AND OTHER SKETCHES 141 



of pecuniary gain ever entered into his calculations in 

 connection with his turf career. 



No happier hours of relaxation were passed by him 

 than when wandering through the fields of his Valley 

 Farm, watching the thoroughbreds, which, young and 

 old, roamed its pastures. It may be that in the estima- 

 tion of eminently practical-minded owners, who are in a 

 big majority on the American turf, Mr. Hendrie's suc- 

 cesses were not, from a dollar and cent view, proportion- 

 ate to the outlay, but to one of his lofty ideals in all 

 matters connected with racing, the question of profit 

 never engaged his attention. Like all owners, he was 

 fond of winning, but there never was an owner of race 

 horses in any land who could lose with better grace or 

 with more genuine warmth of feeling congratulate the 

 owner who defeated him. 



He never bet on his horses, not even the smallest sum. 

 To him the pleasure of winning was all-satisfying and 

 that satisfaction was intensified tenfold if the winner was 

 one of his own breeding. I remember a few years ago a 

 young turfman, whose horse had just been defeated by 

 Mr. Hendrie's, turning to him, and with considerable 

 warmth of feeling declaring he was willing to run the race 

 over again in one hour's time and wager him one thou- 

 sand dollars that he could beat him. Mr. Hendrie's reply 

 came both prompt and decisive, but in courteous tones, 

 he informed the would-be bettor: "I hope I am a sports- 

 man, not a gambler." It was short, sharp and to the 

 point, and it thoroughly bespoke the character of the man 

 who uttered it. 



Another striking illustration of his high quality as a 

 sportsman is furnished by the following incident. A few 

 days after his horse, Martimas, had won the Futurity of 

 1898, the greatest two-year-old event on the American 

 turf, he devoted a large proportion of the money thus 

 received to the construction of a wing to the Hamilton 

 Hospital, which is now called Martimas Annex. A few 

 days after his splendid colt had landed the great race, he 

 also won the Flatbush Stakes, but was disqualified for an 



