Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-01
THE LUCK OF BALDWIN
California Turfman's Sight
Has Come Back to Him.
HIS FIRST VENTURE
BOUGHT GRINsTEAD AND RUTH
ERFoRD, BUT LOST WITH BOTH.
Great $4,000 Race at the Old Bay
District Track at San
Francisco.
HIS FIRST VENTURE

tSillSenCe tnal LUCKY baluWln, famous
turfman. will not lose his eyesight. w. j.
Spiers, resident manager of the Baldwin
ranch at Santa Anita writes that the man
who fought Indians in the fifties and weat tn
cred the SHOWS of Cape Nome in the nine
ties has again come out victorious in his
fight against blindness. All such danger
has passed, and the old gold miner ana
turfman saw his famous colors carried to
the front on Friday by his horse Dorado
winner at the long odds Of 200 to 1.
Thirty years ago last August a quiet, I'M
pretentious individual registered at tho
Grand Union Hotel, Saratoga, as E. j..
Baldwin. San Francisco. He was alone
and no one seemed to know him. But he
at once identified himself as one of the
racing colony by hunting up j. e. Brew
eter afterward secretary Of the Washington
Park Club of Chicago.
Finding Brewster on the hotel piazza, the
tall Californian introduced himself ana
be gan: Mr.. Brewster, l am a stranger 10
you, but my son-in-law, Budd Dobie, knows
you, and he can drive some, as you ara
well aware. And when ! told him 1 was
coming here TO buy a couple of good race
horses he told me to hunt you up. You
see we are going to have 100000 race at
Frisco on Thanksgiving day. 1t is to be at
four mile heats and the best horses now On
the coast are going to try for it,
And continued the Pacific sioper,
'Budd and l kinder thought, you see, that
[ could find horse or two out here that
might be able to lay out Joe Daniels, Katie
Pease. Thad Stevens and the other four
nlers already out there, and here l am.
! am following Doble's advice and relying
good deal on your Judgment. What can
you do for me?'
For answer Brewster rose from his seat
with Come along with me- and hiring
carriage the two were soon bowling along
Union avenue en- route to the race course.
Opposite the track they turned in the ever
open gate at Horse Haven and were soon
threading its picturesque paths, among the
lofty pines that now, as then, stud that
ttme-honored Enclosure. rearing their state
ly heads heavenward straight as an arrow.
some Of them close to a. hundred feet in
height.
combination of neighs and "whinnies''
greeted them from It's four-legged occu-
pants as Brewster said to his companion:
This is my barn and I'll show you good
horse right now.
Grinstead and Rutherford Purchased.
Calling to one of the stable hands, a big,
brown horse with white marks was led
out and Brewster satd This Is Grin
stead; four years; by Gilroy; sister to
Rurlc He has beaten the best horses east
this summer, from mile and quarter up
to two and a half miles. And In my opin-
ion he Is the best long -dstance horse In
the country today. only purchased him
Walking round and round the horse, the
man from the land of the setting sun said:
Lets see him move Brewster, and the
two men walked over to the ramshackle
old building that had been the grand"
stand at John Morrissey's inaugural of rae
0se3J.
Soon they saw the big brown horse COM
ing round the sinuous last turn at slow
canter, which was gradually increased as
he struck the homestretch. Until fully ex-
tended he rushed by Brewster and Baldwin
in the even space-devouring stride of the
high-class race horse.
Turning to Baldwin Brewster said
Shall send him q fast mile, Mr. Bald
win?' The Californian shook his head as
he replied Not necessary. He is a race
want for him?' And after some further
talk Baldwin purchased Grlnstead for
$4,000. A big price those days.
Now said Baldwin to Brewster, ii
want another horse, as I may start two in
the $4,000 race at Frisco. What other
horse here do you think Off" After pom
dering moment Brewster replied: Come
over with me to Col Puryear's barn. He
full brother to Fellowcraft who ran four
miles two years ago in 7.191k, beating Lex
ington's record. Rutherford won a three
milo race here last week and is nearly as
good Grinstead over route
Over at the Puryear barn the veteran
colonel showed them Rutherford, four
years, by Observation-Disclosures. and after a
critical inspection and a workout by the
horse the Californian bought the horse
from Puryear for $1,000, subject to the pro-
viso that tile horse was not to be delivered
until two days later after he had run in
four-mile race that he was entered for.
Saratoga Cracks Sent to California
These terms were agreed to by Baldwin
and Rutherford ran in the four-mile race
two days later only to be beaten by Wild
idle. five years, by Australian-IdeWild.B But
Rutherford ran q good race. although a
losing one. and his new owner thought
none the less Of the horse for his defeat.
SO it came about that Grlnstead and
Rutherford, the former stable companions
when Col. Puryear owned them again he
came fellow travellers this time on their
| long rail journey to the Pacific coast, from
Saratoga to San Francisco which then
took nearly twice as long as now. And the
| two horses reached the Golden Gate early
| in September in good shape, giving them
! over two months TO be got ready for the
| $30,0o0 race on Thanksgiving day.
Meanwhile Baldwin's doings at Saratoga
! doomed the $4,000 race and stirred up the
| eastern turf world to the extent of causing
| other turfmen to make a try for the big
| race at Frisco. Mark IAtteu sent out
| Wildidle in charge Of Capt. T. G. Moore,
! and the famous Jockey now trainer VIII
| liam Lakeland While after an unsuccess-
| full effort to purchase Milton Sanford S
| great horse. Preakness, who had that sum
! mer run the memorable dead heat with
| Springbok for the Saratoga cup the last
| named horse was purchased by A S. Gage
! of Chicago and shipped to the Pacific coast
| with Jockey George Barhee.
| Owner Gage, now proprietor of a Chicago
! hotel. had won the $50 coo purse at Frisco
| the year before with his great mare Katie
| Pease over the same long and trying route.
| heats of four miles. But while that great
! daughter of Planet and Minnie Mansfield
| had been left in California for this years
| larger purse, her legs were not of the best
| and SpringbolS was accordingly secured as
| her stable mate.
| ]. f. Brewster. who with A. S. Gage
| II. o. Bernard and Colonel David Mcdaniel
| Gather of Henry and William Mcdaniel,
the noted trainers of today, founded the
| formidable Mcdaniel confederacy which
! dominated eastern racing for years, had
| q joint interest with Gage IN the Springbok
! venture.
Four Mile Heats for $4,000.
The early days of September, 1919. found
| many noted men and horses collected at
! San Francisco for the big race of two
months later. Among the fasteners was
| Al Smith. James Z. Kelly, Chauncey Bliss,
! Mark Littell, a. s. Gage, ]. &. Brewster,
! Harry Bernard, Lewis Martin Al Overton,
/ Budd DohIe, William Lakeland. Captain
| Tom Moore, George Rice, George Barbee