Year: 1876




The history of the American Jockey Club
is in the best sense the history of horse
racing in this country during the last ten
years. When in September, 1866, the gen.
tlemen who founded the club made their
first venture on the beautiful grounds in the
now annexed portion Of Westchester county
there was little of the life Of the turf which
commanded respect in America The war
had torn down the fortunes of the patrons of
sport at the South, and the solid men of the
North had been too busy making money
to fix their attention on the breeding of
blooded animals. In a country which
boosted Of men Of wealth, country returned
to the ways Of peace, it could not long be
that this noble sport would be neglected or
allowed to remain in ignoble hands.
The founders of the American Jockey
Club, with Mr.. Leonard w. Jerome at their
head, therefore stepped in at the right
moment to succeed in their undertaking.
throughout the entire Union and the route
to which traversed the most beautiful
parts of the island, had been secured the
member roll rapidly embraced all the best
names in New York society, and suits of
colors were recorded from racing stables all
over the country. From the first day of the
first meeting the undertaking was success
full. Soon the effects of the establishment of
the club were felt wherever a running race
was contested. The loose practices which
disgrace the turf wherever the sporting
harpies ore not sternly held at arms length
disappeared the just and stringent rules of
the American Jockey Club became the code of
every meeting which pretended to honest
racing, and the gates were thrown wide
open for men of honor who out of their
wealth and leisure felt inclined to own and
run the horse, that paragon Of quadrupeds,
in his perfect form. This is indeed o great
deal to have accomplished in short time,
and no less is the debt which the American
sport-loving public owes to the founders of
the Jockey Club.


Of everything which the Jockey Club has
enforced in regard to racing, jerome Park
and its management have been the model
Elsewhere is told at length the story of the
club, while fine map of the course and
grounds gives our readers bird's-ey
view of them. The fall meeting at present
in progress there gives our citizens an
ample chance for enjoying its beauties
and its pleasures. If there is one crit
icism to be made on tho management
it is that the meetings are spread over
three weeks instead of being concentrated
in one solid week Of racing The effect Of
this diution of the interest is found in
the occasional slimness of the attendance on
certain days. This is great horse festival
for the citizens of New York and its en-
virons, and we feel certain that the manage
ment would find their account while in
creasing tenfold the popular enthusiasm
in their work by giving one racing week,
with races every day, instead of awakening
spasm Of excitement for three days at most
of tho meeting, which dies away almost to
zero in the intervals. A full field of horses
of the purest breed, with their silken coats
and the bright vests Of their riders flashing
in the sunlight as they sweep with flying
hoofs at whirlwind pace toward the winning
post, is sight for the olden gods or their
great successors civilized people, to rejoice
in Let 1t, therefore, be given to New York,
at the seasons of the green and tho gold of
the leaf, in such swift succession that not q
day shall intervene from the first falling of
the starters flag to the last decision of the
judges without its list of races. Let it be =