WT Waggoner to Cary T. Grayson
Title
WT Waggoner to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
Waggoner, William Thomas (1852–1934)
Identifier
WWP16642
Date
1930 January 7
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Dear Dr. Grayson
Your letter was received several days ago, but owing to my not feeling well and the amount of business pouring in, I have neglected writing you sooner. I want to beg your pardon for this.
In regard to Paicines, Mr. Hay’s horse, I wrote Mr. Hay and told him that I had one Sun Star horse and he might be as good a breeder as his horse, as he already has several good colts, such as My Dandy and others that I cannot recall the names of right now, but I am sure you do. In regard to my purchasing Reigh Count, I have this to say; I hever offered a dime for Reigh Count in my life; never tried to buy him and would not think of giving such a price as that should I ever want him. I do not know how this report got started. I am sure it was not through me. I do not wonder but that his owner did not start that to give his horse some notoriety, otherwise I am, unable to say how the report ever got out.
I had a letter from our old friend Raymond Dale, of England reccomending a horse to me and wanting me to buy him for $750,000. Felstead is his name, by Spion Kop out of Felkington. Mr. Dale thinks this is the best horse in the world and says in his letter that he is the highest priced horse in the world. I answered his letter by return mail and told him I would not think of giving any such price for an untried horse or even if he was a tried horse, for that is a world of money. A man would have to breed a thousand years to get any returns from him. I do not think now, as the breeding season is so near at hand, that I will try to buy any other horse than the one I have. I have Royal Ford here and he had a little accident in one of his ankles and I have had him fired trying to build him up and get him ready for the races, and in case I do not get him ready, I thought of breeding him to a few mares. What do you think about that?
I am thinking very seriously of entering Kilkerry and Broadway Limited in the derby. I do not know whether I will have a chance or not. Broadway could win it if he would, but he is a bad actor, not after he gets to running, but before he starts; he stands on his hind feet and falls back and does everything a horse should not do going to the track, but does very well after he gets started. We are not doing much with him or Kilkerry just putting the saddle on them, bringing them along slowly trying to get them in good condition for the derby. I would like awful well to win that derby with Broadway Limited. Kilkerry shows to be a very fine colt and has plenty of speed and I think can run the distance and I know Broadway can and they can run over any kind of a track, muddy or dry.
I have Mr. Dick Vestal on my farm now preparing these horses for the derby. I would like to know what you think of him as a trainer. He seems to be very good and knows his business mighty well, as far as I can judge.
I have been breezing some of the Phalaros colts the last few days. Tow of them worked an eighth in eleven and two fifths and the other two worked an eighth in eleven three. People around Fort Worth seem to think that is mighty good work for green colts. Mr. Vestal thinks that within a few weeks they can run an eighth in ten. I do not know about that. I saw them breeze a few days ago a half in twenty-four. If they can keep that up it looks like they might improve some and be even better than that. I have one filly, bred by Capmp Fire out of Flivver, that Mr. Vestal thinks surely is going to make a nice filly. I am also preparing Pansy Walker for the Oaks and Dixie Dreamer. I do not know whether Pansy can run the distance or not, but I am sure that Dixie Dreamer can. As far as Pansy goes, I do not think anything can beat her on a dry track, but Dixie Dreamer can run any distance and run it over any kind of a track.
It is awful nice to have a friend like you that will write me such long and interesting letters and I certainly to appreciate it and if I think that my horses are going to be good enough for the derby, I am going to make am effort to go up there when they run, although I cannot see them, can only hear and that not so good.
I think I sent you a list of my mares and asked you to tell me which horse to breed and how they should be bred.
Now, I am thinking about making another big effort to pass a racing buill in Texas. Our primary comes off in July and it all depends on Congressmen, Senators and the right kind of a Governor. We are working right now and are going to be very busy the rest of the season. If you could consistently do so, I would be pleased if you would write the Dallas News and the Star Telegram a letter, telling them what I have done for Texas and what racing would do for Texas and adjoining places and would create and have built many breeding farms in Texas and what it would be worth to the farmer in the way of selling all of their feed and even wheat straw, baled, that the farmer practically gets nothing for. I just mention these items so in your letter to these two papers you can mention these facts. I think it would be worth a great deal to the State of Texas to have racing back, as Texas is a natural breeding country. It puts on bone, hoofs and can grow as big and good colts, I think, as any place in the world. I do not think any State in the Union has anything over Texas, considering the grass, climate and the future for it and I think is great. Aletter from you to these two papers will do more tham all I can do the rest of the year. From a man of your standing people will take notice of it and will put them to thinking more than I can do in years. If you know of any other outstanding man that you can get to write a letter similar to yours I would be awfully pleased to have your support in every way in the world and hope that you will never have any regrets at helping me through with this project, as it will be beneficial to all breeding farms in Kentucky and else where as amarket for the horses they raise and studs to go on the farms. It will bring new blood to Texas and lots of people will come down here and establish their homes in Texas as well as their breeding farms.
Now, I think this is a great deal to ask of you, but as I have said above, anything that you can think of to help put this bill over, will be appreciated very highly by me and you will have no regrets ever for doing all that you have in your power to do.Thanking you again for your kind letter and you need never be afraid of my ever divulging a work of what you say to me.
Hoping this letter will find you and your little family all well, I am as ever
Your friend,
WT Waggoner
Your letter was received several days ago, but owing to my not feeling well and the amount of business pouring in, I have neglected writing you sooner. I want to beg your pardon for this.
In regard to Paicines, Mr. Hay’s horse, I wrote Mr. Hay and told him that I had one Sun Star horse and he might be as good a breeder as his horse, as he already has several good colts, such as My Dandy and others that I cannot recall the names of right now, but I am sure you do. In regard to my purchasing Reigh Count, I have this to say; I hever offered a dime for Reigh Count in my life; never tried to buy him and would not think of giving such a price as that should I ever want him. I do not know how this report got started. I am sure it was not through me. I do not wonder but that his owner did not start that to give his horse some notoriety, otherwise I am, unable to say how the report ever got out.
I had a letter from our old friend Raymond Dale, of England reccomending a horse to me and wanting me to buy him for $750,000. Felstead is his name, by Spion Kop out of Felkington. Mr. Dale thinks this is the best horse in the world and says in his letter that he is the highest priced horse in the world. I answered his letter by return mail and told him I would not think of giving any such price for an untried horse or even if he was a tried horse, for that is a world of money. A man would have to breed a thousand years to get any returns from him. I do not think now, as the breeding season is so near at hand, that I will try to buy any other horse than the one I have. I have Royal Ford here and he had a little accident in one of his ankles and I have had him fired trying to build him up and get him ready for the races, and in case I do not get him ready, I thought of breeding him to a few mares. What do you think about that?
I am thinking very seriously of entering Kilkerry and Broadway Limited in the derby. I do not know whether I will have a chance or not. Broadway could win it if he would, but he is a bad actor, not after he gets to running, but before he starts; he stands on his hind feet and falls back and does everything a horse should not do going to the track, but does very well after he gets started. We are not doing much with him or Kilkerry just putting the saddle on them, bringing them along slowly trying to get them in good condition for the derby. I would like awful well to win that derby with Broadway Limited. Kilkerry shows to be a very fine colt and has plenty of speed and I think can run the distance and I know Broadway can and they can run over any kind of a track, muddy or dry.
I have Mr. Dick Vestal on my farm now preparing these horses for the derby. I would like to know what you think of him as a trainer. He seems to be very good and knows his business mighty well, as far as I can judge.
I have been breezing some of the Phalaros colts the last few days. Tow of them worked an eighth in eleven and two fifths and the other two worked an eighth in eleven three. People around Fort Worth seem to think that is mighty good work for green colts. Mr. Vestal thinks that within a few weeks they can run an eighth in ten. I do not know about that. I saw them breeze a few days ago a half in twenty-four. If they can keep that up it looks like they might improve some and be even better than that. I have one filly, bred by Capmp Fire out of Flivver, that Mr. Vestal thinks surely is going to make a nice filly. I am also preparing Pansy Walker for the Oaks and Dixie Dreamer. I do not know whether Pansy can run the distance or not, but I am sure that Dixie Dreamer can. As far as Pansy goes, I do not think anything can beat her on a dry track, but Dixie Dreamer can run any distance and run it over any kind of a track.
It is awful nice to have a friend like you that will write me such long and interesting letters and I certainly to appreciate it and if I think that my horses are going to be good enough for the derby, I am going to make am effort to go up there when they run, although I cannot see them, can only hear and that not so good.
I think I sent you a list of my mares and asked you to tell me which horse to breed and how they should be bred.
Now, I am thinking about making another big effort to pass a racing buill in Texas. Our primary comes off in July and it all depends on Congressmen, Senators and the right kind of a Governor. We are working right now and are going to be very busy the rest of the season. If you could consistently do so, I would be pleased if you would write the Dallas News and the Star Telegram a letter, telling them what I have done for Texas and what racing would do for Texas and adjoining places and would create and have built many breeding farms in Texas and what it would be worth to the farmer in the way of selling all of their feed and even wheat straw, baled, that the farmer practically gets nothing for. I just mention these items so in your letter to these two papers you can mention these facts. I think it would be worth a great deal to the State of Texas to have racing back, as Texas is a natural breeding country. It puts on bone, hoofs and can grow as big and good colts, I think, as any place in the world. I do not think any State in the Union has anything over Texas, considering the grass, climate and the future for it and I think is great. Aletter from you to these two papers will do more tham all I can do the rest of the year. From a man of your standing people will take notice of it and will put them to thinking more than I can do in years. If you know of any other outstanding man that you can get to write a letter similar to yours I would be awfully pleased to have your support in every way in the world and hope that you will never have any regrets at helping me through with this project, as it will be beneficial to all breeding farms in Kentucky and else where as amarket for the horses they raise and studs to go on the farms. It will bring new blood to Texas and lots of people will come down here and establish their homes in Texas as well as their breeding farms.
Now, I think this is a great deal to ask of you, but as I have said above, anything that you can think of to help put this bill over, will be appreciated very highly by me and you will have no regrets ever for doing all that you have in your power to do.Thanking you again for your kind letter and you need never be afraid of my ever divulging a work of what you say to me.
Hoping this letter will find you and your little family all well, I am as ever
Your friend,
WT Waggoner
Original Format
Letter
To
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Files
Collection
Citation
Waggoner, William Thomas (1852–1934), “WT Waggoner to Cary T. Grayson,” 1930 January 7, WWP16642, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.