132 Making the American Thoroughbred 



the whole nearly level, and is considered unfavorable to good time. 

 The same horses run quicker at Gallatin, and other Tennessee 

 courses, by 2 or 3 seconds in the mile. 



"The buildings, on the course, are a mansion house, large enough 

 to accommodate the gentlemen of the turf, a dining-room about 

 100 feet long, a stage of the same length, a stage for the judges, and 

 stables, with about 40 stalls, painted white. The course affords a 

 good prospect of the Cumberland river, the new bridge, and the new 

 state house; and the town of Nashville, or, as some of our editors 

 have brevetted it, the city, is seen to prominent advantage. College 

 hill fills up the more distant view." 



RACE WINNINGS FOR BIBLES 



In October, 1829 at Nashville, W. C. Davis* POLLY 

 POWELL, by Virginian, dam by imp Sir Harry, won two 

 races. A few days later one Alpha Kingsley wrote Davis 

 "hearty congratulations" on his "successes during the 

 last week's sport" and asked him to "constitute" him- 

 self a member of the American Bible Society by making 

 a "contribution of thirty dollars." 



This "memorial" was backed up by a petition signed 

 by John Harding, Duke W. Sumner, and Solomon Clark, 

 who told Davis that "our confidence in your well-known 

 liberality induces us to believe that you will not only 

 take a pride but a pleasure in the above suggested dona- 

 tion." 



In sending in the thirty dollars Davis wrote: 



"Although devoted to the sports of the turf I trust I am not in- 

 sensible to the great and important necessity of religion; and that 

 I will give no cause of reproach to the Society of which I now become 

 a member, whilst I pursue an honorable and upright course in the 

 pursuit of these amusements. 



"And believing, as I do, that nothing tends more to the improve- 

 ment of the moral condition of man than the general and universal 

 dissemination of the Word of God, I cannot but wish success to your 

 efforts and remain your Obt. Servant, 



"WM. C. DAVIS." 



