Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-18
KEENE'S THIRTY
YEARS ON THE TURF

feat in the Kenner stakes two miles, from
/. w. Hunt Reynolds Faisetto. the noted
son Of Enquirer. This race was In the mud.
which was Falsetto's strong hold. But
Spendthrift carried the keene colors
credftably that his owner the next spring
QST9) was a liberal purchaser of yearlings.
Racing Invasion Of England.
At the Woodburn sale that spring Col.
Saunders Bruce purchased several year
linSs for Mr.. Keene. among them the colts
Don Falano and Foxhall The latter, a son
Of King Alfonso and Jamaica. by Lexing-
ton. cost only $40 at the sale But he
showed so we'll that fall in his trials that
he and Don Falano, with a few others,
were were n nhpped l., across the ocean where they
trainer, Richard Ward, at Newmarket
This was in the fall of their yearling
form and the youngsters had ample time
to become well acclimatzed to the heavy
muggy climate of the British isles. usually
so hard on the ''pi?es' of older American
horses sent over from this country to race
In England Two cases in point were Gi-
rople and PreakneSs. both of whom be-
came "roarers" after reaching England.
In the following fall, after nearly year
OF acciimatization, the Keene colts Don
Falano and Foxhall made their debut on
the British turf. But they, were ritted
against such top sawyers as Bal Gal.
Inepais, st. Louis and other cracks and
did not defeat any of these. But the pair
ran forwardly enough. especially Foxhall,
to give promise OF future success with more
maturity.
Pierre Lorilard's Iroquols, Barrett and
other youngsters had also been sent over
as yeariings and this racing invasion Of
England by the Keene and Lorillard stables
at once drew the attention of the turf
world at large. Parole had the year before
ISO defeated lsonomy the best horse In
Ensiahd' ana followed 1t up by other great
victories at long distances, fairy aston!sh-
ing the English turfnen on their native
heath
keene Colors in Evidence.
Early in April. 1881, the famous city and
suburban handicap at EPSON drew out the
two American three-year-olds Foxhall and
Passaic, the latter from the Lorillard sta
Die. The field was large one. over twenty
horses going to the post. Ben dor, the
great four-year- ran the race with l26
pounds up. beating Foxhali, 81. by a short
length only. This at once put Foxhall for
wara as prominent candidate for future
events. and Charles w. Bathgate. manager
OF the keene stable abroad, cabled over
congratulations to his employer on the
colts great promise.
Unfortunately Foxhall was not entered in
the TWO Thousand Derby or St Leger
But he was in the Grand Prix de Paris two
months later and further he was pointed
Dy trainer Marsh in energetic fashion.
meanwhile lroquos won the Derby and the
turf world became more interested than
ever In the fortunes of the Yankee-b
horses.
Sent across the channel in June Foxhall
made his debut on the French turf at Long
champs in the $4,000 Grand Prix de Paris
And $4,000 Parisians united in doing hom-
age to the Keene spots as they flashed
past the, judges chair on Foxhall. winner
OF the great race, with Tristan and fifteen
other French and English colts behind the
outlander from this side of the ocean. At
ter Jockey Watts and Foxhall had weighed
In the Frenchmen lionized them and O.
prominent member of the French Jockey
Club offered Manager Bathgate 100000
francs for the colt.
The following October at Newmarket
Foxhall won the Cesarwitch handicap, two
miles and a quarter, with 1lG pounds up.
Two weeks later he picked up fourteen
pounds penalty and defeated thirty-three
horses in the great race for the other big
handicap of the Cambrdgeshre In this
race Foxhall carried 100 pounds a superla-
tive achievement for a three-year-old and
the English turf critics pronounced It the
feat Of the century. AS much as 80 to l
was laid against Foxhall in the first race
and 66 to l for the second, and Manager
Bathgate cleared 100000 by the double
stable commission at Tattersalls and at
the track. 1t the only turf betting
coup Of any magnitude ever attempted by
MI. heene. - -1i@. ..s--f c. c. p.