The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1921-04-28
HistOry's Great Men
We're Warm Friends
of the Thoroughbred

rss annual spring season %
thorouehbred racing VII soon De A. itS
heiehr in Kentucky aud there u ever
indication that interest In the famous
ia snort rhlr ysar Will surpsss any
~ The DAYS that have gone before
Chief ameng ths perennial ettrsc-
,,or. of thoroughbred racing Il ia
Genuine democracy. The thorough
6raa baz BIS charms for us all today
tu-r a. he ala o. the days OF George
washington ard Andrew Jackson.
Both these presidents OF the United
states we're great lovers OF the
,horoushbrad and loyal supporters OF
the sport OF horse racing They bred
ana raced their own horses, and his
tory records the fact that the former
actsd as a judge at the Newmarket
Course. Charleston. 3. G. on one oc-
casion. WarA-l ztun. as We al Know,
was a noted h0rssman. who enjoyed
his spirited thoroughbred f9r riding
and hunting through the field until
very late in life. and his stable had
reputation FOR The number and quality
Of the horses 10 contained.
Andre, Jackson was al enthusiastic
patron of Horse racing long before he
became president lie maintained
formidable stab e. which Included
Truxt1u. a horse ~ which he as OK
ceedinely proud. und with which he
won the famous match race for 5000
against Greyhound After his lnau
gurit.on a. pres ieur. hs brought his
horses 90 tAs Capitol. and Ia 1884
D.. A. me
and Mrs Van Buren, often being pres
ent 70 witness the morning workout
OF the horses personally, superintendent
by the president. with charscteristic
lmpetuosity and plain speech, Tor "Old
Hickory. as history records. had
temper ~ his own"
The Washr gron Course. located
about two Mllca from the Capital. vas
built 10 $50 The Jockey Club. under
whose auspices IL was operated. NUN
hered among Us members the most dis
tinctive men " affairs OF the DAP
Racing was regularly attended By the
presidents. from Jefferson 10 Ven
Buren,. On one occasion John Quincy
Adams walked 10 and FROM the course
surroundei b. tho squipages OF tbs
wealthy.
-Gensrals wash ngton and Jack
son" writes one isading commentator.
are examples ~ the fondness that
great statesmen and military men have
50 generally entertained for the horse
and sport ~ the turf Though equal
ly bold and aggressive riders 10 the
field, Gegeral Jackson was the more
successful % the course The racing
annals OF the " est record MS numsr-
GUS victories. and according TO the
anecdotes which are told OF him, be
Sometimes inundated his adversarles
OF the boliness OF defiance, where hs
might not have won by the speed or
bottom Of his horse.
One Of General Jackson's closest
friends was the Rev. 81 NJ Cryer. a
minister OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Who was breeder OF
thoroughbred horses and who raced
one az them IN the name OF hts part
ner. Col Geo. Elliott. The reverend
gentleman. having been charged with
horse racing. Was summoned before
the tribunal and asked II he had any
thing 90 say IN his defense; nothing"
gas his reply, except that | would
like TO have you let me know how /
can arrange Il FOR my half OF the horse
10 stand IN the stable while Col. FL
uOtt's half 81 racing. The horse be-
longs 70 Us Jointly. He has the same
right 20 control him that ] have and
he y IN race him and / cannot keep him
from T.
Needless 70 add. Mr.. Cryer was duly
acquitted
The utter absence of prejudice
against the turf Ia earlier days brings
into sharp contrast our sporadic lat
ter-day agitatiOns In disapproyaL
For example. II Is mentioned IN the
Catholic Churchman. published at An
napolls IN 1744. that among the legtti-
mate pastimes Of the population which
met with the approval OF the church
itself. was the new one OF racing
horses. which had grown TO be highly
popular among the gentry of the coun-
try. However, we Of today. have every
reason to believe that the turf Is on
the eve o. a greater measure OF popu-
Lar support than II has received In a
decade-not only as q matter of health
ful ut-of door entertainment but also
because Of its Importance rs an sd-
iunct To the Industry Of breeding
thoroughbred horses for uss In sup
plying the army with cavalry mounts
ana other highly utilitarian purposss