The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-19

Once horseman. always horse
man." is one of the truest aXioms OF
the race track. Once lover of the
thoroughbred-once the glamor of the
race track invades the human heart.
there is no getting away from it.
This is why many noted horse
owner. after repeated announcements
OF his permanent retirement from the
turf. has come back to the lure of the
horses as devotedly as Mahometan
to his prayers or Il Celestial to his
dope"
They may disrupt their stables and
dispose of their horses and discharge
their trainers and jockeys. but they
will come back again with new train
ers and new jockeys and new horses,
purchased without regard to price and
with prodigality that is amazing.
Poor old Mike Dwyer who died the
other day. although driven from the
turf by sickness and poverty, was a
horseman with dreams of the race
track even to the end of his life.
"Pttsburg Phil" Smith several times
during the heydey of his career as
racing man announced his retirement
from the turf only to turn up at the
beginning of the following season with
new horses and new plans for getting
them under the wire ahead.
Gideon & DAILY. who in their day had
the best stable of racers in the coun-
try. made up their mind to quit the
business. They sold their stable and
dissolved partnership with a flourish
of trumpets.
At the sale of their horses Mr..
Gideon promptly changed his mind.
The sight of the horses that had run
so faithfully under the old colors being
offered to his race track rivals was
too much for him. He purchased
Requital for 400, Hazlet for $14,50O
and The Butterflies for $1,000. With
these horses for a nucleus he plunged
into racing again, and although this
happened over ten years ago he is
still at it.
Harry Payne Whitney. after his faith
er's death. announced his retirement
from the turf and the sale of his faith
er's horses in order that the estate
might be properly partitioned. Al
that sale young Whitney bought in the
great horse Hamburg for $4,000 after
James r. Keene had made a bid of
100000 for him, and in the season fol-
lowing, Mr.. Whitney was as deeply in
| terested in racing as his father ever
was.
Recently there came an unofficial re-
port from Saratoga that if their
$4,000 horse De Mund failed to win a
certain stake the Rainey brothers pur-
posed to sell their stable and quit the
turf. De Mund failed to win, but the
Rainey brothers are still in the sport.
few days after De Mund's failure
thye won over $4,000 in a single day
on bets alone.
| At various times during his career
it has been reported that August Bel
mont was weary of the turf and would
sell his horses and retire.
Whatever his intentions may have
been. Mr.. Belmont has continued to
maintain what is regarded as the most
expensive stable in the country.
In spite of repeated reports of his
retirement, he has at various times
paid what some horsemen have con-
sidered fancy prizes for new blood for
his racing stable.
He gave $4,000 for Henry of Ma
varre, $4,000 for Dorian, $37, 900 for
Hastings, $4,000 for keenan, and
| $l25.O00 for the great English stallion
Rock Sand.
This brings up the question as to
whether or not the fancy priced hors-
es frequently purchased by racing
men are worth the money paid for
Them
Every purchase of such a nature is
more or less of gamble" The aver
age length of the life of race horse
IS not much over eight years, five or
SIX OF which are passed in the hard
exactions OF the race track During
this period the chances are about even
as to whether $4,000 horse will win
out his purchase price or not. Blu:
even II horse or royal blood is medi-
OGRE in his performances on the turf
there is chance that in the stud
ne will throw back" in his get some
OF his peerless ancestors.
All these things are considered in
the purchase of high-priced race
morse. That they are regarded as q
good investment by men who are able
10 care for them may be judged when
1t is considered that such hard-head-
Ell men OF business as James R. Keenc
ana August Belmont are glad to pay
anywhere from 100000 to s125,OOO TO"
a horse they consider first-class.
SAsc,VVV pau w August bel
mont for Rock Sand was for his
breeding qualities alone. According to
Mr.. Belmont's way of thinking, Rock
Sands record on the English turf fully
justifies the price
Mr.. Belmont's expenditures in other
directions were also largely justified
by subsequent results. The $35, 900 he
paid for Henry of Navarro was easily
won out by that great horse long be-
fore his retirement to the stud.
Oaklawn, originally Purchased for
81 O00 as a yearling, won for his owner
$4,000 before Mr.. Belmont bomgb:
him for 100000. He won this sum for
Mr.. Belmont before his retirement.
Dorian paid his $4,000 purchase price
thrice over. The great Hastings
brought Mr.. Belmont three times his
purchase price of $4,000, being the
best two-year-old of his time. In
Keenan,, purchased for $18,5OO, Mr..
Belmont has the prize three year-olL,
which repaid his trebly for his pur-
chase.
TO the average race track better
there is nothing distinctive about a
thoroughbred colt beside his markings.
An expert trainer, however, can dis
tinguish as much difference between
their features and conformation as be-
tween negro and Chinaman or q
greyhound and mongrel
The greatest lottery in connection