The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-12
History of Famous Match
Races of American Turf
eEsv.Al ss~s rrere
by GURNEY c. CUE.

Napoleon of the Turf" who then had
In his stable horse considered to be
| the best racer ever bred in America.
This was Boston. con of Timoleon. by
| Sir Archy. At the end of 1S41 he had
| won thirty-five races without meeting
defeat when he was fit, but In October
| of that year the four-year-old filly
Fashion, bred and owned by William
Gibbons, one Of the leading steamboat
owners and horsemen of New York. not
only beat him but distanced him IN the
fastest four mile heat then on record
at Camden, N. J. A challenge followed.
and on May 10. 1912. the mare and the
stallion ran four mile heats for $4,000
side In the presence of 10000 people.
Fashion winning In 7:32ia and 7.4s.
with Boston beaten to q standstill In
the final heat
Three years later on the same historic
course Fashion met her Waterloo In the
third and last great sectional race be-
tween North and South. The crowd that
assembled on this occasion was said TO
be the largest gathering OF the people
ever seen on any occasion up to that
time in the United States and was esti-
mated as high as 10000. In two hard
fought heats, run in 7:3a& and 7:45A.
the daughter of Imported Trustee. now
eight, years old, lowered her colors to
Peytona. a six-year-old chestnut mare
owned and bred by Thomas Kirkman
OF Alabama and got by imported Glen
, coe out OF Gianteess by imported Levla-
than
Between the time of Eclipse and the
| date OF this contest the seat OF empire
Ia racing had begun to move westward.
and In 1899 there occurred at Louisville
a battle royal between rival champions
a nd xssht ia.
one OF the brightest en- ,ers in the his
tory OF the turf. The ra between John
Campbelrs fve-year-old estnut horse
Wagner, by Sir Charles Of Maria
| West by Marion, and A. l. Shotwelrs
Gray Eagle. q four-year-old ny Wood
pecker out OF Ophelia by Wild Medley,
gave to William II. Porter. editor of the
Spirit Of the Times. a subject for what
has been called the best report of a
horse race in the English language
Wagner. the Louisiana champion, de-
feated the Kentucky favorite In 7:4S and
7:4f. the fastest time ever made south
OF the Potomac, but his victory was by
the narrow margin OF a neck. This was
on September 80. On October they met
again on the old Oakland Course, and
this time Gray Eagle won the first heat.
but broke down In the second. while
wagner went on. running each mile
faster than the last until he covered the
fourth in 1:4s and made the heat in 7.4s.
There was much talk OF a match be-
tween Wagner and Boston after this
race. but It never materlallzed. more's
the pity. and IL was not until 1854 that
racing developed two horses OF such
transcendent class that a meeting be-
tween them took on the character and
importance Of a national turf event.
In
were sons of Boston Though nearly
seventy years have passed since they
measured strides on the site of the PRES
ent Metaire Cemetery at New Orleans,
no we'll Informed horseman OF to-day
need DO told that one was Lexington. the
pride OF Kentucky. and the other Le-
comte. the champion OF louisiana
Foaled In 1850. they first met In the
State Post Stakes. run on April 1, 1854.
over very heavy track. with Licking
ton the winner in slow time. One week
later the Louisiana colt turned the Ia bles
on his rival in decisive style. lowering
the four milo record to 7:26---a drop OF
more than six seconds--in the nrst heat.
sons of Boston Meet.
Lexngton's owner, Richard Ten
Brock. met this singing defeat by bold
~ Offering to match his horse against
Lecomte's record or against the horse
himself for $4,000 SIDE Both matches
were made. and Lexington won both by
running four miles In 7:19& over the
Metaire course on April 2, 1855. and on
April II defeating the chestnut son OF
Boston and Reel In 7:23A Lecomte.
barely escaped being distanced at this
dizzy clip, and was drawn after the first
heat. II was the last race either Of them |
ran. Lexington going at once TO the stud
and Lecomte being sold by L. ]. Wells |
to Mr., Ten Brock. who took him 10 Eng |
land. where he died.
This race was the last IN which the !
great four mile reporters of ante
belium days disputed the supremacy OF !
the turf Soon after the English sys-
tenn of dash races at shorter distances !
Park. at the close OF the civil war,
Harry Bassett In the East and Long |
fellow In the West stood out as real |
came In with the opening OF Jerome |
champions, and In 1872 they met for the |
Longfellow. gigantic 5-year-old By |
hrst time In the Monmouth Cup race at |
two miles and n half at Long Branch. |
imported Leamington. won with such |
ease that II was plainly not n true test |
OF merit for the two great horses. Tho |
real test came In the saratoga Cup. at |
two miles and quarter, on July is. |
But again the result left the question |
OF supremacy IN doubt. for tho Ken |
lucky horse pulled up lame after being |
beaten q length IN record tines So |
for the diatance, and his admirerr main |