Early Owners were Gentlemen 49 



Doctor, a very good horse, and very like Collier 

 in figure and size. 



General John M'Pherson and Mr. E. Fenwicke 

 were both stanch patrons and contributors to the 

 sports of the turf during a long racing career. 

 They both owned many fine horses, which, from 

 their intimate knowledge of horseflesh and condi- 

 tion, they were enabled to place with advantage. 

 The former brought upon the course, in 1 794, the 

 renowned Commerce, who, at three years old, in 

 a race of two miles (February 15), won the South 

 Carolina Jockey Club Purse, beating a large 

 field. 



In 1796 Commerce passed into Mr. Fenwicke's 

 and Mr. Ferguson's hands. They ran him in his 

 five-year-old form, four-mile heats, on Wednesday, 

 for the Jockey Club Purse, over the Washington 

 Course, which he won, beating a very fast horse, 

 Matchem, the property of Mr. Bellinger. In the 

 same week, on Saturday, he won easily the Handi- 

 cap Race, three-mile heats. 



Like Shark, he was a great feature on the South 

 Carolina turf and for that reason his principal races 

 are here enumerated. His first race, as has been 

 just said, was over the Washington Course, as 

 a three-year-old, season of 1794, carrying 92 



