The New York herald., 1922-05-21

hybrid of the genus equus and the dark
skinned American OF African descent
first came In contact. But who has sung
the praises of the blackamoor as a horse
man. or even told the story OF his inn
portant part as slave snd freedman In
the glorious annals of our turf?
AS far back as we can trace the sport
OF horse racing in Virginia and Mary
land-and that Is almost to the begin
ming of the colonies-wc find him TAX
ing care of the high mettled racers and
riding them in contests of speed on
which their masters sometimes wagered
sprtua in tobacco or cotton. and even
Der tho bondmen themselves.
The patience, good nature, content
Iasnt & I'D easy going deliberation. some
t;nes talled laziness or shiftlessness.
which are characteristic of the black
race n AXE them excellent grooms for
horsea of nervous and spirited tempera-
nIsnt When they take a fancy to the
wusA is so many of them do. The
writer vas reminded of this recently on
hooking over a string of trotters in train
irg ne of them by the man eating
stallion Manrico, 2:07A resented the
approach of everybody until her owner
said. call Shine he can do anything
with hs A. Shine was a negro. and the
daughter of Manrico proved to be Mary's
lamb in his hands.
Preacher Rubs Great PAGER.
So like ducks to water do horses seem
TO take to dusky attendants that the
famous trainer Ed Geers has seldom
employed any others for the hundreds
of valuable trotters and PAGERS he has
driven In the last fifty years. Once at
least he has drawn on the church for
caretaker. Preacher George" who
rubbed the champion PAGER Hal Pointer.
2:O415, some thirty years ago. having
left the pulpit to follow the fortunes OF
Tennessee's great harness horse and his
equally great driver.
1t was with the running horse of ths
South, however, in the days when that
section of the country supported the
best racing in America, that the negro
won his highest honors as Il horseman.
Almost the first professional trainer of
prominence in the meager records of
early racing in Virginia was "Old
Charles" black slave whose name is
associated with many of the greatest
horses and races In the annals Of the
turf. He fitted Flirtilla for the con-
tests at four-mile heats which made her
the champion of the South a century
ago and turned her over to Col. Will
lam r. Johnson. "the Napoleon of the
Turf" just before she defeated Ariel in
the great sectional match for $50, 900 be-
tween the North and the South at the
Union Course, on Long Island. in 1925
Wagner. the conqueror of Gray Eagle
in the most famous races ever run in
Kentucky, came out in the stable OF
"Old Charles" who trained him until
1889. when he had become the acknowl-
edged champion of the Southwest. The
black trainer then passed into the hands
of Otway P. Hara of Petersburg. Va.
for whom he worked successfully long
time.
"HeII Fire Dick" in Saddle.
Long before the triumphs of "Old
Charles another Virginia negro slave,
owned by Col. John Tayloe. the leading
turfman of tha Old Dominion. achieved
distinction as Hell Fire Dick
"Senex." a veteran correspondent of the
American Turf Reister, described him
as "the best rider I ever saw in tho
saddle" in reporting a memorable race
in 1895. in which the black jockey dis
played all the strategy and cunning OF
Sam Chifney in his handling of the
gray horse Quicksilver by imported
Medley. tapping him under the chin
with his whip in the last stride of 4
very close finish. just in time to make
him straighten out his head and win by
q nose, the writer said.
Contemporaneous with Hell Fire
Dick" there was In South Carolina
native African hunchback known as
Monkey Simon, who became renowned
as a race rider. He had been brought
TO America before the prohibition Of the
slave trade, and 1t was rumored that he
was a prince In his native land. He was
afterward taken to Tennessee. Baylie
Peyton in his "reminiscences OF the
Turf republished In Douglas Ande- son's s
Making the American Thoroughbred"
has left a graphic pen picture of this
remarkable character and his exploits
In height he was 4 feet inches with
very short body and remarkably long
legs. Col. George Elliott, one of the
pioneer breeders and turfmen of Ten
nessee. said of Simon after his death
that he was the coolest, bravest, w1sest
rider he ever saw mount horse. Simon
rode Capt. Jesse Haynes famed Maria
against Gen. Andrew Jackson's Pacolet
in one OF the numerous matches In which
The future President tried in vain to
beat the invincible daughter OF Diomed
Just before the horses started the Gem
eral said to the misshapen negro
Jockey:
Monkey Simon to Gen. Jackson.
Now Simon. when my horse is about
20 pass you don't spit your tobacco juice
III iiiS eyes as you sometimes 10
which Simon. quick as fash, replied,
well. Gin'ral, I've rode a good deal
asfn your horses. but none of 'em could
ever yet get near enough TO catch my
spit"
Mr.. Peyton says that Simon was
owned by some minor children after he
arrived In Tennessee. and that by ar
rangement with their guardian he was
annually sold at auction for the racing
season, usually for twelve or fifteer dol
iars, owing TO his dissipated habits
Cato. the rider OF Wagner in his
races with Gray Eagle, was another
negro who ranked with the best white
Jockeys when the celebrated GIL Pat
rick was in his prime. Kate" as he
was called, had a handsome figure. set
off by costly and somewhat unusual
"colors," the gift OF James " Wagner
OF Baltimore in recognition of the com
plinent of naming the great racehorse
for him. The high laced boots.
breeches, Jacket and cap were all bright
scarlet, set Off by gold tassels, epau-
lettes and lace. making n costume which
attracted much attention. Cato became
free about the time he rode Wagner in
the great races at Louisville and Il has
been said that his emancipation was
the reward for Wagner's victory.
Not less renowned than Cato was
Abe. the ever faithful Jockey who rode
Lecomte In his winning race against
Lexington at New Orleans I'm 1854. when
he ran the fastest four-mile heat then
on record. As a rider Abe had few