WT Waggoner to Cary T. Grayson
Title
WT Waggoner to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
Waggoner, William Thomas (1852–1934)
Identifier
WWP16646
Date
1930 January 20
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Dear Dr. Grayson
This mornings mail brought your very interesting letter to hand. I certainly read it with great pleasure, as it gave me several points that were very interesting to me to know.
We have no news in this country, only about the worst weather that has been here for about twenty-five years. There does not seem to be any letup to it. It is so bad that our horses have not been on the track for the past two weeks, although I have had my stable enclosed and am now exercising my horses around it. They do not have to go around but about two or three times to make a mile and I am giving them all a good long exercise around that every day. Broadway Limited seems to be getting a lot better than he usually is. To look at him he looks like a million dollars; g owing, spreading and getting bigger every day. I am having my trainer come into the office today and I am going to enter him and Kilkerry in the derby. I do not know whether I will get to first block or not, but am going to try for it. These horses are up in good shape and no reason why they should not train in excellent condition and as far as I have noticed, Mr. Vestal, he is the most particular, best trainer I ever saw. Everything that he has charge of certainly looks like somebody has been at the head of them. My horses looks better than I have ever seen them since I have had race horses and I believe he is going to make good, although I do not know. I surely would like to win that derby, and as you say you would too as much as I would, I am sure that is a fact for you raised Broadway and it certainly advertised your mare as well as it did the colt.
In regard to writing the letters that you speak of, I think your ideas are very clear on that and while we are in no particular hurry for them, I believe after the primary in the summer and we see who is going to be our governor, that would be a fine time for such a letter to be published in the Star Telegram and Dallas News. I do hope that we will get the right kind of a governorm but you can never tell who or what you are going to get. People are so crazy these days that you do not know what one is going to do, after he has promised you so. They change by the hour and over night here. Sorter like a man owing you a bad debt, you do not consider you have it until you get the money in your pocket, just keeps you guessing all the time. I imagine we are going to have a pretty big fight on the governor, senator and representative races, but I have started to work on that and am working slowly and cautiously, trying to keep it all a secret, as much as as I can. After the 26th of July I might be aboe to write you something definite about the governor’s race, not before as the primary comes off on the above date.
I am enclosing you a list of the mares I have on my farm for breeding, and after you have looked them over carefully, tell me how you think I should breed them. If there is any, or all of them that you think I should get shed of, I would be awfully glad you would tell me, for I do not want to keep anything but the best, nothing but what I have a chance to make something of.
Before this weather got bad we breezed a couple of Phalaro’s colts and they made 18 in 11 25. I understand since then they had run ¼ in 24. I did not see this last race but understnad that from a boy that came in the other day. I do not know whether you consider this good, bad or how, but the trainer thinks they can do better than that and if this weather had not stopped him I would have been able to have written you the very best they could do, but he has not had a chance and from the looks of today there is no telling when he will.
After looking over carefully this list, I would be glad for you to tell me which horse I should breed to certain mares. You have been so nice to me that I do not feel like imposing on you so much, but as I do not know nothing about any business of this kind, I certainly have to look to somebody and I am glad that I have to ask a man who I have all confidence in.
Thanking you again for your favorable advice, I am as ever
Your friend,
WT Waggoner
This mornings mail brought your very interesting letter to hand. I certainly read it with great pleasure, as it gave me several points that were very interesting to me to know.
We have no news in this country, only about the worst weather that has been here for about twenty-five years. There does not seem to be any letup to it. It is so bad that our horses have not been on the track for the past two weeks, although I have had my stable enclosed and am now exercising my horses around it. They do not have to go around but about two or three times to make a mile and I am giving them all a good long exercise around that every day. Broadway Limited seems to be getting a lot better than he usually is. To look at him he looks like a million dollars; g owing, spreading and getting bigger every day. I am having my trainer come into the office today and I am going to enter him and Kilkerry in the derby. I do not know whether I will get to first block or not, but am going to try for it. These horses are up in good shape and no reason why they should not train in excellent condition and as far as I have noticed, Mr. Vestal, he is the most particular, best trainer I ever saw. Everything that he has charge of certainly looks like somebody has been at the head of them. My horses looks better than I have ever seen them since I have had race horses and I believe he is going to make good, although I do not know. I surely would like to win that derby, and as you say you would too as much as I would, I am sure that is a fact for you raised Broadway and it certainly advertised your mare as well as it did the colt.
In regard to writing the letters that you speak of, I think your ideas are very clear on that and while we are in no particular hurry for them, I believe after the primary in the summer and we see who is going to be our governor, that would be a fine time for such a letter to be published in the Star Telegram and Dallas News. I do hope that we will get the right kind of a governorm but you can never tell who or what you are going to get. People are so crazy these days that you do not know what one is going to do, after he has promised you so. They change by the hour and over night here. Sorter like a man owing you a bad debt, you do not consider you have it until you get the money in your pocket, just keeps you guessing all the time. I imagine we are going to have a pretty big fight on the governor, senator and representative races, but I have started to work on that and am working slowly and cautiously, trying to keep it all a secret, as much as as I can. After the 26th of July I might be aboe to write you something definite about the governor’s race, not before as the primary comes off on the above date.
I am enclosing you a list of the mares I have on my farm for breeding, and after you have looked them over carefully, tell me how you think I should breed them. If there is any, or all of them that you think I should get shed of, I would be awfully glad you would tell me, for I do not want to keep anything but the best, nothing but what I have a chance to make something of.
Before this weather got bad we breezed a couple of Phalaro’s colts and they made 18 in 11 25. I understand since then they had run ¼ in 24. I did not see this last race but understnad that from a boy that came in the other day. I do not know whether you consider this good, bad or how, but the trainer thinks they can do better than that and if this weather had not stopped him I would have been able to have written you the very best they could do, but he has not had a chance and from the looks of today there is no telling when he will.
After looking over carefully this list, I would be glad for you to tell me which horse I should breed to certain mares. You have been so nice to me that I do not feel like imposing on you so much, but as I do not know nothing about any business of this kind, I certainly have to look to somebody and I am glad that I have to ask a man who I have all confidence in.
Thanking you again for your favorable advice, 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 20, WWP16646, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.