CELEBRATED AMERICAN PLUNGERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1916, Page 9

CELEBRATED AMERICAN PLUNGERS.

TEX BROECK AND OTHERS. _ men racing held full sway in the United States, more heavy bettors were associated with it than in most other countrips. Perhaps the most notorious of them all was Richard Ten Brocck, who first started the idea of taking American-bred horses to England and with them exploiting the ring in manmoth sums. The first batch he took acioss the "Herring Pond" comprised Starke, Prioress, and Umpire, the lastnamed a three-quarter-brother to the mighty Lexington. A BIG HAUL. With Starke, Ten Broeck made a tremendous clean-up when he won the Goodwood Cup, but when Prioress won the Cesarevitch, at odds of 00 to 1, Mr. Ten Broeck's winnings were said to he fully £70,000. Umpire also won a big bunch of' California's best product when lie took a stake.

According to an article by Mr. R. H. Tozer dealing with some of these plungers, Mr. Ten Broeck became the especial chum of the Prince of Wales, and moved in the best society of Great Britain. The New York turfman owned Lexington, und when the horse won the great race at Metaire track, New Orleans, in the middle 'so's. and ran the fouj miles against Father Time in 7min. 19.25ec.,

cutting Lecompte's record four seconds, lie won over £20,000 in bets. Mr Ten Brocck was a millionaire, and married a Louisville belle, a Miss Smit'k., in the late 70's, having a beautiful place in Jegerson Country, Kentucky, about seven miles from the metropolis of the grand old commonwealth. About 1893 or 1894 the great turfman, a classmate of Lee and Grant at West Point, one time multi-millionaire and the pet of Royalty, passed before the Great Judge, at Redwood City, San Mateo County, California. Like most of the great bettors, he died practically penniless, and that, too, at the age of 85. THE BLIND PUNTER. A great "character" in those days was John Price, the blind plunger of Nashville, Tenn. It was a common occurence for Price, who was led around by a darkey, to bet £2OOO on a race with his old Nashville friend, Joe Burt, the Turf Exchange pool seller, or with Bob Cathcart, one of the proprietors. Burt and Cathcart were among the great pool auctioneers of the country. Both sold in town and continued out at the Downs, and both had wonderful memories. Map." Banks, afterwards auctioneer of the Turf Exchange, was one of tffe greatest "cards" that ever went on the racing table. A "fiend" on horses and faro, the majah had the longest moustache in a country of long moustaches. He is reported to have talked all the Louisville cigar store Indians off their pedestals, and then moved to Cincinnati, where he played a long star engagement as "Bob Acres." A FORTUNATE OWNER.

Bilton Young was the most successful turfman of his day in the south and middle west. A native of Henderson, Ky., he made his start on the turf with Joe Rhodes, a "has-been" that had been a good performer and been shelved on account of lameness.

With this patched-up horse Mr. Young won some races at the Henderson and Owensboro fairs, and with his winnings purchased from John Merrill, of Louisville, the good Bonnie Scotland mare Beautitude, which won him more money and some fame.

His next purchase was the little Bonnie Scotland yearling Bootjack, and the afterward grand distance horse, Bancroft, also by Bonnie Scotland, which made Milt sweet on this brand of racers, about the best ever, and going along best evers to-day—through Broomstick, by Ben Brush, he by Bramble, son of Bonnie Scotland.

A LUCKY WIN. It was in 1883 that I saw Thora, the great daughter of Longfellow, break down in the Louisville Cup, won by Lidti Stanhope, with Checkmate second and John Davis third. Charles Reed's grand big mare, Thora, was just making her run, nearing the half-mile ground, and seemed to be going twice as fast as John Davis and Checkmate, Stanhope, ridden by Isaac Murphy, lying alongside Thora. Suddenly Thora's flag of distress switched and the cry went up, "Something has happened to Thora!" She switched her tail a couple more times, stopped to a walk, and hobbled in on three legs, her great racing career at an end. Lida Stanhope went on to an easy victory under the mftsterly ride of Isaac Murphy. Checkmate was second and John Davis, perhaps 13 years old at that time, third. Mike Iveegan, a Louisville railroad contractor, won £B2OO on Lida Stanhope, and gave John Loud £2OOO for the "infy" and Murphy £2OO for the good ride. Keegan was Louisville's greatest bettor in those days. On his great mare Thora Charles Reed had lost fully £lO,000, and had purchased nine pools where first choice was £SOO in every case. Stanhope brought about £IBO, Checkmate £l2O, and John Davis £OO. These were the largest pools I had seen sold in this part of the world. THE GREAT BOATMAN.

Later Colonel Young owned Boatman, even a better winner than any of the others mentioned. He sold Bootjack (a gelding) for £3OOO to the Dwyers, and after several seasons of success— I "Brown Dick" training and John Stoval riding—t'sve Henderson gentleman sold his string to Richar4 C. Pat a, a St. Louis "square sport" of much means. He then decided to embark on the bleeding -ship. He purchased McGraihiana stock farm, near Lexington, Ky., former home of the famous turfman and breeder Free McGrath, who had owned Aristides (first winner of the Kentucky Derby), Tom Bowling, Tippcrary, Colleen Bawn, and other celebrities.