The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-11-10

Jim Lucas, wizard among horse
trainers, is spending the winter in
Butte. In his day he was familiar
with many horses, bred in the royal
purple, and through his training,
winners of world events on the
great ace tracks of the United
States. All he has to do now is
to look back through the vista of
years and conjure up forgotten
glories. Twenty years ago he was
in charge of training on Marcus
Days Bitter Root training farm,
where were bred some of the fast
est acerS on the American turf.
For nearly SO years Lucas was a
top nOtcher and it was his privilege
to breed and train some of the great
est horses the world has produced. He
remembers them today and reflects
upon their greatness-but not like
the old timer who remembers the
proves of a John L. Sullivan, or a
Jim Corbett in his day. He had a
hand in the making of the horses
with which he came in contact which
is different from just knowing about
them.
Ruler of Turf World.
Had Marcus DAILY lived longer he
would have had a stable that would
have conquered the world in turf
dom. OF that Jim Lucas feels GER
tain, and regrets the untimely death
of Mr.. DAILY and the disposal of his
famed stable.
When he was between s and 8
UQo PC old TN. mans hnnnn 10 nUnr
else race horses and train stables at
the WOODBURY. farm, Kentucky, the
property of Robert Atchison Alexan-
der. His education in horses began
with the best that there was in turf
dom-with horses such as imported
Australian, a remarkable race horse
and n of the greatst sires in Amer
up to the time of his death. One
of Mr.. Alexander's famous brood
mares was Ethan Lass, dam of
Kingfisher, and also Canary Bird,
dam of Harry Bassett. In the Alex
ander stables was also Lexington, who
held the mile record for 20 years
and who was an aged horse at the
time that Lucas began to exercise
him. He died at the age of 81 years
and his skeleton is mounted today
in the Smithsonian institution as tri-
to his greatness.
OF Great Stock.
From the horses which Alexander
kept and a number of his Glencoe
are descended many of the
horses which cut a figure today in
race circles and from which came
Hamburg, one of Days horses, and
which was intensely Glencoe bred
with six distinct crosses.
1t was a proud youth who handled
not only the horses mentioned but
others, such as Fax, Planet, Asteroid,
Falsetto, Lison, King Alfonso, i'm
Scythian and Powhatan.
Planet, for instance, was winner OF
81 out of 65 races in which he was
entered. Asteroid, son of Lexington,
vas unbeaten in IL races and lost but
heat.
From exercising, at which he was
,irst started, Lucas was advanced to
AXE charge of different departments
Ind bred and trained such trotters as
Maud S., Messiah, Harold, sire of
Maud S., and Miss Russell, dam of
Maud S.
At the age of 27 years in 1885 Luz
.as left WOODBURY. farm to take
of the Nursery stock farm,
,wned by August Belmont, n of
he most memorable of the early day
ace horse fraternity.
Again Lucas came in contact with
he best there was on the turf and
handled such horses as Illused, His
1ighness, Maha, Jack of Hearts,
queen of Spades, and Magnet. Ill
lsed got its name when it was
down in a three mile race
y Spring Book, a big horse standing
bout II hands. Hearing of the in
ident, Belmont, who was in Eng-
and, wired instructions that the
be named "Illused" because of
he ill-treatment it had received. His
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