Lovers of the Horse 



219 



Tnr: Start oi- thi; I-iKsr Hkat Race of the Tokdnio Dkivino Club, uei.d at UrFn:Ri\ Park, in May. 1900 



TORONTO DRIVING CLUB 



TIIK 'I'oi-oiito Driving- (hili is prohaMy one of the oldest organizations of its 

 kind in Canada, and has done a great deal to improve the character of the 

 horses l)rought to Toronto. It was throngh this Association that the Toronto 

 S])ee(hvay was l)uilt on the east side of the Don River, and the track, thongh not as 

 long as some of the otliers, is kept in snch excellent condition, that the going is always 

 first-class, and many a friendly hrnsh has been decided over it. 



The weekly inatiTiee races have promoted a kindly rivalry l)etween the meml>ers, 

 which has resulted in the purchase of many a first-class horse. Indeed, it was through 

 the Toronto Driving ('lul> tiiat the famous Dan Patch was l)rouglit to Toronto to make 

 a Canadian record for a lialf-iiiilc track, which he succeed("(j in doing, stepping the 

 distance in 2.06. 



This record was made in 1!K),5, one of the most successful seasons in the history 

 of the Club, wliicli held its first annual meeting in 1900, with only eleven gentlemen 

 present, the charter meml)ers being Sanuiel McHride, A. Cuthbert, Charles Snow, 



