f rHiminars gnnaiiis. 



The South Carolina Jockey Club, at a meeting held the 9th 

 February, 1856 — 



Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to collate such documents as may 

 be necessary to preserve the early history of Races in the State, from the formation 

 of the Club, and that the same be published in an appropriate and enduring form 

 for convenient reference in the future. 



The undersigned were appointed a Committee under tlie above 

 Resokition. Having understood that one of the officers of the Ckib 

 had instiiuted, many years since, a diligent research among the fast 

 perishing sources and documents that threw any liglit upon the early 

 history of our Turf, to gather ^ip, if jiossible, the fragments that remained, 

 scattered about in all directions, application was made to him for such 

 papers as might be in his possession. Many were placed at our dis- 

 posal, which, upon examination, were found to supply the verrj informa- 

 tion the Club was desirous to obtain — hence the publication of the pre- 

 sent volume. 



On perusal, it will be found to contain a mass of information, which 

 not only to our own time, but especially to after ages, will be invaluable, 

 increasing in importanc^e more and more, year after year, as the present 

 generation, reducing in numV)ers day by day, will soon, in the course of 

 nature, not have one left to tell of the events of the earlier days of the 

 Turf in the present century, to say nothing of the wondrous things re- 

 counted by our fathers, as having been done by those who lived in the 

 old time before them. 



Without being too elaborate, it is believed that this little work fur- 

 nishes as complete a history of the South Carolina Jockey Club, and as 

 correct a calendar of Races run under its rules, dariny a period of one 



