35 



| PRINGBOK is one of that grand galaxy of 

 race-horses bred at the Woodburn Stud by Mr. 

 Alexander. He was got by Australian, a sire 

 who has produced a veryl arge proportion of 

 capital race-horses, and for whose importation the country 

 is indebted to Mr. A. Keene Richards of Kentucky. 

 Springbok is one of the highest bred, as well as one of the 

 most beautiful and swift of all our race-horses. His dam, 

 Hester, by Lexington, was out of Heads-I-Say, by Glencoe, 

 grandam the imported mare Heads-or-Tails, by Lottery. 



Springbok is a chestnut, and he was modelled by nature 

 for a great race-horse, being sixteen hands high, with great 

 length and power, and fine quality. His speed was first- 

 class, and he was not deficient in bottom. But some said 

 he lacked courage when collared and compelled to struggle. 

 Now, to our mind, he was as game as flint when three 

 years old, and though he afterwards got to run cunning, it 

 was as much the fault of the system pursued with him as 

 his own. He had boys to ride him, and, as might have 

 been expected, instead of their mastering him, he mastered 

 them. A gamer horse was never bridled than he was in 

 the Travers Stake at three years old, and if he afterwards 

 declined to run any more than he could help, he only fol- 

 lowed the example of Monarchist and Foster. Perhaps, if 

 he had been as wisely treated as they were, he would have 

 struggled for victory with nearly as much stubbornness. 



Springbok was bought by Mr. Daniel Swigert, who ran 

 him as a two-year old at Jerome Park Spring Meeting of 

 1872, where he beat Minnie Mac, Katie Pease, and others, 

 Colonel McDaniel then purchased him. He ran in the 

 Saratoga Stakes that year, but was not placed, and this 

 ended his doings at that age. In 1873 he came out a 

 splendid three-year-old, and won the Belmont Stakes at 

 Jerome Park Spring Meeting. Count D'Orsay was second 

 and Strachino third. Behind them there were eight others, 

 the since famous Fellowcraft among the lot. At that meet- 

 ing Springbok also won a purse, mile heats, and distanced 

 the field in the second heat. At Long Branch, in the 

 Jersey Derby, he first encountered the famous horse Tom 

 Bowling, who was for a good while the lion in his path, and 

 beat him every time they met. Springbok was second and 

 Count D'Orsay third in the Jersey Derby. At Saratoga 

 these horses met again in the Travers Stake. The Count 

 was left at the post. Tom Bowling and Springbok ran one 

 of the closest and most desperate of races for a mile and a 

 half, leaving all the others far behind. At the head of the 

 stretch Bowling had the best of it, and by some means 

 Springbok tripped and fell, while his great antagonist went 

 on and won. Springbok was started again in the Kenner 



Stakes, but be had not recovered from the effects of the 

 fall, and was third to The Ill-Used and Strachino. At the 

 Fall Meeting of the American Jockey Club Springbok met 

 Tom Bowling again in the Jerome Stakes, two miles, but 

 could not conquer him. He was second, and his relative, 

 the great four-miler, Fellowcraft, was third. Concerning 

 this horse, we may remark, in passing, that though he was 

 commonly defeated until they sent him four miles and made 

 running, he was almost always " placed " with very superior 

 horses, such as Tom Bowling, Springbok, and Mate. At 

 that Fall Meeting Springbok won mile heats. In 1874, 

 Springbok first met his particular friend, the illustrious 

 Preakness. It was in the Jockey Club Handicap, two 

 miles. The four-year old carried 111 fts., the old horse 

 had 130 Ibs., and beat him. Springbok was second, and 

 there were six light-weighted ones behind him. At the 

 same meeting he won a race of a mile and three-quarters, 

 Mate second, and Fellowcraft third. He also gave weight 

 to Lizzie Lucas, and beat her a mile and five furlongs. The 

 Colonel now took Sprinkbok and Katie Pease to Utica. 

 The colt was in high form, and the visitors at the beautiful 

 course on the banks of the Mohawk had the pleasure of 

 seeing one of the finest four-year-olds in the world win two 

 races. In a two-mile handicap he carried 112 Ibs., and 

 beat Artist and Lizzie Lucas in 3:36. There was some 

 grumbling when Captain Connor put this 112 Ibs. upon 

 him to 100 Ibs. for Artist of the same year; but we said: 

 " Why, 120 Ibs. will not stop Springbok, in our judgment." 

 From Utica the great colt went to Saratoga, and achieved 

 the most brilliant successes one after another. His tre- 

 mendous antagonist, Tom Bowling, had run and won his 

 last race, the Monmouth Cup, at Long Branch, and his 

 leg had gone. Springbok seemed to have it all his own 

 way. He won the mile and a quarter sweepstakes for all 

 ages, Mate second, and Survivor third ; he won the Sara- 

 toga Cup, Preakness second, and Katie Pease third; he 

 won three miles, Preakness second, and Fellowcraft third. 

 In 1875 he won four purses for all ages at the Jerome 

 Park Spring Meeting. At Saratoga he was beaten by 

 Grinstead, in the mile and a quarter stakes for all ages, in 

 one of the swiftest and closest races ever run. In the 

 Saratoga Cup, he ran the dead heat with Preakness in 

 3:56J, beating the time of Harry Bassett, when he floored 

 Longfellow, by two and three-quarter seconds. 



In 1876 he ran but once. In the purse for all ages, mile 

 heats, at Jerome Park, June 8, 1876, carrying 124 Ibs., he 

 was distanced in the first heat, Freebooter, 3 years, 103 Ibs , 

 winning both heats, with Leander, 4 years, 118 fts.. second. 

 New York Sportsman. 



