Mr. E,as+or
faiied Tor bids There was silence for A moment
or two. and then Harry Payne Whitney said
$1,000 James B. Raggin biddinp bin,sejf
raised this at once TO $4,000 and Thereafter II
was duel between the two in advances of
5000 and then 81 900 bids to 100000 At this
point Mr. Whitney apparently stopped. but
n r. Fingut, watching him closely. took I'D the
bidding and carried it along to $4,000. Mr.
Haggin lost no time in saying 81 900 and at
1hls inquire he bought back the great sire and
VIII place him at the head Of his EImendorf stud
in Kentucky.
The looked for competition from abroad did
not materalize, and il it had. in the light of
what happened, Watercress would undoubtedly
bidding gone to 100000 Mr. Haggin never
hesitated in advancing the bid and had plainly
determined TO keep him for his own II was
the general opinion among horsernen that he
was worth every penny Of the amount paid
Star Ruby brought comparativeIy small
price. By Hampton out of Ornament the full
sister 10 the unbeaten Ormonde, his blood lines
have no superior IN the stud book. He was
third in the list OF winning sires in 1903 when
Africander, his best son, won S70720 alone
Star Ruby is also a half sister TO the wonderful
English My Gceptre, which sold as a yearling
for $4,000 and won close to 100000 in stakes
When led into the ring he was as warmly re-
cefved in subdued way as was Watercress
Mr.. Haggin started him of at $4,000 and H
De Coursey Forbes said $4,000 Immediately
Mr.. Hsggin called out $4,000 and this erect
ualy stopped further competition
a. ]. Joyner, acting for Z. r. Thomas and
Sydney Paget bought two stations He paid
$1,000 fer Golden Garter after H T OxI1ar
had carried the bidding TO $500, and 5000 for
Toddington. after another tilt with Mr.. Oxnard
Starting at 81 1000 there were no less than
twenty-six bids FOR this horse many of the adj
vances being 500 each Todd;ngton was the
last horse sold.
H. Gliding the Canadian breeder. paid $4,000
for Bassetlaw. and H. r. Oxnard secured Glen
helm for $500. OF the eighteen stations offered
Mr.. HaEgin bid in fourteen. He got C1oldfnch
for $4,000. E G Cowdin, acting for Harry
Payne Whitney, being the contending bidder
Goidhncn was not on hand, as he developed a
slight temperature Just before leaving the farm
and was left behind Many Of the stations went
for 500 This IN no sense represented their
value, but indicated that the demand for any
but the best was not particularly strong.
The same good average maintained for
the balance of the brood mares and the two and
three year old hIles reserved as yearlings but
never bred, sold even better. Twenty-one head
sold for SCI 600 Afric Jewell the full sister to
Africander went TO John Hynes for $500. while
Hesione, the full sister TO Elizabeth NJ, brought
$500. The yearIings were also in demand, and
a chestnut FLY by Star Ruby-1rmy was sold
for the good price OF $500
The largest sales on record in this country Of
thoroughbred stock were those to settle the es-
tates OF August Belmont in 1891. OF Marcus
DAILY in 1901 and Of William c. Whitney in 1904.
At the dispersal of the Belmont Nursery Stud
I03 head, stations. mares and young stock sold
for $52S,350 while the racing stable brought
$4,000 Ten years later the dispersal Of
the late Marcus Days Bitter Root Stud put
on the market in 1901 total of 1S5 head OF
breeding stock which sold for S405,525. Only