The New York herald., 1921-01-02

Mambrino Chief. was sold soon after
his performance for $4,000.
An impetus was given to colt racing
almost Immediately after the war by
the institution OF the Spirit of the Times
Stake for three-year-old trotters and the
Hiram Woodruff Stake for four-year-
olds. Both were promoted by George
Wilkes. editor of the Spirit, and were
first trotted for in 1867 at the Fashion
Course, near Flushing l.. /. Young
Bruno. winner of the race for three
year-olds, was trained by CARL Burr and
was driven by Budd Doble, who still
lives to tell the story at the ripe old age
of 81.
After Blaclxwoods brilliant perform
ance colt racing became an established
feature at the fair at Lexington. and In
1871 there were not only two races for
e-year-olds but one OF the first On
record for two-year-olds. In 1878 the
Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Asso-
citation gave the first of its October
meetings at Lexington. which have been
continued annually for forty-seven years
without a break. This meeting was
about fifty years ahead of its time In the
matter OF colt racing. During the five
days 1t continued there were no less
than ten events for trotters ranging from
being for three-year-olds. and one a
purse for three-year that had never
beaten 2 $50. The fact that four of the
colt races were called the Treacy Stakes
seems to indicate that the progressive
programme was largely the work Of that
progressive Hiebrnian- -Kentuckian Bar
ney J. Treacy who had a starter in
nearly every colt raca of the meeting,
and three of which he won.
The Treacy Stakes for three-year-olds
at this meeting marked the real Begin
ming of the historic fixed event now
known as the Kentucky Purse. It's origin
is usually traced only to 1875, when Girl
e. Queen won the then unnamed sweep
stakes. but Lady Stout won what was
virtually the same event In 1874, trotting
the first mile below 2 80 by three-year-
old, while In 1873 the afterward well
known sire Coaster was the winner in
2 AZ. So also the now famous Lexing-
ton Purse for two-year-olds had its be-
ginning as the Woodford Stakes, won in
1873 by G. W. Nuckols's bay filly Ale
thea, by Almont, in seq, and in 1874
by John Steele's Consul, also by 'the
great sire of trotters."
The Kentucky Futurity,' with its sep
arate races for two-year-olds and three
year-olds, was instituted twenty years
after the Kentucky and the Lexington.
and these four colt races have ever since
constituted the leading features Of the
breeders meetings. In them the best
time on record for trotters of these ages
has been lowered over and over again,
gone to the stud to become such famous
eires as Director. Directum. Bingen.
Peter the Great, General Watts and The
Harvester
In the North the National Association
of Trotting Horse Breeders. organized at
New York in 1878, did much to foster
colt racing by opening q series of fixed
events for young trotters one Of which
was probably the first futurity in har-
ness racing. State and regional breeders
associations soon afterward came into
existence in many parts Of the country,
and so many stakes were opened that
three-year-old trotters came to have an
earning capacity almost equal to that Of
the best aged horses.
For a good many years the colt races
were often devoid of contest. with small
fields and one youngster completely OUT
| classing the others. This gave such a
black eve to the Juvenile events that
| they fell into disfavor except on n few
OF the mile tracks which were so located
as to assure the coming together OF the
fastest from all parts Of the country.
Lexington never lost its supremacy in
this respect and for almost half CEN
tury the October meetings there have
been unrivalled for colt racing.
| AS lately as ten years ago a colt race
at any OF the earlier meetings Of the
Grand Circuit was looked upon as a
doubtful attraction, but of late years the
number of extremely fast three-year-
olds and two-year-olds has increased to
remarkable extent. Notwithstanding
the alarming decline in horse breeding.
and colt races of to-day in and out OF
the Grand Circuit are usually as well
contested as those for aged horses.
The progress made in this direction is
shown by the rapid multiplication of
two-year-olds in the 2 10 list. 1t is only
ten years since Native Belle first crossed
the line. yet there are now no less than
forty two-year-olds with public records
Of 2:10 or better and ten of these
precocious trotters came into the list in
1920. OF three-year-olds there are now
Isl in the 2 2:10 list and eleven of these
have trotted in 2 :05 or better.