The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-07-23
Pahmy Days W/Hen Montana
Horses Fastest ON AHy Track
Recalled by Races at Helena

men by this time. Larabie remained in
Deer Lodge in the banking business
after his two partners had transferred
their activities entirely to other fields.
He established the Willow Brook farm
and began to breed thoroughbred
horses for pastime.
Among the famous horses which he
owned Besides Ben Holiday, were Bon
ME Australian, Vice Regent, Beth
Brock, Poet Scout, High Tariff. Julia
L. Paul Pry, Julia Kinney, Halma,
Tongese, Staffa, Decapod, Celtic, Bard,
Trolley, Czarowitz, Mary Black, Kin
ley, Mack and Macleod of Dare.
In 1898 the Spirit of the Times"
publication devoted to race horses, said
bred so many h~igh-class race horses
from sc few Mares"
Larabie often said that it was his
desire and intention to nave a stud
second to none in America. He took for
his breeding gospel the theory that he
wanted animals whose pedigree showed
them to come from forebears who had
rate of speed, and possessed of the
stamina and courage which enabled
them to carry that rate Of speed over
long distances. He also sought to breed
animals of fair size and symmetrical
proportions-fine looking horses.
OF all those he bred, none achieved
greater distinction than Ben Holiday,
the game son of Mollie L and Hannibal.
In 1885 Ben Holiday was entered in
- races, won four, was second in three,
third three times and placed twice.
His winnings that year were 81 .765.
Tremendous Feat
In 1896, Ben Holiday ran ID races.
He won three of them, was second in
eight, ran third in six and placed in
three, winning altogether $2,235. In
1898 Ben Holiday wa in nine races
in n and placed in three, winning
S12,835, a total of $25, 1885 for the four
years.
At Morris park, in the fall of 1898,
Ben Holiday set the turf world afire
with his winnings. He took the Morris
park special at two miles with 100
pounds up, and the Municipal handi-
cap at n and three quarter miles,
carrying 100 pounds, the later race in
the time of 3:01a.
In the Morris park handicap Ben
Holiday was asked to carry the crush
ing weight of 1873 pounds at a distance
OF two and one-quarter miles. The race
was I'll in mud and Holiday romped
in ahead in the time of 4:O7.
The only feat at that time compar-
able to Holidays performance was the
W1L1lLIlS VI C1le N1elOOuIlle cup ny Gar
bine, the great Australian horse. Car
bine went over the two mile course for
the Melbourne cup carrying 145 pounds
and won the race in 1924 in a field
of 80 horses.
Fred Taral, the jockey who rode Ben
Holiday in the Morris park handicap,
said that the horse ran away with him
and that he could not even pull him
up after the finish.
Ren Ho11adav's dam No11io T. uoe hu
Longfellow-Mollie McCamp, by Hun
ter'S Lexington. Holiday was foaled in
1893 and made his appearance on a
race track at Lexington, KY, in 1895.
After he started racing his horses on
the big tracks, Larabie trained the ami
mails at Louisville, KY. His trainer was
Peter Winner.
Others Brilliant
Another brilliant performer bred by
Larabie was Poet Scout, later owned by
Tom McTague of Deer Lodge, for many
years a partner with Frank Conley in
operating the Montana state peniten-
tiary under contract. Poet Scout did
not start as a 2-year-old, but when
three he made an excellent showing.
At Monmouth park he won the Shrews-
bury handicap at one n one-haf
miles with lib pounds up, in 1884,
which was one of the best performances
on record at that time for a stallion
at that distance and weight. Poet Scout
was foaled in 1888 by L~Ongfellow, dam
Gypsy, by Wardance. His first appear
ance was as a ~3-year-old in the Latonia
derby in which he a third to King
man and Dickerson.
Poet Scout won the one and one
quarter mile Sheridan stakes in 2:11A;
the Maiden stakes, mile and a furlong;
the Hickory stakes, a mile and a half.
AS a 4-year-old he won the Shrews-
bury handicap at n and one-half
miles, delegating Raceland and other
good ones. The next year he won the
Queen City handicap at one and one
eighth miles.
Halma made his debut as a 2-year-
old in a five furlong dash, finishing
third to Compania and Sir Dixon Jr.
Halma showed his best form as a s.
year-old when in six starts he came in
first five times and second once, win
ming a total Of $13635. His stake VIC
tories were in the Phoenix Hotel stakes,
n and one-eighth miles; the Ken
lucky derby, one and one-quarter miles,
and the Latonia derby. He was never
so good again after the Latonia, which
was a hard race. He was defeated in
the Mimyar stakes and shortly after
wards was retired.
Decapod, another Larabie horse, half
brother to Montana Regent, Vice Re-
gent, Julia L and Bonnie Australian,
became famous in cross-country events.
He vas sired by Imp. Sir Modred out
Of Christine, by Imp. Australian.
Tammany Electrifies
While the Larabie stable was making
records, the DAILY stable was doing
likewise. It was in 1892 that Days
horse Tamznany, first electrified the
world by going east as a dark horse"
and winning his first rae at 60 to I.
He won all Of his stake races as a s.
year-old and defeated Lamplighter as
a 4-year-old. Prior to that time Pa
cific coast and eastern horsemen had
openly sneered at the idea that race
horses could be bred in Montana. They
said the climate was too rigorous
But DAILY had established his Bitter
Root stock farm in the Bitter Root
valley and built a summer home at
Hamilton. He was first attracted TO
the country when he and George
| Hearst, father Of william Randolph