File:The American turf- an historical account of racing in the United States - with biographical sketches of turf celebrities. 1898 (1898) (17540534514).jpg

Title: The American turf: an historical account of racing in the United States : with biographical sketches of turf celebrities. 1898
Identifier: americanturfhist00week (find matches)
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Weeks, Lyman Horace, ed
Subjects: Horses; Horse racing
Publisher: New York : The Historical Company
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
THE AMERICAN TURF inaugurated there before the war had ended. The credit that has been given to that fashionable summer resort as the cradle of modern racing in the East, is fully merited. Previous to the inauguration of the sport there the out- look for the immediate future was poor indeed, for there seemed slight prospect of returning to the whilom con- dition of affairs existing before the war. The wealth and the leisure that had hitherto made the South invin- cible in pursuit of sports had for the time departed. It then devolved upon the North to support racing, and particularly New York, wherein the wealth of the coun- try had become so considerably concentrated and where a large population had grown up and could be depended ing matters during the ensuing quarter of a century and more, was inaugurated in 1863. The general response of turfmen from all over the country to this venture and the patronage of the public was even more gratifying than those who were most active in the affair had antici- pated, and the inaugural meeting was altogether success- ful. At the outset the stables gathered at Saratoga were few in number when compared with the present day, and the horses were not numerous. At the first meeting in 1863, the principal entries were Captain Moore's Mamona, Mr. D. E. Weldon's Sympathy and Lizzie W., Mr. Reedy's Thunder, Mr. Francis Morris' Dangerous and Surprise, Mr. J. S. Watson's Aldebaran, Mr. John
Text Appearing After Image:
MORRIS PARK THE CLUB STABLES upon to give its practical support to the sport. Saratoga, being the summer capital of New York, and having for years drawn to it the patronage of wealthy and fashion- able folk from all parts of the country, the opportunity thus offered to establish racing among the pines as a fashionable divertisement seemed to be almost provi- dential. There was an old race track in Saratoga, 296 yards short of a mile, that had been used in a desultory sort of a way, and with that as a foundation the new enterprise, that was destined to play such an important part in rac- M. Clay's Lodi and Mr. Lloyd's Echo. This first Sara- toga racing meeting was undertaken entirely upon the responsibility of John Morrissey, and Charles 'Wheatly, the eminent turfman, was engaged to act as Secretary and manager. Immediately after the close of the meeting several gen- tlemen of means formed an association for the purpose of establishing racing in Saratoga upon substantial and permanent foundation. Mr. William R. Travers was elected President; Mr. John H. White, Treasurer, and Mr. Charles Wheatly, Secretary. Of these three officials 460

Note About Images