Evening star., 1909-02-21
P|ML|CO CENTER
OF RACING INTEREST
All Eyes Will Be on Hilltop
Track During the Com
ing Meet.

ing Meet.
During the racing season that will be-
gin at Pimlico early in the spring the
eyes of the entire horse world will be
centered on Pimlico. Baltimores old hill
top track. The assertion is made with
confidence because Pimlico stands prac-
tically alone today over the entire coun-
try as the one track and Maryland the
one state Of the Union where betting is
still allowed unrestricted
While it is true that betting can only
be carried on certain number of days
in each Of Marylands counties. yet
while it is carried on it may be con
Quoted along the old lines. without make
shifts to evade restricting laws. without
Pinkert ons and without fear or favor
So Pimlico. the former home Of the Ole
Maryland Jockey Club, will doubtless
he the mecca of horsemen, bookmakers
and the motley crowd that from time
immemorial has composed the racing
fraternity.
The old Maryland Jockey Club was
originally launched at Saratoga i'm 1865
when GOV. Oden Bowie and his friends
outlined program for the initial meet
ing at PimliCo in October. 1870. The prin
cipai stake feature was to be the Dinner
Party stakes, afterward known as the
famous Dixie stakes. for three-year-oids
at two miles. This was one of the mos
valuable events ever contested In this
country up to that time, being wortl
$500. and entries were made by the
principal turfmen.
Won by Preakness.
The winner turned up in NJ. IT. San
fords bay colt Preakness. by Lexington
ridden by BILLY" Hayward. which rar
the distance in 3.47i2 carrying 40 pounds
Maj. Thomas w. Doswells famous Vir
ginia-bred mare Ecliptic, ridden by Z
Miller. second and the four miller FOS
ter, ridden by the colored jockey Palmer
third. Other starters were Susan Ann
afterward celebrated as the dam of the
high-class racer Thora: Finesse. Lida
Grissom and Gov. Bowie's hOnle-breC
tilly My Maryland, ridden by Hennessy
which finished last.
The coveted honor of winning the Dixie
stakes was denied Gov. Bowie until years
afterward. in 1881, when the peerless
Crckmore. who lowered the colors Of the
mighty Hindoo. the sire of Hanover
came out and captured the event In {
canter in 337.
In 1871 the great son of Lexington ant
Canary Bird. Harry Bassett, walked ovel
for the stakes. the handsome chestnut
colt OF d. Mcdaniel & Co. soaring out al
competition. and in the following yea1
Hubbard again placed the stakes to The
credit of the powerful Mcdaniel con
federacy
Other Famous Winners.
Other famous winners whose name:
are enrolled in the equine temple o.
fame in front of the srandstand a.
Pimlico were the mighty Tom Bowling
in 1873; the flying fiIly Vandalite. 1874
the immortal Tom Ochiltree, 1875; the
Virgil colt Virgil. 1876; King Faro, .o77
George l.. Lorillard's great Duke Of Ma
genta, 1878, and the same owners Moni
tor and Grenada. 1910 and 1880. respect
ively. Then came Crickmores victory
in lSS1, which was the cause of mighty
rejoicing on the part of Marylanders
who turned out in force to cheer Gov
BowieS peerless racer Monarch won il
1SS2 and in the following year George
Kinney placed the stakes to the credi
of the DWyer brothers, then power or
the turf. The winners in 1884 and 1SS;
We're Loften and East Lynne, and II
1866 the late A. J. Cassatt, who raced
under the name of Mr.. Kelso, had the
qualification of seeing his pet, The Bard
win the stakes in 3.33. the fastest time
ever made in the event One Of the best
~ a
ed by the Dwyer brothers. and considered
by experts one of the greatest horses
ever saddled in this or any other coun
try. This chestnut son of Hindoo anG
Bourbon Belle won the stakes in 1881
adding the prize to long list Of vic
mortal in turf annals. The list closes
with the name of Taragon, in 1888, after
which the race was discontinued unit
revived a few years ago by the Wash
inGton Jockey Club.
The Best in the List.
The best horses in the list We're prob
ably Harry Bassett, Tom Bowling Van
dalite, Tom Ochiltree, Duke of Magenta
Crickmore, The Bar and Hanover. anC
ali these We're the very pick of theil
year. although none was of much sue
cess In the stud with the exception OF
Tom Ochltree and Hanover. the latter
famous as the sire of Hamburg ant
many other distinguished racers. iAe
best of the get of The Bard was Colo
Heels, although he also sired severa
useful racers.
Tom Ochltree was one of the last o
the Lexingtons to survive, and his deatf
"a few years ago at the late R. Wynd
ham Walden's Bowling Brook Farm wa.
much regretted by his owner, to whom
Ht "dS pItSeHltu pS George
Lorilard.
The most noted race Tom Ochiltree
took part in was the three-cornered con.
test with Parole and Ten Brock at PIN
lico. when Congress adjourned to enable
the members to attend. Tom Ochiltree
and Ten Brock started off in a heart.
breaking duel. and after they were thor.
oughly pumped out Parole, who had beer
carefully nursed by Barrett, came ul
with rush and won, to the great de.
light of the followers of the cherry
black hoops on sleeves. black cap, goio
tassel of Pierre Lorillard, who was
warmly congratulated by lis frienus
The crowd that gathered to see this race
was the largest ever congregated at Pim-
tico, and so great was the enthusiasm
that after the race the successful jockey
tBarrett was lifted on the fence ir
front of the grandstand and his black
satin cap was filled with money.
Old Frank Harper of Kentucky haC
high hopes of winning with Ten BroecL
and was almost inConSolable when Walk
er failed to land him winner. Parole
however, was a. race horse that day, anC
as he subsequently won the City anl
Suburban handicap in England his VIC
tory cannot be regarded as a fiuke
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