The Washington times., 1906-10-07

NEW YORK, n. Y, oct. 6.--Ths chilly
experience Of an October race meeting
within a stone hop OF the cool gray
ocean surf at Brighton Beach IS just
now being relieved by the warmth oi
argument over the sprintiug ability OF
R0seben ana Lady Amelia.
These two flyers were 90 race in q
sweepstaks for 5000 side bets and d
purse OF $500, put up BY the Brooklyn
Jockey Club over at Gravesend, but the
event failed 10 come on. owing 10 the
track turning muddy within an hour
or so OF post call. L. r. Thomas, owner
Of Lady Amelia, WithdraWing his horse
by virtue OF the original conditions OF
the match because she could not run on
a soft cushion.
Great Cause for Regret.
Then came the SHIFT here 10 Brighton
Beach, where the partisans OF the two
camps are at it every day. hip and spur.
Undoubtedly Roseben. holder Of the
three -Quarter-miIe record OF III 30,
with 147 pounds up, and Lady Amelia,
winner Of hfty-tWo out OF sixty-eight
starts, are the greatest sprinters OF
modern times, and that the matter OF
supremacy between them wiu not be
definitely settled Is something the sport
ing world viii always regret One thing
sure. race track bugs" viii never cease
chsmpioning one or the other OF the
brilliant pair.
Talking Of match races recalls the
fact Of the greatest thoroughbred con
test. In point or the enthusiasm and in
tense concern the outcome evoked IN
the public mind, occurred within a few
neiles Of Brighton Beach as far back as
lS23 at "a time when the country mad
just nicely recovered its equilibrium
from the racking EhrOes OF the revoIu-
tionary var and the hostilities OF 1872
1SIA Ir was run down on the old Union
race course, on Long Island. on the
sweTd -Four two-mile heats were de
cided. the contestants being the five
year-old American Eclipse. owned bv
C. W Ranst. and Henry. a mature and
courageous thoroughbred brought up
from Petersburg. Va, BIZ c. W. John
son IL was an intersectlonai match.
the North and the South. with a side
stake OF $1,000. considerable sporting
sum IN tlose days.
Enthusiasm Was Intense.
Il is scarcely credible. but neverthe-
less true, that no fewer than $4,000 per-
sons saw American Eclipse win. Com
pairing the population OF New York IN
1873 and in 1906, the match between
ROseben and Lady Amelia should bring
10000 enthusiasts 70 the raiisids dId IL
create the popular interest wrought
over the American Eclipse-EIenry race.
! This is the only race OF which the
school histories speak. Union course
was sixteen miles from the center Of
New York. and it was a long trip by
stage coach, a circumstance which
makes the preseut-day racegoers wonder
the more at the enormous throng which
included Aaron Burr, General Jackson
and other celebrities Of the times. After
ALL America has always been devoted
10 horse racing. One interesting thing
about the American Eclipse-Henry race
was the feat accomplished by Samuel
Purdy, a gentleman rider. The profes-
sional jockey engaged 10 ride American
Eclipse tainted from trying 70 make
weight fifteen minutes before saddling
time. The Northern side was in a
quandary.
Purdy. though a man Of forty-eight
years of age, was wiry and in excellent
condition from riding 10 hounds He
was put up. He lost the first heat, but
won the next three and the match. Old
chronicles say the omnibus drivers
about Fulton ferry and Wall street
would not accept q fare from Purdy
thereafter.
Origin Of Horse Racing.
In line with the above it may not be
amiss TO recall some data Of the turf
in this country. Horse racing was IN
trodueed in America by some English
cavaliers along IN the eighteenth cen
turv. bringing here from Great Britain
A collection Of mares and sires or Bar
barry ana Arabian strain, the nrst race
course ever laid out being mat at York,
near Charleston, s. c.. I74o. Monday
the crowds surging through the main en-
trance at Belmont Park to attend the
opening OF the annual autumn meeting
of the Westchester Racing Association
there. may observe. If they take the
trouble. . bronze plate upon two Crum-
hing old stone pillars. The inscription
on the plate declares these posts were
the original gate posts of the York
course and now presented by the city
Of Charleston, S. c. TO August Belmont,
chairman Of the Jockey Club
A punchbowl or a tankard were the
then. In 1896 a first money prize
was offered in New York on a race
course erected right near where the
present Astor House stands. Since