New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-18
JAMES R. KEENE TO
RETIRE FROM THE TURF
VIII Sell Last of His Horses
Which Have Carried His
COIors in England.
POOR HEALTH THE REASON
Vice Chairman of the Jockey
Club Won Small Fortune in
1907, When Stable
Earned $500, SOC.

Earned $500, SOC.
James r. Keene, vice chairman OF the
Jockey Club. has decided to retire from
the turf-that is, so far as racing thor
oughbreds is concerned This announce
ment was made Yesterday by Algornon
Daingerfeld in saying that the eight
horses which have raced i'm Mr. Keene's
name in England this year would he sold
under the hammer at Newmarket the
first week In December. His horses IN
training in this country had all been
disposed of previously. so that. except
for his breeding farm in Kentucky and
the one abroad. Mr.. Keene will not he
known to the turf. Poor health is given
as the reason for his retirement
During the last season the English
string won 2 total Of $25.S3O. less than
many of his horses won alone in the best
DAYS Of the sport on this side OF the
Atlantic.
The horses that are to go under the
hammer with their winnings are Ou-
tram. h. c. (2. by Delhi-Gingham' won
two races and $4,000; Cataract. b. c. 'Z)'
bv Ben Brush-Running Stream won one
race and So. 49,: Franconi, b. G. CD py
Hinrodrome-Be Belgravia. one race ana
S1.14O: Runnymede, ch. c. (3), bE Nolei
Running Stream. four races ana elV'-
800: Blarneystone, ch. c. t2), by Hlppo-
ldrome-Maid of Erin. two races ana Si'-
775: Junina. br f. ca, by Delhi-Cap anu
Rolls no race: Havelock. br. C. CD py
lDoIhi-Runaway Girl, no race; Matush-
ka. br. f. (2), by Voter-Ecaterina' ho
race.
passina of a Famous Stable
The passing Of the James H. heene
stable means the dispersal Of one o1 'he
most famous racing establishments VI
the American turf. From 100 uhui
1909 his stable each season headeo inc
LIST of winning owners by wide mar
ein while his CastletOn stud, in addltoii
ia furnishing practically all of his
horses in training, sent many aho'her
famous horse to the races.
# was i'm 1907 that the keene stabie
reached the top of it's success When tne
total winnings reached the prlncely sum
of 500 sofa worlds record. All OF the
other years ran well into six hgures' ana
with the solitary exception of l9oo' when
nurses had been greatly reduced because
or adverse legislation i'm this state, he
had a wide margin over all the other
owners. In 1909 his total for the year
was S112.5s6, while last year 1t was
only S54.215. when 5. c. Hildreth showed
the way. with S144.025. and r. T. Will
son was second.
To look over the list of winners of the
famous stakes of the American turt
gives an excellent idea Of the marvellous
success of the stable. Five times Mr.
Keenes colors were first in the running
of the Futurity, beginning with the
memorable victory Of Domino in 1S93.
which won SlSOOS5 as two-year-old.
and followed by Chacornac, the un-
beaten Colin. Maskette and Sweep.
Novelty. the winner of the last running
ot the stakes, was bred at Castleton.
Five times also the Brooklyn Handi-
cap went to a Keene horse, when Horn
pipe. Conroy, the first three-year- to
win the race; Delhi, Superman and Celt
were victors. Down through the vari-
ous other fixtures it would be possible
IN tell of the triumphs Of the stable that
WAS one of the most popular that ever
raced in this or any other country.
James r. Keene has ever been a
suortsman and "A particularly shrewd
horseman. lie spared neither trouble
nor expense in gathering together mis-
wonderful breeding establishment, and
his horses were invariably in the hands
of the best trainers available, while the
same rule was applied to the selection of
his riders His most successful trainer
was James Rowe, who now has charge
of the Brookdale farm Of Harry Payne
whitney IL was Rowe who fitted the
horses for the long continued success at
the head of the winning column. Others
of his trainers were William Lakeland,
himself a veteran of wide experience;
Frank Brown, Albert Cooper and Tom
Green.
of fame riding the keene horses were
Henry Spencer Walter Miller. Fred
Taral Willie Shaw and James Butwell
The Great sysonby.
Svsonby. the son of Melton-Optime-
whose skeleton is mounted i'm the Metro
politan Museum of Natural History, was
one Of the greatest horses to carry the
sinks of the vice chairman of the Jockey
club. His only defeat was in the Fut-
urity of 1904 when ne finished third 10
Artful and Tradition. Several valid ex-
cuses were made for his failure To- win.
and his other trumphs demonstrated his
superioTity over the crack fllies which
finished first and second in the classic.
When the Metropolitan Handicap was
first run at Belmont Park -. L. Rich
ards's Race King had the distinction OF
running Sysonby TO dead heat The
newly made track was in a deplorabla
condition owing TO heavy rains which
accounted for the close race.
Some Of Sysonby's sensational victories
were his winning Of the Realization.
century, Brighton, Junior Flash. Sara
toea Special, Brighton Derby and Tidal
Colin, foaled at Mr. Keene's Castleton
stud. in the Blue Grass State. was un-
defeated. lie started fifteen times.
carving top weight at all distances o-cr
fast and heavy tracks He won the Bel
mont Stakes, at one mile ana three fur
longs. in a driving rainstorm which pre-