New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-12
YANKEE HORSES
EQUAL BEST IN
TURF HISTORY
Comparison of Home-Bred
ThorOughbreds Interest
ing Feature of Season.

Not the least fascinating feature Of
the current racing season will be the
comparison Of our home-bred thor
oughbreds as individuals and in point
OF speed with those that have come
from abroad.
Two youngsters Of purely foreign
lineage. Hourless and Jack Mount,
have already won, and as the season
progresses and more of the imported
colts and FLIES sport silk the inter
est will increase.
There have been in all since Janu-
airy /, 1915, more than $50 registra-
tons with the Jockey Club, and OF
these 100 are two-year-olds, OF which
about one-fourth are entirely Ameri-
can-bred or out of American mares
that were sent abroad during the
period when the turf lsnguished in
the United States.
Much has been said and written
about the benefit which will be de-
rived from these importations of fresh
blood, some of the best families be-
ing represented in the lot. In dis
cussing this point on Saturday W. II.
Rowe, the registrar Of the Jockey
Club and an acknowledged expert in
blood lines, said:
NO doubt there are many winning
families represented in recent impor-
tations and a satisfactory number OF
them will produce animals Of merit,
but American breeders should not lose
sight OF the fact that we have at
home some Of the greatest racing
blood, viewed in the light of achieve
ment, that turf history has recorded.
Take, for example, the Maggie B.,
Ballet and Gallopade families. There
is scarcely a classic in this country
that hasn't been won by descendants
of these mares, while they figure in
the pedigrees of the winners Of the
Derby and other great turf events OF
England and Continental Europe.
Despite their achievements. we
find that descendants of Wanda and
, Ballet are barred from registration in
the English and French stud book.
! because the female line as recorded
/ in the American Stud Book does no,
, trace 20 an English source. Durba:
won the Derby, but he couldn't get
into the English Stud Book, it hav.
ing been ruled some four or FIVE years
ago that only horses that traced in
all points of their pedigree directly
to that authority were eligible for
that honor.
France, on March I, 1918, put up
the bars In like manner, and Shan
non and Blarney, both good horses
and winners OF big money in that
country, would not be eligible for
registration under the present English
ruling because their sire, Irish Lad,
doesn't trace through the female line
10 the British authority. This has
produced a peculiar condition Of af-
fairs, for, while Colin is registered
in the English Stud Book a sister or
brother TO him or their produce
would be refused.
This is the time for the American
breeder 20 study the blood lines of the
families he wishes 70 amalgamate,
went on Mr.. Rowe "He shouldn't be
carried away by brilliant top-crosses,
but should delve into the female Zines
and sec that they contain the quail
fcations he wishes 10 incorporate into
his product.
There is no desrth OF material"
said Mr.. Rowe, in conclusion, "for the
prosecution Of the breeding Of army
horses, as sires that possess the char
acteristics necessary for the produc-
ton Of that type. but lack the strains
of blood that would make them de-
sirable 20 produce racehOrses, are album
dant. Many of the English importa-
tions are horses Of size and bone, and
would make an admirable top-cross for
the cold-blooded mares that are to be
found in every rural community