PERIODICAL DEPARTMENT / Book No. "52 Accession J£36.1 B74 147846 NOT TO BE TAKEN FROM THE LIBRARY FORM NO. 37 2M-2-2Q 4$* VOLUME LI. -No. 27 +le"bb-> ^y 1 4*7846 ' SATURDAY. JANUARY 4, 190S. Subscription— ?3.00 Per Year it? Xi'!f THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN [Saturday. January 4, 190S. DID YOU EVER HEAR OF AN OFFER LIKE THIS? Useful and Beautiful No other firm could offer this hut us. This is the first time tve have ever made this offer — this beauti- ful four-piece set of Silverware (guaranteed), full size for familv use. packed in ease. For Only 97c It is done solely to advertise our product and only one set will be sent to each family, with positively no duplicate or- ders. The plate is heavy and the pattern one of the latest and most fashionable — the famous "Rose." The pieces are FIT TO GRACE ANY TABLE AND WILL LAST FOR YEARS OROF"R TO DAY This price includes all packing, shipping and de- *-H\.l^I_*I\. 1 \J-UJ-\ I livery charges prepaid to your door. Send cash, money order, or 2c stamps to Dept. E., Rogers Silverware Co., No. 114 Fifth Avenue NEW YORK CAPITAL $3,000,000 SURPLUS $3,200,000 The First National Bank Of SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. A General Banking Business Transacted. Travelers Letters of Credit is- sued, available in all the large cities of the world. Steel Safe Deposit Boxes for Rent In vaults that successfully withstood the fire of April, 1906. Trunks, Silver- ware and Packages Containing Valuables taken on storage in fire and burglar proof steel vaults. * * * * "***++**♦#♦#♦*♦♦+* * * The ROSS McMAHON Awning and Tent Co. * Tents, Hammocks, Awnings and Covers. Camping Outfits for Hunting J :and Fishing Trips. * * 73 Market St., San Francisco, Cal. $ * + fdone Temporary 2030. ♦ McMurray - McMurray McMURRAY Sulkies and Jogging Carts Standard tlie World Over. Address for printed matter and prices W. J. KENNEY, 531 Valencia St., San Francisco, Cal. | Sales Aj^ent for California. McMurray - McMurray Four more In 2:15 have already been credited this season to "McKINNEY" 2:liy4 Making his wondeifu] list still more remarkable. r'n"„"r;i:"gjoirSThe Empire City Farms, Cuba, N. Y. The Stallion Number OF THE Breeder and Sportsman Will be issued February 15tb, 1908. It will have a baud- some cover iu colors, coutaiu mauy illustrations aud be replete witb matter interesting to breeders and borsemen. If You Own a Stallion Dou't fail to advertise him iu tbis issue, as an advertisement of your borse in tbis number will reach every man on tbe Coast wbo owns a good mare. If You Own a Mare You will find this number very interesting, as it will con- tain the stallion announcements giving particulars as to description, pedigree, terms, etc., of all the best horses on the Coast, aud from these announcements you can decide ou what stallion will nick best with your mare. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HARNESS HORSES? If so, you will be interested in reading this number, as it will contain statistics and news that will be valuable and entertaining. Iu place of getting out the usual large Christmas number of tbe Breeder axd Sportsman last month, it was decided to make a special effort and get out a haudsome stallion issue, and the date of February 15th was selected as Christmas comes too early for au issue of this descrip- tion. Owuers of stallious who wish illustrations of their horses to appear in this issue should have photographs prepared without delay and send in their orders for space. A specially low price has been decided on for advertising in this issue, placing it within the reach of all. Write for price and particulars. BREEDER AXD SPORTSMAX SAX FRANCISCO, CAL. Saturday, January 4, 190S.] THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN THE WEEKLY BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN (Established 1882.) F. W. KELLET, Proprietor Turf and Sporting Authority of the Pacific Coast OFFICE: 616 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE, SAN FRANCISCO P. O. DRAWER 447. Entered as Second Class Matter at San Francisco PostofDce. Terms— One Tear $3; Six Months $1.75: Three Months $1 STRICTLY IN ADVANCE Money should be sent by Postal Order, draft or letter addressed to F. W. Kelley, P. O. Drawer 447, San Fran- cisco, California. Communications must be accompanied by the writer's name and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a private guarantee of good faith. A SPECIAL STALLION NUMBER of the Breeder and Sportsman will be issued on Saturday, February 15th, 190S. It has been the custom of this journal to issue a large illustrated edition of the paper during the Christmas holidays, which was made the medium of advertising stallions that would be in service on the Coast during the ensuing season, but as that date has been found to be a little too early for many stallion owners to know just where their horses would be kept during the season, terms, etc., it was decided to issue our big annual edition this time on February 15th. Breeders and horsemen generally will endorse this change of date and will readily recognize the especial value of an edition that will be able to give accurate information as to the whereabouts and service fees for 1908 of all the leading stallions on this Coast. A large number of owners have already engaged space in this spe- cial issue, and we believe it will be the most valuable edition ever issued by this journal. Our Mr. J. R. Fronefield has already visited several localities and secured many advertisements and will visit Los An- geles and other southern points in the interest of this journal during the coming week. Every stallion that will make the season of 1908 on the Pacific Coast should be represented in the Special Stallion number, out February 15th. GOVERNOR HUGHES OF NEW YORK, who is being prominently mentioned as the candidate of the Republican party for President, recommends in his annual message to the New York Legislature, that laws be passed which will completely suppress all race track betting. Governor Hughes, in his mes- sage recites the New York constitutional provision forbidding lotteries, pool selling, book making or any other form of gambling within the State and empoyering the Legislature to fix penalties there- for and urges the amendment of the Penal Code which prescribes the punishment for pool selling at race tracks, forfeiture of the money paid by the bettor to be recovered. The message continues: "The Constitution makes no exception of race tracks. I recommend that the Legislature carry out the clear direction of the people without discrimi- nation. In conclusion with the repeal of the existing exceptions I recommend that the offense described in the Penal Code should be punished by imprison- ment and that the alternative of fines should be abolished." It is not often that a man who is a Presidential candidate has the courage to take such a decided stand on a question that will array against him such powerful influences as the New York racing associations, but the growing evil of race track gambling is such that statesmen in all parts of the country are now openly asking for its suppression. It is not harness racing which has aroused this antagonism, but the prostitution of the thoroughbred to a mere gambling machine that has done it. A HARNESS RACE PROGRAM should fit the conditions which exist in the section of country where the meeting is to be held. If there are two or three horses that outclass all others of a particu- lar class, and it is known that they will be raced, it is almost useless to offer a race for that class with the expectation of getting a dozen entries. Horsemen who have horses in training generally know what the other fellows have, and will refuse to enter in races where they have no chance for anything better than fourth money in the race. Secretaries should study the Year Book, visit the training tracks and post themselves thoroughly in regard to the horses in training and then they will be prepared to arrange programs that will fill. Early meetings, those that are held during the first two or three weeks of the circuit, can generally get a pretty gen- erous lot of entries for any old program, as there is always a host of green horses and those with slow records whose owners desire to try them out in early races just to see if they will do, but later on when the horses begin to show, a program must be ar- arrnged with some intelligence and judgment to "fill to the satisfaction of the board," and to get enough starters to make it interesting. There are horses that have no record, but are known to be cracker- jacks that must be provided "against", or other owners will stay out of that race, while there are dozens of 2:30 trotters that can be brought together in what will probably prove the hottest kind of a contest, if the Secretary is only wise enough to know it and make the conditions agreeable to their own- ers. If California had a regularly organized cir- cuit, the associations could afford to pay an expert to ascertain all the facts about the horses in train- ing each year, and make programs for them that would furnish good racing at every meeting. With- out such organization, however, little can be done unless an association is fortunate enough to have a Secretary that knows the business. THE HORSE BOOK is a recent publication from the pen of J. H. S. Johnstone, assistant editor of the Chicago Breeders' Gazette, and published by that journal. It is a well printed work of 400 pages, and is a treatise on horse breeding, written more par- ticularly for the farmer and student. Part I treats of the origin of the horse, heredity as a force, em- bryology, management of stallions, broodmares and foals, fitting for market, sale and show ring. Part II treats of the breeds, chapters being devoted to all known breeds of the horse. Part III is devoted to hygiene, unsoundness and disease. There is an appendix which gives the stallion lien laws of all the States and Territories which have enacted such legislation. The book has many fine illustrations and is written in an entertaining manner. It is sold at $2, sent prepaid by mail or express. Address Sanders Publishing Co., 35S Dearborn street, Chicago. THE CHICAGO HORSE REVIEW has made new conditions for its popular Futurity, which should make it still more popular. In this new stake every subscriber to the paper at $2.50 per year has the privilege of nominating without cost every mare bred in 1907 that he owns. On November 1, 1908, when the foals will be weaned, a payment of $5 will be made on each weanling, and on May 1, 1909, another payment of $5 will be due on each yearling. There are no other payments except starting pay- ments. As the stake is guaranteed to be worth $12,- 500, it should be a very attractive one to breeders. The fact that by the payment of $2.50 a person can get a yearly subscription to the Horse Review and nominate every mare he owns in a $12,500 Futurity should appeal to every horseman who knows a good thing when he sees it. THE NORTH PACIFIC RURAL SPIRIT of Port- land, Oregon, issued a splendid holiday number of close to 100 pages that we think lays over anything this excellent journal has previously gotten out. It is chuck full of matters of interest to all breeders of live stock and has been elaborately illustrated with fine half-tones. TROTTERS AND PACERS FOR AUSTRALIA. \ On the steamer Kelvinbank, which sailed from San Francisco last Tuesday for Melbourne, Australia, were twTenty-one head of trotters and pacers, which is without question the best consignment in breed- ing and individuality that ever left California for the land of the mid-summer Christmas. Eighteen of these horses were purchased by Mr. Andrew Robertson for Allendale Stock Farm, Men- tone, near Melbourne, and the remaining three were consigned by Thomas Bonner to Mr. W. B. Viers of Melbourne, who is an American of several years' ■ residence in Australia, and who already owns a number of California bred trotters and pacers. Mr. Robertson has been in California for the past two months selecting the horses for Allendale Farm, and has most favorably impressed all who have had dealings with him, as being a fair-dealing gentleman, who is an excellent judge of a horse, as well as a close student of breeding. He. has selected stallions and brood-mares that will be valuable acquisitions to the trotting-horse breeding ranks of Australasia, and it is perfectly safe to predict that from them will come many future fast performers and race winners on the Australian tracks. The complete list of the horses taken by Mr. Robertson on his trip is as follows: Stallions. Marvin Wilkes 2:12%, bay stallion, 15.3%, foaled 1901, sired by Don Marvin 2:22. dam Nora S. by Sable Wilkes 2:18. Bred by Walter Mastin of Sacra- mento. Medium Direct, black stallion, 15.3, foaled 1904, sired by Rey Direct 2:10, dam Missie Medium by Rampart. Bred by Geo. A. Davis. Pleasanton. This colt was called Little Rey by his breeder, but has never been officially named. Tertius, black stallion, 15.2, foaled 1903, sired by McKinney 2:11%, dam She 2:12% by Abbotsford. Bred by Chris Smith, San Mateo, sold by W. A. Clark Jr., of Los Angeles. Hal Zolock, brown stallion, foaled 1906, sired by Zolock 2:05%, dam Belle Pointer by Sky Pointer, brother to Star Pointer 1:59%. Bred by Mrs. L. J. Hastings. Los Angeles. Lou Doble, bay stallion, foaled 1906, sired by Kin- ney Lou 2:07%, dam Marguerite by Tom Benton. Bred by Mrs. J. L. McCord, Sacramento, sold by Henry Delaney. Brown colt, foaled 1905, sired by Chas. Derby 2:20, dam Tone, dam of Agitato 2:09, by Ferguson. Bred by Oakwood Park Stock Farm; sold by W. C. Helman. Bay colt, foaled 1907, sired by Bon Voyage 2:12%, dam Bessie McKinney by McKinney 2:11%, second dam Stemwinder, dam of Directum 2:05%. Bred by Geo. A. Davis, Pleasanton. Mares. Christobel 2:11% (registered as Rosario) by Chas. Derby 2:20, dam Algerdetta, dam of Thornway 2:05%, etc., by Allandorf. Bred by Oakwood Park Stock Farm. In foal to Star Pointer 1:59%. Sold by W. A. Clark Jr. Bay filly, foaled 1906, by Hal B. 2:04%, dam Christobel 2:11% as above. Sold by W. A. Clark Jr. Bessie McKinney. black mare by McKinney 2:11%, dam Stemwinder, dam of Directum 2:05% by Venture. Bred by Geo. A. Davis. Florence McKinney, bay mare by McKinney 2:11%, dam Mission Belle. This mare is an own sister to John Rowan's stallion Mechanic. Sold by John Rowan. Biddy, gray mare by Re-Election, dam Irish Lady by Wilkes Boy. Bred to Star Pointer 1:59% in December, 1907. Sold by Thos. Bonner. Directess, brown mare by Direct 2:05%, dam Dusk by Dawn. In foal to Bon Voyage 2:12%. Sold by M. C. Delano. Elsie Downs, brown mare, foaled 1S9S, by Boodle 2:12%, dam Lvnda Oak 2:18%, dam of Dr. Frasse 2:11%, etc., by Guy Wilkes 2:15%. Bred by J. W. Rea. Sold by W. W. Mendenhall. Babbie 2:13, bay mare by Welcome 2:10%. dam sister to Cricket 2:10 by Steinway. Babbie is own sister to Cavalier 2:11%. Bred and sold by H. W. Meek. Babe McKinney, black mare by McKinney 2:11%. dam Babe by Ferdinand. Bay mare, foaled 1904 by Stam B. 2:11%, dam Elsie Downs by Boodle 2:12%. Sold by W. W. Mendenhall. Bay mare by Falrose, bred by Walter Mastin, Sacramento. Nearly all the above mares are in foal to first-class stallions. The Veirs Consignment. The three mares purchased by Thos. Bonner of this city and shipped to Mr. W. B. Veirs of Mel- bourne, are the following: Chestnut mare, own sister to Robert I. 2:0S%, and three others in the list. Sired by Hambletonian Wilkes, dam Anna Belle 2:27 by Dawn 2:18%. Palomita, black mare foaled 1904, sired by Arner 2:17% (own brother to Don Derby 2:04%. Diablo 2:09%). dam by Rustic. Bred by H. Busing. Reta B., brown mare foaled 1900, sired by Boodle Jr. 34.S34, dam Gabilan Girl by Gabilan 19932. ARABIANS MOSTLY GRAY. In a most interesting article in Harpers Monthly for January, Dr. Henry Van Dyke tells of a trip he recently made from the Springs of Jordan to Da- mascus. On the way he saw many Arabian horses and thus describes them: "There is something very attractive about these Arabian horses as you see them in their own country. They are spirited, fear- less, sure-footed, and yet, as a rule, so docile that they may be ridden with a halter. They are good for a long journey, or a swift run, or a 'fantasia.' The prevailing color among them is gray, but you see many bays and sorrels, and a few splendid blacks. An Arabian stallion satisfies the romantic ideal of how a horse ought to look. His arched neck, small head, large eyes wide apart, short body, round flanks, delicate pasterns, and little feet: the way he tosses his mane and cocks his flowing tail when he is on parade: the swiftness and spring of his gallop, the dainty grace of his walk — when you see these things you recognize at once the real, original horse which the painters use to depict in their 'Portrait of General X on his Favorite Charger.' I asked the guide what one of these fine creatures would cost 'A good one two or three hundred dollars: an extra good one four hundred: a fancy one — who knows?' " THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN [Saturday, January 4, 190S. THE LEADING SIRES. AMERICAN HARNESS HORSES IN DEMAND BY FOREIGN OWNERS. The year 1907 will go down into horse history as the one season during which the compilation of racing statistics was most difficult. The tele- graphers' strike during the summer prevented any- thing but the most meagre reports from the smaller meetings, and our readers all know how incomplete were the returns sent in from the Grand Circuit to the press of San Francisco. For this reason the com- pilation of statistics has been a very difficult matter during the year, and until the Year Book is printed it will almosL be impossible to prepare them with any pretense at accuracy. The eastern horse papers, notably The Horse Review of Chicago, have ex- pended a great deal of labor and money in an effort to get full reports of the thousands of harness meetings held in the United States during the year, and the tables in their holiday editions are as com- plete as they could be made under the circumstances. One of the most interesting of these is the list of leading sires of the country, from which we have taken the following facts of particular interest to Pacific Coast readers. The leading sire of new standard performers for the year is Allerton 2:09%. ^no has no less than twenty-one new ones to his credit, but of this long list but three have records of 2:20 or better and but one is in the 2:15 list, his fastest new one be- ing the trotter Todd Allerton 2:12%, that had a previous record of 2:13 at the pacing gait. Allerton at twenty-one years of age has a total of 17S stand- ard performers to his credit. Next to Allerton in the number of new performers is Prodigal 2:16, with nineteen to his credit, giv- ing him a total of 89 standard performers all told. Five of the new ones are in the 2:20 list and four are in the 2:15 list, the fastest being the pacer Moy 2:07%. Fourteen-year-old Bingen comes next with thirteen new performers, six of which are of the 2:20 class and two in the 2:15 list. Bingen's fastest new one is the four-year-old trotter Codero 2:09%. Bingen has a total now of 37 standard performers. The pacer Galileo Rex has the same number of new ones that Bingen has — thirteen — but he ha? only three in the 2:20 list, and his fastest new performer only took a record of 2:17%. His total list to date numbers 27. McKinney 2:11% has an even dozen new standard performers to his credit, and of these seven are in the 2:20 list and six in the 2:15 list. McKinney is rapidly approaching the list of century sires, hav- ing now a total of 97 standard performers, and out- ranks all other stallions by having 17 in 2:10, 44 in 2:15. and 62 in 2:20. He is twenty years old. Arion 2:07% also has twelve new performers this season, of which two trotted in 2:20 or better and one took a record of 2:13%. Arion now has 44 in the list at the age of eighteen. In the entire list of sixty-two stallions that had five or more new performers in 1907, but two will be in service on the Pacific Coast in 1908. These two are Zombro and Redlac. Zombro stands thirteen- th in this list, with nine new ones to his credit, of in this list, with nine new ones to his credit, of which seven are in the 2:20 list, four in the 2:15 list and two in the 2:10 list Redlac has five new performers.of which El Red 2:10% is the fastest. Of the sixty-two stallions in this list of leading sires, thirty-one are direct descendants of Geo. Wilkes and twelve of Electioneer. WHAT ABOUT THE CIRCUIT. During the summer season of 1907 California had a harness-racing circuit that was quite a success. Starting at San Diego with a two days' meeting in June, there was a long jump to Salinas, where an excellent four days* program was given. Thence the horses were shipped to Pleasanton for four days' fine racing: then came in succession the Pacific Coast Trotting Horse Breeders' meeting at Santa Rosa, the Stover meeting at Petaluma, the Woodland meeting and the California State Fair. There was excellent racing and fast time at all these tracks, and the attendance was generally good everywhere. After the State Fair, many of the fastest horses were shipped to the North Pacific Circuit, but some were taken south to Fresno, Hanford, and Tulare, where some good racing was given for smaller purses than had ruled on the main circuit. The season, on the whole, was a most successful one and furnished pretty conclusive evidence that California can take high rank as a harness-racing State if the associations giving meetings will only announce dates and programs early and arrange a circuit that will enable owners to race their horses in the classes where they belong. It is not too early for the dates for 190S to be claimed and published, and by March 1st every association that proposes giving a meeting during the year should have its program ready. By unity and progressive action, all the best horses and most prominent trainers can be induced to remain at home this year, and we believe it is the duty of our leading associations to make an effort in that direction. Let all get together and see if the Cali- fornia Circuit of 1908 cannot be made the greatest in the history of the State o IcClary has sent two green pacers by Star ■:59%, to Mr. Geers at Memphis. One is s'er to Alice Pointer 2:05^. [J. L. Hervey in Chicago Record Herald.] Commenting of the recent New York auction sale — whose very remarkable results will afford material for discussion for some time to come — it was said at a time when the early returns were coming in that, while there was an unusually large number of foreign buyers in attendance at Madison Square Garden, they did not appear to be buying to the extent expected. This, however, turned out to be a condition which was apparent, but not real, due to the fact that none of the foreigners made their purchases in their own names, but through agents. As a matter of fact, they bought more heavily than for years past, and a large number of our best and most highly bred trotters are now on their way to the Old World, or soon will be. Among some of the trotting stallions that go abroad are Directum Kelly 2:08%, Lecco 2:09%, The Phantom 2:10%. Captain Bacon 2:10% and St. Valient Vincent 2:11%. Among the mares are Golddust Maid 2:07%, Bi-flora 2:09%, Fanny P. 2:09% and Directum Lass 2:09%. Among the geld- ings are Tom Axworthy 2:07 and Tommy H. 2:07%, Along with these there are scores of others, many with slower records, or else young and promising ones of high breeding but without marks. These horses go chiefly to Austria — or Austro- Hungary — and to Russia; a few go to France, and the two geldings named go to England. The conti- nental purchasers invariably buy stallions or mares, as geldings are not raced in those countries, and such animals as they buy are in many instances destined for breeding purposes and not for the turf. In Austria, Russia and Italy the breeding of trotters is fast assuming extensive proportions, and it is also making headway in Denmark, Holland and Belgium. France is also interested in it, but she refuses to buy American trotting stock for breed- ing purposes and sticks to her own breed, as a con- sequence of which she is constantly falling behind in the procession, her trotters, neither individually nor in point of speed comparing with those of Austria, Italy or Russia, the three countries where American blood has been largely used in improving the breed, and is still being used.. As is well known the oldest breed of trotting horses — that is. of distinct type, possessing natural trotting action and speed as a part of their family inheritance — are the Russian Orloffs, which date back to the eighteenth century and had been estab- lished long before the Ameircan trotter was so much as dreamed of. They were at one time supposed to be the best trotters in the world — but the rapid evolution of the American has placed them far in the back-ground and now, for twenty years past, Russia has been importing American blood for the purpose of improvement. Its success in this respect has been extraordinary. About 2:18 is said to be the best rate of speed that a pure bred Orloff has attained, but since the use of American stallions was begun, the Russian trotting record has kept faling at a rapid rate, and this past season saw it placed at 2:08%. This per- formance was made by the son of an American stal- lion and an Orloff mare. This method of cross breeding has proved so ex- tremely successful that Russian breeders have be- gun to discard Orloff sires except for getting car- riage stock, as their get have no chance with the get cf the American sires. But, as Russia's is a strongly paternal government, it is the desire to incorporate the Orloff strain as a permanent constituent element of her racing breed. Hence rules have been passed prohibiting the racing of American horses, or horses of strictly American blood: all performers must have either Orloff sires or Orloff dams. As above described, the cross of American sires on Oloff mares has been productive of record-break- ing results, but there seems reason to doubt if a reverse of this cross will he equally successful. Howver. the Russians are buying the very best mares procurable in America and are breeding or will breed them to their native sires. In the past two years they have purchased Susie J. 2:06%, An- zella 2:06%, and Golddust Maid 2:07%, three of the best of latter-day trotting race mares, beside a number of others with records of 2:10 or better. To the American turfman it seems a pity to see such grand mares as these consigned to the harems of Orloff stallions. It will, however, be interesting to see what they will produce, thus mated^- It will be observed that the Europeans are very partial to fast-record horses. "When, something like a quarter of a century ago, they first began buying trotters here they seldom invested in any of the best class, but gradually the tendency has changed until now the demand is for the best. The highest price, so far as I know, that has been paid by any of them is $21,000, paid for that great stallion Onward Silver 2:05%. by an Italian connoiseur. This does not, of course, take into account the purchases of the Winans brothers, Louis and Walter, nf Brighton, England, for the very good reason that they are not foreigners, but Americans resident abroad Most of their purchases are made privately, the two most recent having been Siliko 2:11% and Icon 2:10. which have not been as yet shipped across. Siliko is probably the costliest trotter ever sold for export. Just what sum was paid for him is not authentically known, but it is known that the colt's former owner. John E. Madden, repeatedly refused $25,000 for him. The Messrs Winans are also liberal buyers of pacers, for which there is absolutely no market on the continent, and Louis Winans has for several years been the owner of the champion pacing geld- ing. Prince Alert 1:59^, which he drives on the road, there being no opportunity to race him. Many of the great trotters that are going abroad are of the sort which those who are interested in the improvement of our own breed regret to see depart owing to their value for breeding purposes. In the case of the Messrs. Winans, however, this is not always true, as they have returned a number of horses to this country after having tried them in Europe. Only recently they have sent back several, one of which is Susie N. 2:09% at three years, a double Futurity winner, that should be of great value for a brood mare. It is sincerely to be hoped that if Siliko succeeds in doing what he has been bought to do — wins the European championship at Baden next August — he wil eventually be restored to us. AMERICAN TROTTERS FOR ENGLISH COACH. When coaching men of the Old World come to recognize the trotting bred harness horses of America as the fastest and stoutest of them all, thanks will be due to Alfred G. Vanderbilt more than to any other amateur or professional whip for having brought the trotter into prominence on European roads and show rings, says New York Herald. By his purchase last week of eighty picked trotters to horse the Venture coach on its daily runs between London and Brighton next season, Mr. Vanderbilt set on foot a sporting enterprise which promises to be of inestimable benefit to American horse interests abroad. Other American amateurs have put public coaches on the roads in England and on the Continent and have demonstrated their skill in horsemanship by making some of the fastest runs on record, but always with horses of foreign breeds. It remained for the owner of the Venture to buy his horses here and ship them across the Atlantic in order to show English coaching men what American trotters can do in heavy harness. It was quite a compliment to Fiss. Doerr & Carroll that Mr. Vanderbilt should have commissioned them to furnish all the fast trotters he is taking abroad to represent the native breed of coach horses. The order is one of the most important and difficult of fulfillment that any dealer has ever received. Ex- traordinary speed in addition to other qualities which go to make a high class coach horse is de- manded of every animal among the eighty to be supplied To assemble so many exceptional horses of a special type in so short a time as Mr. Vander- bilt has given them to supply the Venture teams is an undertaking which few if any dealers in the trade could successfully carry out. On the day that the contract was closed J. D. Carroll telegraphed to James S. Connolly, Willie McKinty. A. W. Johnson and half a dozen other ex- pert buyers stationed in the West to look out for every fast trotter of the right stamp and quality for road coaching that came into the markets and not to let the price stop them when they saw the right horse. "Mr. Vanderbilt intends to break all coaching records, and every horse must have plenty of step," were the words that went over the wires to Chi- cago, Kansas City, East St. Louis, Indianapolis and other horse buying centers recently. As fast as the horses are assembled, inspected and accepted by Mr. Vanderbilt they will be sent out to Fiss, Doerr & Carroll's training farm, at Teaneck, N. J., to be put in condition for their ocean trip early in February. STATE FAIR BOARD MEETS. At the annual meeting of the Oregon State Board of Agriculture held in Salem last week, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: W. F. Mat- lock, Pendleton, president: M. D. Wisdom, Portland, vice-president; A. Bush, Salem, treasurer; Frank Welch, Salem, secretary. The report of the retiring officers revealed a profit of over $6000 on this year's fair, of which about $3000 was used in payment of warrants issued against the 1906 fair, which were not reported by Secretary Durbin in his annual report last year. The balance of the money was used in completing the stock barns that were built this year, the State having appropriated $20*000 for this purpose which amount was insufficient to complete them. The board decided to build a new grandstand next year with a seating capacity of 5000 people. The Board declared against selling liquor on the ground next year during the fair. The two $5000 stakes will be a feature of the speed program again in 190S, one for trotters, the other for pacers. The classes for these rich stakes will be determined by the speed committee at a later date. W. F. Matlock was elected a delegate to the North Pacific Fair Association, which meets in Port- land some time in January to fix dates for the vari- ous fairs for 190S. — Rural Spirit. Direct Hal 2:04%. has been sold three times, twice for $10,000 and once for $11,000. Tuna 2:0S%, and Czarina Dawson 2:11%, will be driven to pole by their owner, Oliver H. Bair, of Philadelphia Saturday, January 4, 190S.] THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN A BREEDERS' BUREAU. Capt. Tom Merry Endorses Mr. T. H. Williams' Project. Los Angeles, Dee. 22, 1907. I am told that Mr. T. H. Williams Jr., president of the New California Jockey Club, contemplates or- ganizing a thoroughbred breeding bureau in this State, presumably on lines similar to those already formulated in New York and Kentucky. If those lines are followed, there will be at least one thor- oughbred stallion placed in each county of the State, for the use of farmers, at a service fee of $10 for the season, the money to go to the man who takes care of the horse. I see where some of the stallions placed by the bureau for public service in New York have been allowed to cover between eighty and ninety mares in the past sea- son. This is all wrong, and will have a deteriorat- ing effect upon the horse for next season. That no stallion should accept over fifty mares in any one season, is the best of my belief; and even that limitation is more than excessive where the horse is over thirteen or under seven years of age. In the season of I860 the chestnut horse Owen Dale, by Belmont, out of Maria Downing by American Eclipse, served 104 mares and got eighty-three foals, the largest number (within my knowledge) ever born in any one season to the cover of one stallion. Of these 104 mares Mr. Williamson's book made a somewhat curious showing: Served once 19 Served two times 21 Served three times 17 Served four times 22 Served five times or more 25 Foals from single leaps 13 His foals for 1S61 were mostly large and upstand- ing horses like himself, and Clint Melone was as fast a horse as ever had been foaled in this State up to that time. They kept holding the watch on him until they broke him down without ever getting him to a race. Copperhead, owned by the ema- ciated Jim McCue, was another of his foals in that year and could trot in 2:33 to harness, and better than 2:37 to a 250-pound wagon. Then the late Simon G. Reed started his breeding farm, near Portland, with Hambletonian Mambrino and Auto- crat as his sires. I tried to get him to buy Copper- head and use him for a broodmare sire, but he could not see it in those lamps. Owen Dale's second season was characterized by service of eighty-nine mares, and his third one by eighty-two, about which time Judge Williamson sold him to Joseph W. Johnston of San Jose, who let him to seventy-eight mares. At the close of that season the game old horse, whose vitality had be- come wholly exhausted, died in a pasture lot from absolute neglect. I hope no breeder in California will allow his horses, or any one of them, to re- peat the history of Owen Dale. My own idea of the number of mares to be served by any stallion is as follows: Four years 35 Five years 50 Six years 60 Seven to eight years 65 Nine to ten years . ." 60 Eleven to twelve years 45 Thirteen to fourteen years 40 Fifteen years 35 Sixteen to seventeen years 25 Eighteen years and up 25 If a horse shows himself to be of value as a getter of performers, it would be far better to limit him to fifty mares from five years old to four- teen, in consequence of which his vitality would be better preserved. Even better than that would be to increase his service fee from year to year and decrease in like ratio the number of mares to be served. Milton Young has fourteen stallions at his farm, near Lexington, Ky., and told me in 1902 that he never let any of them serve over thirty at any age, with a still smaller allowance to Lamp- lighter and old Pirate of Penzance. General W. H. Jackson of Belle Meade, at whose palatial home I was a frequent visitor, told me that his one greatest mistake was letting Iroquois serve sixty- two mares in 1S93, that horse having been premier sire of America in the year previous. I am a big believer in high fees, and as few services as possible where a horse has once established his excellence. In Australia their very best race horses seldom get a fee in excess of £7 for the first two seasons, but if they make good as sires of perform- ers, then their services go up to twenty or thirty guineas, and often are to be obtained only by private contracts, and then only to mares of ap- proved conformation and pedigree. In that way they husband the breeding powers of a good horse and make him valuable in his old age. I certainly favor Mr. Williams' project, fully be- lieving that it will prove to the general good of California breeding interests. If it does not make faster trotters and pacers than we have been breed- ing (and I deem that exceedingly doubtful), it will lead up to a higher class of saddle horses and a great degree of quality in our roadsters. William- son's Belmont got the only thoroughbred stallion (Venture 2:27%), that ever broke into the 2:30 list, and it is a far cry from dear old Belmont to any stallion now standing for public service in this State. I am a believer in thoroughbred blood in the harness horse, but I want it not nearer than the third generation. Palo Alto, Jay Eye See, Alcyone, Alcantara, Allendorf and Lady Thome were all out of thoroughbred mares, registered in Bruce's American Stud Book, while Maud S., Nut- wood and a dozen others I could name had thorough- bred mares for their grandams. But when you come to look at the vast number of thoroughbred mares that have been mated with trotting sires in the hope of getting a 2:10 trotter, the proportion of successful matings seems infinitessimally small. Another thing to be considered in this matter is the chance of getting, occasionally, a handsome and useful farm stallion by mating a coarse mare, of no determined breeding, with a handsome and substantial thoroughbred stallion. Believing that it is a poor rule which will not work both ways, I will cite an example within my own personal know- ledge. Col. William Buford of Kentucky was the man who went East and purchased the great stallion Medoc from John C. Stevens, who was the princi- pal backer of Robert Fulton, inventor o£ the "cross- head steam engine. Col. Buford kept Medoc for three seasons, at the end of which time he was killed in his pasture by the falling of a tree. Medoc got a great many female foals, and Buford had over a dozen of them. One of these mares never could be gotten in foal by any of the thoroughbred sires in that neighborhood and the irascible old Kentuckian said, finally: "By , I'll breed that devilish mare to a jack- ass." Before the old gentleman could select a "Knight of Malta"' to suit him along came a man one day with an imported Suffolk Punch horse, called Gilbert, a bright red chestnut. Gilbert served this mare but once, but that sufficed to bring forth a sorrel colt, that was called John Kerr. This horse stood for six or seven years on an Alameda circuit, beginning with Haywards and ending up at Alamo. He got more high grade farm horses than any stallion I ever saw or heard of, and I have seen several of his get that were above the average as livery horses. If such results could be attained by mating a thoroughbred mare with a cart sire, why not others as good by breediug coarse mares to a thoroughbred stallion? My own idea is that the six prerequisites for a stallion to be used in a breeding bureau are as follows: 1. A big body on short legs, avoiding everything "weedy." 2. Good back and loins of more consequence than excessively large stifles and driving power. 3. Good hocks, rejecting everything with a ten- dency to curb. 4. A good temper. There are in this world enough "bad actors" already. 5. Nothing over five years old, except such horses that have never been trained. Any stallion over six years old is liable to have had "the hop" thrown into him, to such an extent as to entirely destroy his vitality. 6. A clean and bony head, with intelligent ex- pression from the eyes. At the same time keeping in mind the axiom that a horse does not run or trot with his head. I hope Mr. Williams will be able to make the thing go from the start. I am not sure that I shall be in the State after the middle of April, for I am seriously considering a flattering offer to re- turn to my old home in Oregon. But if I do re- main in California from April to November of next year, Mr. Williams can have my services, free of charge, as secretary of his breeding bureau, if he so elects. I am satisfied that he is actuated solely by motives that are for the very best interests of California as a breeding State. THOS. B. MERRY. HOW TO JUDGE HORSES. Horses are by all odds the most difficult of all classes of stock to judge, and systematic methods of work are now essential. This is especially true in show ring judging, where there are a large number of entries and a limited amount of time. The judge usually has horses moved when they first come out; any lameness will easily be noticed. He next has them arranged in line and then begins at one end and examines them as they come. It is well to approach the horses from the front. Standing at a reasonable distance, he scrutinizes his general bearing and proportion of parts; also notices the straightness of his forelegs and his width of chest and spring of rib. He now approaches closer and observes the head more carefully; noticing the size of the nostrils, and the length of the head, the width of the forehead, and the shape, size and brightness or clearness of the eyes. He next steps back a little and drops down so that he can look back between the forelegs at the hocks, and he also views them from a position in front, yet a little to one side of the fore limbs. From these two po- sitions any abnormality of the hock can easily be detected, and in making this survey the judge is careful to compare one hock with the other. He next observes the fore limbs closely, and if he notices an enlargement on the inside of the cannon bone, he examines it with his hand for splint. He next notices the feet at the hoof heads, and in hairy legged horses it is always well to examine with the hand for sidebone. The foot is also lifted and its general shape and texture is observed, as well as the size of the frog. . Having completed the inspection from the front, the judge next steps to one side and makes a critical examination of the animal, noticing his length of neck, chest, carriage of the head, slope of shoulder, depth of body, filling of fore flank, shortness of back, and shortness and strength of coupling. He also notices the letting down of the hind flank, and com- pares the length of the upper and lower lines. He also observes the length and levelness of the croup, the set of legs from the side, and the muscling of the forearm and gaskins. Next passing to the rear, he takes the spring of the rib and general width of the barrel; judges width and muscling of the crouch, haunch and thighs and raises the tail to notice the depth of the muscling in the hind quarters between the legs, and also notices the hock at the same time. The straightness of the legs is also ob- served, and the inspection of form is finished The judge now has the horse moved straight away from him at a walk. This allows him to observe the straightness of movement, and the snap with which the horse picks up his feet; and as the horse is led back toward the judge the straightness of movement is again observed, and the judge than steps to one side and allows the horse to pass. As he does so the length and balance of stride and the freedom of knee and hock action is noted. The horse is moved again, this time at the trot, and the same points observed as at the walk. Any tendency toward go- ing wide behind or to throw the front feet out in the manner known as winging, is readily noticed as the horse moves straight away; and from the side view, overreaching, a short stilted stride, or any tendency to drag the limbs is revealed. Besides observing the details of action, the judge watches the general car- riage, the freedom and buoyancy with which the animal moves off. There should be a spring and snap to the action that arises from an exhileration of spirit, and which reflects the happy poise and vigor of the animal. Having finished the inspection of the first, he should be sent to the other end of the line and the inspection of the next taken up in the same manner as before. After all have been inspected in this manner, and successively sent to the foot of the line, the judge has a few picked out for a short leet, and makes a more minute examination and compar- ison of those he has chosen as likely prize winners, until he has definitely decided between them. Good judgment in balancing points is very important just here, for many judges are able to see differences but go astray in their attempt to estimate the rela- tive importance of these differences. In actual work in large rings, it is often advisable to move all of the horses In such cases the judge passes rapidly over the line, picking out those that by reason of unsoundness or deficiencies in confor- mation are not entitled to be considered . The rest he sends to the head of the line and makes a com- plete examination of them. This sometimes arouses some protest from exhibitors, who hold that every horse has a right to be shown in action; but in all large rings there are a goodly number that are so clearly lacking in top qualifications that it is a waste of time to stop to move them. In conclusion it should be noted that the most successful judges follow some definite method of procedure in judging horses, and the plan used by some of the best judges has been roughly outlined in the sketch. The department of agriculture be- lieves that the present tendencies indicate that the range stock industry of the future will be confined to tho.se regions that are too rough for cultivation or too arid for the successful growth of crops. Ex- cept in the high mountain regions, where the grazing season is very short, or in the desert areas where on account of the scarcity of water, grazing can be carried on during the winter months, the graz- ing will eventually be carried on in enclosed fields or on definitely assigned tracts. The stockmen will endeavor to get bodies of land large enough to support their stock, either by purchase, leasing or in case the homestead act should be amended to fit range conditions, by homesteading. Many living in close proximity to forest reserves will secure per- mits allowing them to run stock in these areas during the summer seasion. Wherever possible, these men will raise enough feed to carry their stock safely through the winter season. — Prof. J. W. Ken- nedy. The officers of Madera county are gradually ac- cumulating evidence regarding the wholesale thefts of stock from the Miller & Lux ranches. It is now apparent that an organized system of horse stealing has been going on for more than a year, during which time at least 200 animals have been taken from the ranches. These horses and mules were driven off the pastures by employes of the ranches and received by confederates. Then they were sold or traded to other confederates or to innocent people, being disposed of as rapidly as possible. How far the chain of crime exists is for the officers to determine. It is known that some of those who received some of the animals got them in good faith. But the dividing line between the innocent and the guilty is for the officers to prove. They are positive that they have evidence to estab- lish this in a number of cases. Clay Pointer 2:19% is another son of Star Pointer 1:5914. to sire a 2:10 pacer, as his son, Point Burglar, took a record of 2:09% in 1907. The best hot weather drink is Jackson's Na 1 THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN [Saturday, January 4, 190S. NOTES AND NEWS * 1NU 111,3 AINU INHWS I * t •*• **<-•** •£* »**+Jt *J* *£* +**-»** »I* •J**!* *»* ****** *** *** **+ ****** *»* *** '»* *** *** **♦**♦**♦-***+*» **»*$« "51 *I* *S An Arizona advertiser wants a trotting bred stal- lion. See advertisement. Two pacing colts, one by Star Pointer, the other by Zombro, are wanted. See particulars in adver- tisement. It is said that the Breeders' Association will prob- ably hold its stake meeting at Santa Rosa again this year. The fast pacer Seymow M. 2:23, winner of the two- year-old pacing division of the first Breeders' Fu- turity, is for sale by J. E. Montgomery of Davis- ville. See advertisement. There is considerable local talk already about the May-day races, which will be held at the Dixon half-mile track as usual, this year. Some good colts will be "preped" for these races. There are some very fine young horses at the Woodland Stock Farm for sale, and buyers will do well to look them over. Several now on hand can step fast and are very handsome. Several owners are complaining that they paid entrance fees on purses at the Tulare Fair, last Summer, that were declared off and the money not returned. The National Association is to be asked to take the matter up. There has been a slight hitch in the matter of securing property for the proposed Chico fair grounds and race track, but the outlooK is now good for the deal to be completed and a track built in time for horses to train on this Spring. It is time Marysville came into the circuit again. It is quite a horse town and is one of the most thriving places in Northern California. There used to be great racing on the Northern California Cir- cuit, when Chico, Red Bluff, Marysville and Willows held agricultural fairs. Mrs. Sadie L. Bunch, wife of the well-known trainer C. F. Bunch, of Pleasanton, but formerly of San Jose, died at Pleasanton on Tuesday, December 24th. Besides her husband she leaves two sons and .a daughter, all of whom will have the sympathies of a very large number of friends. E. D. Waffle of Santa Ana, sends us a photograph of his bay filly Zoe by Zombro, dam Leah by Secre- tary, that shows her to be a beauty. Zoe is now fifteen months old and has been a mile in 2:57 and a quarter in 3S% seconds. She is entered in Breed- ers Futurity No. 6. James Marshall of Dixon, owner of the great three-year-old Aerolite (3) 2:11%, public trial 2:05%, will probably permit this grand young horse to serve a few mares in his four-year-old form. Aerolite was bred to a very few mares last spring, among them the great mare Bertha, dam of four in the 2:10 list, and that other good brood-mare Cricket 2:10, dam of six standard performers. With such a start he will be a producing sire before he is six years old, in all probability. William G. Layng, who has been in Philadelphia all winter, expects to leave there for California on January 5th. Mr Layng, while in Philadelphia, met Capt William McCloy, who gave him a letter he had received many years before from John Wickham, breeder of the thoroughbred mare Fanny Wickham, grandam of the great brood-mare Katy G., dam of Chas. Derby 2:20, Klatawah 2:05%, etc. Mr. Layng thereupon wrote a very interesting story about the mare Fanny Wickham, which is printed in the Holiday Number of the Chicago Horse Review, and which we will re-publish in the near future, as it will be of particular interest to those who have any of the Chas. Derby blood on their farms. Mr. Layng expects to reach California some time in January. Pleasanton will be in line again with a good harness race meeting this year. The Driving Club made a big success of its first meeting last July, and better racing was never seen anywhere, while the record of the track was broken twice in the first race. President Lee Wells will soon call the directors' together to prepare for the big meeting of 1,908. We advise every owner of a mare to send her to a good stallion this year. If you cannot afford patronizing a high priced horse, pick out the best at the price you can afford. Our special stallion edition, to be issued February 15th, will contain a list of stallions that any State could be proud of. Here's i tip. Breed a mare to Kenneth C. 2:13% this year. He is as certain to trot below 2:10 as he lives, and he will sire colts that will be fast trotters anrl ra i horses. When his record is lowered his will doubtless be raised. The time to breed ..-■es to him is now. Henry Helman has the only son of Jay Bird in California, we believe, and the colt will be in the stud this season to a few mares. The Jay Bird strain is one of the very best. The consignment of eighteen head of trotting bred mares and stallions that were shipped from San Francisco to Melbourne, Australia, on New-year's Day. should lead to other consignments to the same country. Australia wants good American trotters and pacers at a fair price, the only drawback to a big business in this line being the long sea voyage. One or two protests have been filed by owners who were suspended by Harry Stover for failing to pay entrance at his Petaluma meeting last August. The next meeting of the Pacific District Board of Appeals will be an interesting one, as there are several cases to be heard that will be of much inter- est to those who raced on the California Circuit of 1907. E. Stewart & Co. sold 57 head of "double square" brand, small chunks at auction last Saturday. Some of the tops brought as high as $135 and the average -was $75 for the entire consignment. A guarantee that these double square horses from the Button ranch are good users, is the fact that the San Fran- cisco Fire Department has just contracted for a car- load and the Police Department for 35 head. Beside doing a big business in boarding and liv- ery, Wilson & Rooker, of the Van Ness Stables, San Francisco, ship a large number of horses, mules and cattle to foreign countries. On the Steamer Catherine they loaded several head of full-blood Norman mares, brought in from Iowa and Illinois, 32 head of Here- ford cattle, and 23 head of mules, and on the Steamer Enterprise they loaded a nice bunch of Hereford bulls, several Kentucky jacks and a lot of heavy draft mares, all bound for Hilo, Hawaii. "Colonel" Marks and Lewis Charlton will not have it so easy in heading the list of road riders at Ukiah, as Otis Redemeyer with Amazonian (trial 2:15) will now have to be reckoned with. This fine, big mare was bought by Mr. Redemeyer at Chase's December sale, and as she has size and finish, and can brush fast any day, or spot in the road, will suit his needs exactly and be a nice addition to the many good road horses owned about Ukiah. The belated report of the Thanksgiving races at Red Bluff which reached us gave the race won by Leta Dillon, daughter of Herbert Dillon, as a race for two-year-olds. Leta Dillon was a yearling when she won this race, which was half-mile heats, best two-in-three, and her two heats in 1:32% were pretty fair for a yearling. She trotted a full mile over the same track in 2:51, and her owner states that Her- bert Dillon, her sire, is the only horse in Tehama county that has sired a yearling to beat three min- utes trotting, and that Leta Dillon is his only foal of 1906. Herbert Dillon having been bred to but two mares the year previous. Mr. E. R. Dunn of Seattle, Wash., has been spending several days at Pleasanton. During his visit there he has put in some of his time behind his two colts in training in the stable of Henry Hel- man. Having driven the two-year-old by Search- light a quarter in 34 seconds at the pace and Rose Lecco, a two-year-old filly by Lecco, a full mile in 2:41 at the trot, he is well pleased with both, and has just reason to be. Stockton should be on the circuit this year. There is no grandstand at the track there, but a temporary one could be erected at small expense that would an- swer every purpose, and the Stockton people would attend in large numbers. Zephyz 2:07% by Zomhro 2:11 is a producer of standard speed, as her daughter, Zelma, has taken a record of 2:28% trotting. Zelma is a two-year-old and is by Beauseant 2:06%, son of Bow Bells. Major P. P. Johnston, president of the National Trotting Association, has been appointed adjutant general of Kentucky. In Australia, where harness horses are handi- capped by their showing in races instead of by their records, a horse that finishes second in fast time is not permitted to start in the slow classes thereafter. Thus a horse that starts in the 2:30 class and finishes three lengths behind the winner when the heat is in 2:18 is not counted a 2:30 class horse any longer, but must race with 2:20 class horses, where he belongs. Such a rule would be a good thing in this country, to the writer's way of thinking. Sir John S. 2:04% will be well patronized this year. He is the only unbeaten stallion of 1907 that raced on any circuit. If any Pacific Coast association will arrange a race for 1908 that will bring together Sir John S. 2:04%, Zolock 2:05%, Sherlock Holmes 2:06%, Copa de Oro 2:07%, Miss Georgie 2:0S%, De- lilah 2:08, Mona Wilkes 2:06% and two or three more of our fastest pacers, it can afford to make the purse a big one, as it will draw a tremendous crowd. Inferlotta is expected to be attending to maternal duties next summer, or she would be strictly in such a race with plenty of money behind her at any odds. Helena 2:11% by Electioneer has a new standard performer to her credit this year in the trotter Or- lean 2:27. The Park Amateur Driving Club will resume its regular matinees at Golden Gate Park in April. Until then the weather cannot be depended upon for a dry track to race over. It has been suggested that a race for four-year-old trotters of the 2:30 class, and another for four-year- old pacers of the i:25 class might give a number of owners who have paid out a lot of stake entry fees without geeting much return a chance to race their colts again this year without being compelled to meet those that outclassed them in 1907. Palita (2) 2:16% and Pasonte 2:13, both by Palo Alto 2:0S%, have new standard performers to their credit, the first named being the dam of McCutcheon (3) 2:27% and the other dam of Palo Earl 2:30. Budd Doble is already beginning to receive letters from owners who intend sending their mares to Kin- ney Lou 2:07% this season. The colts by this, the fastest trotting son of McKinney, are such magnifi- cent individuals and show so much natural speed that wise breeders desire to own some of this great horse's get. Kinney Lou was never in finer shape than he is right now. Those who arrange programs for the California as- sociations this year must remember that meetings which are held late cannot give the same classes as the early meetings and close them early, as the list of starters will be so small late in the season that the entrance money collected will only amount to a very small proportion of the purse. The 2:20 pace of the California Circuit of 1907 was on nearly every program advertised, and no association offered less than $1,000 for it. Entries to all these purses closed before the circuit opened, and all received large lists. But after Inferlotta and Copa de Oro had beaten 2:10 every time they started there were several owners who could see no reason why they should pay transportation and other expenses all the way through when their horses were not fast enough to get even fourth money when those two whirlwind pacers were sure starters, so they shipped home and the fields in the 2:20 class grew "small by degrees and beautifully less" until those given on the San Joaquin Valley Circuit had to be de- clared off. Such a thing should be avoided this year. o A LIBERAL FUTURITY. The American Horse Breeder of Boston, which made a great hit with its dollar Futurity last year, securing 2480 nominations, a world's record, an- nounces another Futurity, its fifth renewal, for foals of 1908, on an even more liberal basis. The nomina- tion fee will remain, as last year, at $1 a mare, but the second, or November payment, has been reduced from $10 to $5; with another $5 payment in May of the colt's yearling form. This should prove a popular move with breeders, and undoubtedly will result in a bigger list of entries than was received last year. The purse is for $10,000, of which $7,000 goes to trotters. $5,000 to the winner; $3,000 to pacers, $2,000 to the winner, and $700 to nominators of dams of winners, and entries close on March 2d. This is the fifth renewal of the Futurity. It was won in 1907 by the world's champion three-year-old trotter, General Watts, in one of the keenest and most thrilling contests ever witnesses between colts, and the two ehats in 2:09% was the world's race record for three-year-old colts at the time it was made. The Futurities are the very backbone of the har- ness horse industry, and this liberally conditioned Futurity deserves the hearty support of every breeder, big and little, in the country. CITATION 2:03'/i. The queen of pacers during the past season was the unbeaten Citation 2:03%, owned by Judge Marcus Cartwright of Chicago and driven by Dick Mc- Mahan. Her campaign was, to most people, one of the sensations of the year, but to her owner and driver it did not come as a great surprise. They knew that for two years previous to 1907 Citation had been one of the fastest pacers before the public. Time after time she had been miles around 2:04 and was always a consistent winner. But a strange fa- tality seemed to pursue her. She was always doomed to meet the best pacers of her class. In 1905 she was up against The Broncho 2:00%, and it was Citation that made that fleet little mare step most of her fastest miles that year. In 1906 Cita- tion went down the Grand Circuit and met Gratt 2:02%; Bolivar 2:00%; Ecstatic 2:01%, and others of that class. And it was the Chicago mare that was the runner-up of the races. Still the only time she was ever unplaced in her life was at Readville in 1906, in the race in which Bolivar 2:00%, and Gratt 2:02%. lowered the world's record for a three-heat race. So while the casual observer who merely glances at the form of the various trotters and pacers was somewhat astounded by her wonderful record of the season just ended, those who were intimately acquainted with her past performances were not at all surprised. — Horseman. Saturday, January 4, 1908.] THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN THAT SPEECH OF NORMAN J. COLMAN'S. This and runer papers have given a short tele- graphic report of the speech delivered by Hon. Nor- man J. Colman of St. Louis at a banquet given mem- bers of State Fair Associations, held at Chicago, December 5th. The entire speech is so good and so apt at this time, when an effort is being made to revive fairs and race meetings all over the country, that we give it in full from the columns of the Rural. World: Speed Contests at State Fairs. At a banquet of representatives of State Fair As- sociations convened at Chicago, December 5th, the subject of how to make the State Fairs successful was discussed, and under the head of "Amuse- ments," Hon. Norman J. Colman was unexpectedly called upon to speak, and the stenographic report of his speech is as follows: Mr. President and Gentlemen: When I sat down to the table to-night I felt quite relieved, because nobody had said anything to me about having to make a talk; I have frequently been drafted into making speeches on occasions like this, and when I knew that I was going to speak, I ate very little of the feast, as I was cudgelling my brain in refer- ence to what I should say, and I am up here totally unprepared to say anything to you upon the subject which has been proposed. As to visiting the Pike, Mr. President, I must plead guilty. Like all boys of my tender age, I de- sire to see all that I can going on in the world. (Applause and laughter.) But we have not adopted the Pike system in our Missouri State Fair. We had it in full blast at the great World's Fair at St. Louis, and you had it in full blast here at Chicago; and I saw it in full blast at Paris, France. But as a rule everything which is intended to come under that head, I think would prove more detrimental to the fair than beneficial. (Applause.) We have got to conduct our fairs on a high moral plane if we expect to get the support of the people of our respective States; and anything which makes an unfavorable impression upon our minds or upon the minds of our wives, daughter or sons, ought to be banished from all State Fairs. (Applause.) In reference to amusements, we do have some in- nocent amusements in the afternoon, which entertain the crowd and which have no detrimental effects. But one of the objects that the managers of State Fairs have and should have is to draw the people, to draw the dollars, the sinews of war, and any- thing which can be done, that is honorable and legi- timate and attractive and unobjectionable, ought to receive the support of the managers of State Fairs. Perhaps, unfortunately for myself, I was born a great lover of the horse. I believe that there is no amusement which draws so large a concourse of people from one's own State and from adjoining States, as legitimate harness racing. (Applause.) I have had a good deal of experience with fairs. I am the oldest fair director, I suppose, there is here. I was the father, really, of the St. Louis Fair. I sat side by side with the present King of England at the table on the St. Louis Fair Grounds, fifty years ago, when he was the Prince of Wales, at- tended by the Duke of Newcastle, and a number of others of the royal family. I witnessed, with ex- treme delight, the great attention which he and the members of his party paid to the contests of speed in that great amphitheater which many of you will recall. I met with a good deal of opposition as a director of that fair, in urging that large purses and prizes be offered for horses, for the best horses, that could be brought together throughout the United States; and it was the attraction and contests those horses afforded in a very large degree that made the St. Louis Fair one of the most magnificent fairs during its existence that the world has ever seen. As I heard the advertising talk about the Minnesota State Fair , or as it is sometimes called, the Hamline Fair, I didn't hear much said about the magnificent purses which were offered by that institution, which drew together the greatest speed aggregation that the .world probably has ever witnessed. It is those contests of speed that some way or other appeal to people, to moral people, to religious people, ministers of the Gospel as well; that draw them there. While .they would not attend a race meeting proper they ■will go to a fair, and when it comes to great con- tests of speed, they will witness them. •' My friend N. H. Gentry — I don't see him here — now, he is out in "committee meeting," a brother director of our State fair, you all know him. He was opposed somewhat to the Missouri State fair offering such large purses for horses, and taking the brass bands out to the grand stand and drawing the people there. You know he is the Berkshire king, we might say, of America, and he is as much wrapped up, nearly, in Shorthorns as he is in Berk- shire swine. I had the honor of being president of the Missouri State Fair for the .first two years of its existence. He said to me, "We have got a tent from Kansas City to exhibit the cattle in, and I can demonstrate to you that cattle will draw as large an attendance as horses if you will give me a brass band." I said, "You shall have a brass band." He had a tent there covering nearly half an acre of ground; all the fine cattle were brought in there. When the speed contests were taking place out on the fair grounds track that vast grand stand was filled to its greatest capacity. Along the lines of the fences almost to the quarter pole, people were there in dense crowds watching with eyes and mouths open, the contests of speed. Up the stretch nearly to the seven-eighths pole another dense mass of people. While this was going on I could hear the bass drum beating in the tent; I could hear the fine music of the band in that tent, and I concluded to go and see whether or not Gentry with his brass band is drawing as many people as are to be found out here. I went in there, and lo and behold, there was Mr. Gentry, there was the band and there was the man with his bass drum, and he was beating it for all that was in it, and I counted the audience and found that there were just forty people inside of that great tent viewing the cattle. (Laughter.) I went to the Administration Building; I thought I would walk up-stairs on the porch, that we have there, and see who were present. There I found Mrs. Gentry and her daughters and her friends watching with the greatest admiration the spirited contests of speed. (Laughter) I am sorry Mr. Gentry is not here, but I have thrown it up to him many times, and he has never asked for a band to com- pete against horse racing from that time to this. That is an illustration of the drawing power of contests of speed, but I don't want to be misunder- stood here. I am in favor of bringing to the fair the best products of the State, whatever state it may be, in every branch of industry. I want to see the best cattle and the best horses, the best jacks and mules and the best sheep and the best swine, the best fruit; the best products of our fields and orchards and gardens and vineyards. I want them brought there and exhibited to the people, but they frequently will not attend unless there are other attractions. And if the state fairs had only them to show they could not have, in my estimation, one-half of the attendance that they do have if they give large prizes for contests of speed for the best horses — we have had constant demonstrations of this. There is another thing in reference to it. There is a very consoling reflection when managers of fairs offer large purses for contests of speed. They contest not for the state fair money, but for their own money, and the entry fees paid by them fre- quently exceed the purses by large amounts. Where you have sixteen entries — and many times you have twenty, thirty, forty or fifty of those entries, they will pay the complete purse, it doesn't make any difference whether it is $10,000 or $5,000, or $500, or whatever it may be; for every man before he can enter his horse has to pay his 5 per cent entry upon his horse to get him in, and the winners have to pay 5 per cent additional, which for the four winning horses makes 40 per cent. So that these races in nine cases out of ten at the state fairs cost the fair not a farthing, but add considerable money to the fair's receipts, for the poor horsemen have to con- tribute their own money and race for it. So you need not be afraid of offering these large premiums. It is this plan which has made the Illinois State Fair so successful. It is this which has made the Hamline Fair so successful. It is this which has helped out the Indiana Fair; the Missouri State Fair and every state fair that has offered large premiums for speed. So if you want amusements encourage the breeding of horses; they will draw the people. God has so made man that he loves to see contests. I don't care what they are; if it is a dog fight he will stop to see it. (Laughter.) If it is a fight between two boys, he will stop to see it — and so with every con- test whatever it may be. We all have an innate love for the horse. Why, our first President, the father of our country, was the greatest admirer of a horse, the race horse. Jefferson and Monroe and Jackson, not only owned them, but raced them. The love of a fine or fleet horse is implanted in man's breast so deep that it cannot be wiped out. You want to use every magnet that you legitimately can to draw people to your fairs in order that you may get money for other purposes — to pay premiums in other directions. I don't want to be misunderstood; I am entirely opposed to the pool selling system. (Applause.) I am opposed to gambling on the track or anywhere else. It should not be allowed on any fair grounds. (Applause.) We must have clean racing, legitimate racing for the money which is put up, and not help along gambling; and I think at none of our state fairs is this gambling system allowed. It is not allowed in some of the eastern states and many of them are doing better than if the pool system prevailed. We want everything clean and pure about the state fair. It is a great educational institution. A young man's education is not complete now in the college. He wants to see what his State can produce; he wants to know something about its great resources, agriculturally, horticulturally, in dairy matters, in the breeds of live stock and methods which have produced them, and who is offering the best. The people will come and see them. But after they have been around in the morning, seeing all of these magnificent productions of your state, in the after- noon give them some dessert, some entertainment, some amusement; give them clean, fine racing, and they will enjoy that, and it will be a magnet which will draw more people to your state fair than any other amusement, and it generally costs you nothing. (Applause.) PRACTICAL TRAINER'S ADVICE. A. J. Feek has the following to offer on the cooling out of horses on his book, "Every Man His Own Trainer": "Watch your horse closely in the process of cool- ing out between heats. I have never yet had a groom so good that I thought it would do any harm to watch him while cooling out his horse, and I believe I have had as good men as were ever in the business. I always thought that I could form a better opinion as to how my horse was going to trot the next heat if I could see him cooled out, as many times the men working about the horse are thoroughly heated up themselves and are not com- petent to judge of the weather; the day might be cool, but they would think it warm, and when start- ing to walk the horse they would not put covers enough on him; and again they might put on too much which would be just as injurious to the horse; and, as I said before, it is no harm to look after them, and I always feel this a duty and just as ne- cessary as to drive the heat. I might not have oc- casion to dictate in cooling out a dozen horses, and again might with one word of advice win the race, as, often two heads are better than one; as no one is perfect; we are liable to err or forget some im- portant point. I have had some horses that in warm weather would, in cooling out, dry all up if a heavy wrapper was thrown over them, and would puff and blow and seem to be distressed when if the heavy blanket were replaced with a light lindsey and walked about they would break out and sweat nicely and quit blowing and when the bell rang they were ready to go out and go another heat. If the day is hot and dry, see that the soles of the feet are bathed in cold water after each heat. I have seen grooms wet down a strip of grass alongside of the walking ring, leading the animal over the strip each time. I have seen horses throw shoes after going the better part of a fast mile, and, on picking it up, found it so hot I could not hold it in my hand. This taught me that it was as necessary to bathe the feet as it is the head. "If you are trying to get the money with one of the sort that is inclined to become sore-toed after its race, there is an old-fashioned remedy that might be tried with good results. Remove the shoes so as to rest the feet as much as possible, and put on the poultices, viz.: Two quarts of wheat bran; scald- ing thoroughly, place it in a couple of rubbags; take three or four common raw onions for each foot; after pounding them to a pulp, place them over the bran and place the horse's foot in the center of the poultice, bring up the corners of the rub-cloths and tie them about the ankle and leave them on till morning. When they are taken off it will be found that there is no soreness nor fever in the feet, and aside from a walk in the early morning dew, it will be as well to let him alone to rest out as to hitch and jog him. If a paddock is handy and the animal has been used to being turned out at home the relaxation and good he will get from such treat- ment will be inestimable in many cases. There are a lot of horses that want to be let alone after they have had a hard race, and if fussed with and pot- tered around will become nervous and thin as wood. Some horses will rest out in one day, while others do not recuperate so quickly and require three or four days. This latter sort should not be asked to race twice a week, and it is questionable if any of them should be raced more than once. A LESSON FOR DRIVERS TO FOLLOW. Have you ever noticed that a silent man usually has the best broken horses? Drive with him and it will be a matter of wonder how he manages his horses with no management visible, where the horse goes where he is wanted without apparent effort on the part of the driver. Ed. Geers, the famous turfman, is known as the "silent man," who has been noted for his success in the art of driving a horse to his utmost limit of speed without speaking a word or making an effort while his rivals were whooping and yelling and whipping and coming out generally behind. Probably there is a lesson in this. The average horse understands only a few words, signs or com- mands. The silent man gives only a few and he does not confuse his horse. The horse is made to know them thoroughly, he understands the man who un- derstands him. It is a pleasure to drive a horse that understands — few pleasures in life can equal it if the horse is a good, cheerful driver. There would be more of this kind if they were made to know a few things thoroughly — the right things. The great difficulty is that many horses have more sense than their drivers. — Stock Farm. CONEY ISLAND JOCKEY CLUB STAKES— $25,000. This event received seventy-six entries for 1907 and a field of eleven went to the post. This stake bids fair to be one of the most popular stakes in the United States, on account of the very reason- able amount ($25) which is required to make a horse eligible, and it is expected that this year's entry list will exceed last. The conditions of the stake are advertised in this paper and entry blanks will be forwarded on application to the Coney Island Jockey Club, Windsor Arcade, New York, or to the Breeder and Sportsman, 616 Golden Gate Ave.. San Francisco. THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN (Saturday, January 4, 1908. * 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 .9 ROD, GUN AND KENNEL /. t<4<44«<