New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-26
Syndicate Which Owned
Him Also Count Their
Loss at S500,000.
Mr.. BELMONT OWNS
BEST OF HIS GET
Tracery and Rock View Among
the Sons Which Have Add
ed to His Fame.

The most valuable stock horse in
stud service was lost to the thorough
bred world when Rock Sand, winner
of the Triple Crown on the British
turf in 1903, died in France the other
day at the comparatively youthful
age of fourteen years.
Having twice been sold for more
than 100000, Rock Sand was the
most sought stallion in Europe, thanks
10 brilliant performances Of his sons
in this country and in England since
1911. His service fee was $4,000, and
his book was full for three seasons
20 come. By his death the syndicate
of English, French and American
sportsmen who took him from Ken
lucky to France two seasons back cal
culate that it has suffered q loss Of
half a million dollars.
The loss falls most heavily on
Americans, for Francis K. and Thomas
Hitchcock. Herman B. Duryea and
Joseph f.. Widencr, among them, had a
threc-quarter interest, the remaining
quarter interest being held by Lord
Marcus Beresford and a couple Of
French sportsmen.
Rock Sand, although not the great
est horse of his time, was a most suf-
cessful one, and his racing and stud
career was full of romantic interest,
which, however, had its tragic side. The
desire to possess him cost two promi-
nent American horsemen their lives in
the summer Of 1906. The horsemen in
question were John f.. Mcdonald, well
known as deal estate and racing
man throughout the United States,
Great Britain and France, and Samuel
McMeekin, one of the most prominent
breeders of thoroughbreds in Ken
lucky.
From time immemorial the English
have had habit of clinging tena-
ciously to horses Of Rock Sands quail
ity. so when Mr.. Mcdonald heard III the
spring of 1906 that Sir James Miller
was disposed TO sell Rock Sand he
summoned Mr.. McMeekin, the mana
ger of his breeding interests in Ken
lucky, to New York. and the two hur-
riedly boarded a steamer for Plym-
outh Mr.. Mcdonald told his friends
before sailing that he was willing to
pay $4,000 for Rock Sand, and in
asmuch as August Belmont afterward
purchased him for Sl25.000 there can
be no doubt that they would have OBJ
tanned him if the express train on
which they were speeding to London
after landing at Plymouth had not
been wrecked. killing Mcdonald and
McMeekin and half a dozen other Eng
lish and American travellers.
Mr.. Belmont, shrewd student Of
lot
the purchase of Rock Sand, because
the horse combined the excellences of
the families of Springfield and 81
everything before them in England.
and purchased him in the fall of 1905
for Sl25,000.
Rock Sand, being a son of Sainfoin
che a son Of Springfield, the sire Of
Watercress) and Rocquebrune. "A
daughter Of St. Simon. Mr.. Belmont
felt that his blood would nick sue
cessfully with that of the brood
mares at his nursery stud in Ken
lucky. and his judgment has been
abundantly indicated by the perform
ances IN this country of Footprint,
Trap Rock, Flintrock and Rock View,
and of Tracery in England.
Footprint and Trap Rock were two OF
the smrrtest two-year- in the United
States and Canada in 1910, and Flint
rock. winner of the Dominion Hand
cap at Fort Eric, was just about Che
best three-year-ol of 1911, his ca
reer having been cut short by the
bowling tendon. He is now IN
stud service Mt Mr.. Belmont's French
stud at Chateau Vllers in Normandy.
Footprint, which was presented to The
United States Army, is in stud SER