S^?^ir—-^Tr^^ . f - '%? ?^ / " -i. Y ».-^ ft.'T. ",;*. -< ^- 1'*^ h . ^^MLM^-i u '^: LIBRARYLI UNIVERSITY^' PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY UNIVERSITY^ PENNSYLVANIA ROGERS COLLECTION ON HORSEMANSHIP THE ,S>mrt| CaroliM |0rkg €kk CHARLESTON, S. C. : RUSSELL & JONES. 1857. VR New BekBO Ceffter COPYRIGHT SECURED. WALKER, EVANS & CO., PRINTERS &. STATIONERS, Urc'IVERSiTY OF PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARIES C0ntent5. PART I. PRELIMINARY REMARKS 7 PART II. RACING—ITS ORIGIN, PROGRESS, &c g PART III. RACING MEMORANDA FROM 1734 TO THE REVOLUTION 31 PART IV. RACING MEMORANDA AND CALENDAR OF RACES FROM THE REVOLUTION TO 1857 1* PART V. WASHINGTON COURSE AND ANNUAL REUNIONS OF THE S. C. ' JOCKEY CLUB 145 PART VI. A GLANCE AT THE DIFFERENT RACE COURSES IN SOUTH CAROLINA 155 PART VII. BRETHREN OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TURF 161 PART VIII. RULES OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA JOCKE^ CLUB 189 PART IX. CONCLUSION 201 [* The reader of this work will please observe, that the folios run consecutively to the IVtb Part, where, for the convenience of the printer, they recommence.] Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2009 with funding from Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/southcarolinajOOirvi prospero Of anything the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Miranda— 'Tis far off, And rather like a dream, than an assurance That my remembrance warrants. Tempest, Act I., Sc 1. — — IrHimiitars gemarlts. The South Carolina Jockey Club, at a meeting held the 9th February, 1856 Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to collate such documents as may be necessary to preserve the early history of Races in the State, from the formation of the Club, and that the same be published in an appropriate and enduring form for convenient reference in the future. The undersigned were appointed a Committee under tlie above Resolution. Having understood tliat one of the officers of the Club had instituted, many years since, a diligent research among the fast perishing sources and documents that threw any light upon the early history of our Turf, to (jather up, if j)ossible, the frariments that remained, scattered about in all directions, application was made to him for such papers as might be in his possession. Many were placed at our dis- posal, which, upon examination, were found to supply the very informa- tion tlie Club was desirous to obtain hence the publication of the pre- sent volume. On perusal, it will be found to contain a mass of information, which not only to our own time, but especially to after ages, will be invaluable, increasing in importance more and more, year after year, as the present generation, reducing in numbers day by day, will soon, in the course of nature, not have one left to tell of the events of the earlier days of the Turf in the present century, to say nothing of the wondrous things re- counted by our fathers, as having been done by those who lived in the old time before them. Without being too elaborate, it is believed that this little work fur- nishes as complete a history of the South Carolina Jockey Club, and as correcl a calendar of Races run under its rules, during a period of one : 8 hundred and twenty-two years, as can be compiled under existing cir- cumstances. Should anything have been omitted, however, that pro- perly belongs to the subject, and ought, consequently, to have found a place in the following pages, the reader, it is expected, will bear in mind how difficult was the task of the writer, to glean information from old files of newspapers, and less accessible documents, to serve as a link of connection between the last and the present century, and will, with becoming indulgence, echo the generous sentiment of Horace ' " Ubi plura nitent in carmine, non ego paucis Offendar maculis, quas aut incuria fudit, Aut humana parum cavit natura." E. P. MILLIKEN, Sec. S. C. J. C, " J. C. COCHRA.N, Treasr. Y Com. HENRY C. KING, Solicitor " " PART 11. ^ Wori Craarninj faring—|tj ®ri|m anli iCTgnjj. " See the Course throng'd with gazers—so proud and elate, The high-mettled Racer starts first for the plate. ! " —:; It has been well asked by one, who has a very lively sense of the beautiful in nature and art, " Where is the artist who could ever paint a cataract ? The glassy surface of falling water, ere it breaks o'er the abyss in snowy flakes ; the glancing rays of the sun upon the overhanging trees the rocks, the slight fringe of spray around them, may be represented nay even, the thick smoke, that hangs over the cascades, as they fall into the ravines below, like incense, hovering, as it were, with deferential awe, over some altar of Nature, before it ascends to the throne of The Highest But where is the motion ? Where are the white and frothing waters that, like wild horses, affrighted and snorting, and at full speed, dash along the sides of the sloping meadows ; or, leaping from declivity to declivity, precipice to precipice, then fall with deep, sonorous, and splash- ing murmurs from the black and shining rocks ? Where is the rush of the current, after the waters meet and commin- gle in the depths below ? Where the busy and tumultuous life, the ever changing glistening, the avapi5(ji-ov ysXafffxa of the quick waves ? This has never yet been done. We cannot catch a wave, nor Daguerreotype its grace and rocket-like velocity. To do this perfectly is beyond the power of man. So, like- wise, they who essay to convey, by description, the various features the scenes, and moments of eager and tumultuous joy ; the moving fig- ures ; the phantasmagoria of life, such as are continually presented and occurring on a Race Ground, will, also, fail in conveying aught but a cold, inanimate picture to the mind of the reader ! It is a subject that cannot well be pictured by words—though many attempt it, none can throw in, truthfully, all its shifting shapes and hues, for they are as va- ried and dazzling as are the changes in a kaleidoscope. A Race Course is, in many particulars, much the same same sort of thing all over the world—the same striking features present themselves a long line of vehicles of all sorts and conditions, " Buggy, gig or dog-cart, curricle or tandem," ! ;; 12 setting like a stream in one direction, with here and there a counteract- ing eddy, interrupting its progress for awhile, but soon recovering itself, moving on steadily and unitedly as before. The road becomes more thronged, and thicker crowds, stirred by one interest, animated by one absorbing passion, press more eagerly forward as they approach the gates. Race horses, shrouded in all the covering of hood and body-clothes, are led on the ground by their faithful grooms, and followed by their riders. Jockey stands, filled to overflowing with spectators, in their holi- day finery, gazing on the passing scene, with eager, happy, and expect- ant faces ; whilst on both sides of the roped arena, in the vicinity of the starting post, are huddled together carriages, in tiers, three or four deep, with the horses taken off, in the best positions to see the race, packed as closely together, as Sam Slick would say, as pins in a paper. The horses, which have been entered for the coming event, paraded in the en- closure by the starting post, display, in their elastic step, the attributes of racers. Then follows the usual preparations: weighing the riders; the unbuckling of straps and surcingles; blankets scientifically, with a sort of sleight of hand, turned off over the loins and croup of the animals, so as not to disarrange. a hair of their glossy coat, exhibiting them in the pride of the highest condition ; rubbing down and saddling the horses the expression of opinion in favor of one horse, and of doubts on the others; the mounting of the jockies; the anxiety on the part of the grooms to get a favorable start ; the hum of anxiety as the word is given " to go"—and they are off; the diversified colors of the riders—purple, pink, green, scarlet—resembling mosaic work, as they unfold their hues, and blazon, rainbow-like, in the sun ; the excitement of the populace as the coursers change places in the race, the interest increasing with every fresh struggle, till towards the close of the contest, the straining steeds enter the last quarter stretch, urged to their utmost speed and exertion, whips and spurs doing their work, and they near the distance post ; the ground resounds beneath their rapid strides, " " Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum ; the noise of their hoofs increases ; the breathless moment of suspense is all ; it is ; the earth trembles at hand ; they are together any one's race ; the post ; the welkin rings with the they come ; they fly by ; they pass delighted shouts of thousands, and all is over Instantly, on all sides, " around and about," there is a sea of human beings moving to and fro : some on horseback, or in vehicles, hurrying from point to point ; some on foot, vociferous, swaying hither and thither all animation and anxiety for a while before the race, then breathless, : —; 13 motionless, as long as the issue is in doubt ; but no sooner is the contest over than the close lines of people on either side of the roped arena, suddenly breaking up and pouring into it, impart a new liveliness to the scene, which is again all busy movement. Some rush eagerly in, to catch a glimpse of the winning horse, as he returns to the scale house others, to rejoin friends they had separated from, as the horses started, to procure better situations to see the race; others, with brightened eyes, again to flirt with the " dark eyed one," to whom a pair of gloves had been lost.