The New York herald., 1922-02-26
JOCKEY CLUB IN LINE.
ON PETER THE GREAT.
Stewards Accept Jefferson
Wells's Latest Version Of
TrOtting Sire's Ancestry.
BY &. j. FITZGERALD.

BY &. j. FITZGERALD.
The action of the stewards of the
Jockey Club at recent meeting in ac-
cepting for registration in the stud book
the bay mare foaled in 1856 produced
through the mating of Lexington with
Edith by imported Sovereign out OF
Judith by imported Glencoe will be far
reaching The recognition of this mare
will be welcomed by students of blood
lines everywhere as it establishes q def
irite foundation of thoroughbred blood
in the female line of the renowned trot-
ting sire Peter the Great. 207I4.
The Jockey Clubs interest in the
premises was solely to establish the
breeding of the foal born to Edith at
the Wellswood Plantation in 1855. The
evidence was embodied in the form of
affidavits by Jefferson Wells of Alexan-
dria, La, and Thomas Montfort Wells
OF Colfax in the same State. The Wells
family is one of the best known in the
South and includes Governor of
Louisiana.
The affidavits in the case were re-
ferred to Frank h. Sturgis, chairman
of the breeding bureau of the Jockey
Club, as a committee of one. Mr.. Stur-
gis's report, which was duly adopted
at the meeting Of the Jockey Club on
Thursday, February 8, follows:
Mr.. sturgis's Report.
'"ro the Stewards of the Jockey Club :
At your meeting held January Il,
1922 you appointed me as committee
of one to examine and report back my
conclusions as to certain affidavits af-
fecting the pedigree of bay mare said
to be by Lexington out of Edith by inn
ported Sovereign and foaled in 1858. |
now beg to submit my report and fnd-
ings in this case.
after a most careful and extensive
examination of all the afiidavits, papers
data, &c. submitted ii is my conclusion
and belief that the said mare Edith had
a foal in 1855, the year prior to foalinS
Milton Relf in 1856, which horse is the
first reported produce of Edith in
Bruces stud Book.
"It is further evident to me that the
reason the progeny of Edith foaled in
1855 does not appear in the record of
Bruce's Stud Book is that the foal was
dropped by Edith in the State of
Louisiana. and hence was omitted by
Mr.. Bruce. whose information and
records were from sources obtained in
Kentucky, where the mares of Gen. It.
J. Wells were kept for breeding pur-
poses. and that the following resolution
be adopted:
THAT the registrar is instructed TO
place on the records OF the Jockey Club,
that the bay mare Edith. foaled in 1850
by imported Sovereign out of Judith by
imported Glencoe, foaled bay hlly In
1855 by Lexington. and is further in
structed to embody such produce in
volume I Of the American Stud Book
when reprinted, and to place all papers,
letters. and affidavits in this case in a
special fle TO be carefully preserved. "
Mr., Gocher's TireIess Efforts.
There is a romance connected with the
flly born to Edith in 1856 whose
identity has been established through
the tireless industry OF w. II. Gocher.
secretary of the National Trotting As
sociation. following lead given him
by the late May Overton Of Nashville.
Tenn. well known breeder OF trotters,
Mr.. Gocher's quest carried him 70 Ten
nessee and Louisiana, and in the lat
ter State he found the men who remem-
bered Edith's daughter wildly Jeffer-
son Wells OF Alexandria. who was is
years OF age in 1854. recited the story
Of taking Edith 20 tho Metairie race
course at New Orleans along with Le-
comte. which was 10 run against Lex
ington on April s. 1854. lie was his
III rzrf 1~f
chief aid in the conduct or the racing
and breeding activities at Wellswood
Plantation, whose equine treasures in
cluded the famous gray mare Reel, th-
anccstress OF Domino and the dam OF
Prioress stark. Lecomte. Fanny Wells.
War Dance and other noted performers.
He told how Edith was beaten in race
and was bred 10 Lexington after that
horses race with Lecomte
Then follows the history OF the bay
filly born as a result OF this union. How
she was never trained for racing. hav-
ing become touched in the wind and
was not even named. is recorded by the
veteran. who is sound mentally and
physically. having during the occasion
Of Mr.. Gochers visit ridden forty-ivr
miles in motor without signs oi
fatigue How the mare IN 1851 wa'
given 10 his cousin. Thomas Monitor
Wells. by Cen. Wells az q mount whcr
that young cavalryman rode Off 10 the
war is detailed with circumstantality
Tint Peculiar Little spot
This mare. which was named Lad
Bess by Thomas Montfort Wells. had
been surreptitiously bred 20 n pacing
horse known as AiSenhead by Isaa,
Dixon, a colored groom. and Thomas
Moutfort Wells in his affidavit tells hoH
he was compelled to trade her Off a,
Clarksvillc Tenn during the retreat
from Fort Donelson because OF her
being so heavy with foal that she waa
unable 10 keep pace with the other
horses.