The New York herald., 1921-09-11
Crayworthy's Color
Bellies His Breeding
Where Does Sensational Trot-
ter Get His Gray Coat.

Horsemen familiar with the laws of
heredity. relating to the transmission of
coat color are likely to experience some
thing OF shock ON looking up the an
cestry of the great trotter Grayworthy.
:02Ia, that won the historic Charter
Oak purse at Hartford on Thursday in
faster time than Peter Manning made in
the race OF the century" on the same
track. AS indicated by his name, the new
star OF the harness racing world is gray
in color, yet his sire, Axworthy, 2.l5 n,
was a chestnut horse. while his dam,
Bowbelle Mckinney. :1SA. is regis
tered as a bay mare in Wallace's Amer
ican Trotting Register and also In Wal
lace's Yearbook, which are the official
books or record.
Now, the scientific horse sharps sew
eral years ago announced the discovery
OF law OF heredity with which observ-
ing horsemen had long been familiar.
namely. that whenever you see a gray
horse you can bet your stack. not that
red-headed girl Is also in sight. but
that one or the other of the horses par
onts was gray, too. II you made such a
bet on Grayworthys parents and left it
to the Trotting Register or the Year
book. however, you would lose your pile,
for there is nary a gray in the pedi-
gree OF Axworthy until you get back
To his granddam. Young Daisy. by
Strideaway out of Old Daisy the gray
mare OF unknown breeding that used
To beat them all down the road when
Peter Moller drove her on Broadway
nearly sixty years ago. And the first
gray anceetor of Grayworthy in the ie-
male line Is his granddam, Boquita,
2:17ls, according to the official records.
Has this close inbreeding TO gray
horses brought back the color after
skipping one generation is the question
which suggests itself as a solution OF
the seeming breach of natures laws.
or is the color of Grayworthy's dam
an error as 1t appears In the Trotting
Register and the Yearbook? The mare
was bred and registered by the late VIII
liam Simpson. Of New York. who sold
her 70 r.. l.. Nash. of Lexington, KY
tho breeder or her sensational colt The
transfer was duly recorded in the last
published volume of the Register with
out any correction In her color. An ex-
animation of Mr.. Nash's nomination Of
the produce of Bowbelle Mckinney In
the Kentucky Futurity for foals of 1916
shows, however, that he then described
her as gray. although she was again
bay when the entries closed for the Fu-
turity OF the following year. That she
was gray, In fact. Is a safe conclusion,
In the light Of Grayworthy's color.
IL Is not generally known that both
Grayworthy and Peter Manning were
entered in tho Kentucky Futurity OF
1919, and were kept good" or eligible.
as late as June Of that year. Peter Man
ming. indeed. was eligible until the night
before the race. but Grayworthy. then
owned by Frank L. Perrin of Cincinnati,
dropped out on Sept. I. In the hands OF
Cliff Todd he trotted several races that
year on Ohio half-milo tracks, winning
three of them and a record of 2:1SI.
brt without showing form which justi-
fled his owner In paying UP In the big
race at Lexington. His owner played
him for o. second rate horse again last
year. campaigning him at minor meet
ings in the same territory, and with only
fair success. as he won but four races
out of nine. But at Springfield In Au
gust he trotted two heats in I'll u on
the half-mile track, which seemed to
convince the owner or trainer that he
had something. after ALL for Grayworthy
went TO the Grand Circuit meeting at
Columbus and there trotted a mile in
2 rs, with the last half In :01 "a In his
work. Sanford Small OF Boston bought
him for $4,000 on seeing this perform-i
ance. and at Lexington fortnight later
refused $4,000 from Thomas w. Muir
ply after Walter Cox drove him to n
record OF 2 06 against time, with the
last quarter "A 2: 100 gait Mr.. Small
priced him at $4,000 TO a New York
horscman before his great race at Hart
ford