The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-05-06
History's Great Men
Were Warm Friends
Of the Thoroughbred

OF the Thoroughbred
The annual spring season Of
thoroughbred racing will soon be at its
height in Kentucky, and there Is every
indication that interest in the famous
old sport, this year, will surpass any
Of the days that have gone before.
Chief among the perennial attrac-
lions of thoroughbred racing is ito
genuine democracy. The thorough
bred has his charms for US all today
just as he did in the days of George
Washington and Andrew Jackson.
Both these presidents of the United
States were great lovers of the
thoroughbred and loyal supporters Of
the sport of horse racing. They bred
and raced their own horses, and his
tory records the fact that the former
acted as a judge at the Newmarket
Course, Charleston, S. c., on one oc-
casion. Washington, as we all know,
was a noted horseman, who enjoyed
his spirited thoroughbred for riding
and hunting through the field until
very late in life, and his stable had a
reputation for the number and quality
Of the horses it contained.
Andrew Jackson was an enthusiastic
patron Of horse racing long before he
became president. He maintained a
formidable stable. which included
Truxton, = horse Of which he was OK
ceedingly proud, and with which he
won the famous match race for $1,000
against Greyhound. After his inau-
gurataoa as president, he brought his
horses to the Capitol, and in 1884
trained them in person, Vice President
and Mrs. Van Buren, often being pres
emit to witness the morning workout
Of the horses personally. superintended
by the president, with characteristic
impetuosity and plain speech, for 'Ofd
Hickory" as history records, had a
temper Of his own"
about two miles from the Capital. was
built in 1902 The Jockey Club, under
whose auspices II was operated, num-
bered among its members the most dis
ttncivs men Of affairs Of the day.
Racing was regularly attended by the
presidents, from Jefferson to Van
Buren,. On one occasion John Quincy
Adams walked to and from the course,
surrounded by the equipages Of the
wealthy.
Generals Washington and Jack
son." writes one leading commentator,
arc examples of the fondness that
great statesmen and military men have
50 generally entertained for the horse
and sport Of the turf. Though equal
~ bold and aggressive raders In tho
field, General Jackson was the mere
successful On the course. he rae1nZ
Annals Of the west record his naneR-
eos Victories, and secsgding To The
aaeedoees which s1O tn At LIN. IA
sometimes intimidx&ed HIS adveraar4es
e 1Ae holiness e defiance, where he
mE1t not hAse won By the speed q
bottum Of his hcRsa
One Of General Jac&son's dAUest
hienAs was the Rev. 81. n. Crye1. Q
minister Of the Methodist Episcopal
ChuRcA who was q breeder Of
thoroughbred horses and who raced
one Of them in the name OF his part
ner. Col. Geo. Elliott. The reverend
gentleman, having been charged with
horse racing, was summoned before
the tribunal and asked if he had any
thing to say in his defense; nothing.
was his reply, except that / would
like to have you let me know how !
can arrange it for my half Of the horse
70 stand in the stable while Col. IA
Lofts haff is racing. The horse b.
longs to US jointly. He has the same
right to control him that have; and
he viii race him and cannot keep him
from it"
Needless to add, Mr.. Csyer was duly
acquitted.
The utter absence Of prejudice
against the turf in earlier days brings
into sharp contrast our sporadic lat.
ter-day agitations in disapproval.
For example, it is mentioned in the
Catholic Churchman, published at An
napolis in 1144, that among the legiti
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 Of greater measure of popu.
lar support than it has received in q
decade-not only as matter Of health
fM outof-door entertainment but also
because Of it's importance as an I'd.
jznct to the industry of breeding
Thoroughbred horses for use in sup
| plying the amy with cavalry mounts
end other highly ut1litartan purposea
| z SWEAR OFF