Cary T. Grayson to WT Waggoner
Title
Cary T. Grayson to WT Waggoner
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16679
Date
1930 July 26
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Mr. WT Waggoner
Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Mr. Waggoner, -
Miss Newman, my secretary, tells me that she has written you of my illness. I have just about recovered from an attack of broncho-pneumonia and am leaving Sunday for Chicago where I promised to act as a Steward for one week. Then I am going to Vineyard Haven, Mass. where Mrs. Grayson and the boys are spending the summer. I plan to be in Saratoga from the 10th to 20th of August.
I hope that you are making a good recovery, but I am anxious to hear how you are getting along.
I am going to quote from a letter which I recently received, concerning a 3 year old chestnut colt by HURRY ON, by name of PRESS GANG. I saw him last year and liked him immensely before he ever ran in a race. He afterwards won the Middle Park Plate, which corresponds to our Futurity- the best 2 yeardold stake. Lord Woolavington, who owns the colt, I am informed did not care much for him and had his engagement cancelled for the Derby when he was a yearling because his full brother was a disappointment. Many good judges think he would have beaten BLENHEIM for the Derby this year. Since I last wrote you he beat ROSWORTH, the winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, easily. I had an excellent judge and veterinarian look at him and give me a report on him. I said I was interested in him for a friend, of course notmentioning your name. Following is the report:
“I had a good opportunity of seeing this horse at Newmarket last week. As you will know, he ran there and very easily beat BOSWORTH. At the finish it was no race. He is a very good looking horse much of the type of CORONACH when he first went to the Stud. By this I mean that he is not a great big heavy topped HURRY ON, he is more of the high quality type of that sire. The majority of his colts are like himself, excessively heavy topped and very masculine. PRESS GANG shows much more quality than the majority.
“With regard to his quarters they are very slightly drooped but they have improved very much and I think that they would improve more still with time. It is however, the conformation of the family and I would not mind it. He may be just a little light but this also I think would improve as he was a very fit horse the day I saw him run.
“The one objection I have to this horse and it is one I know which you Americans will not readily forgive and that is to my mind he has very low heels and a flat foot. Personally, I think that his feet have been probably the cause of any difficulty which there has been in training this horse. There must have been something. As you will see from the papers his wind was suspect but that is not so. I went down the course and saw him pull up after his severe race at Newmarket and his wind is as clear as it could possibly be. Going at Newmarket was hard, very hard indeed, he however, moved freely as he would have to do to win the race, which he did and after the race he showed no soreness of feet. He walked quite freely. I saw him half an hour after the race on his way home.
“This bring me now to the point as to whether with a view to what I have to report to you about one of the most vital points about a stallion for America “Weak feet”, I ought to go on with the proposition of trying to buy this horse. I have bery seriously thought the matter over and have come to the conclusion that I had better not do so until I get your opinion. His feet to my mind could be improved a great deal but they would never the hard, sound feet which are so necessary for breeding in America. In any case, from a conversation I had with Fred Darling, I very much doubt as to whether the horse will be available until the end of this year, and of course it is too late, so I presume an option on him for purchase at the end of the racing season would fill the bill just as well.”
* * *
Now that he is turning out to be such a top-notch race horse I dont suppose I will be able to get much definite information about price etc until the racing season is over. In the meanwhile, I hope to have the opportunity to see you, and if you are still interested we will try to get a price on him. You may not care to consider him, owing to what the vetinerary says about his feet. He also has a goose rump, but he tells me that it is not marked as it was when I saw him as a two year old. Of course, you realize it is hard to get a perfect horse, but what you and I are after is one that can run and win - and this one seems to have that habit.
Please let me hear from you as to how you are getting along.
Your sincere friend,
Cary T. Grayson
Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Mr. Waggoner, -
Miss Newman, my secretary, tells me that she has written you of my illness. I have just about recovered from an attack of broncho-pneumonia and am leaving Sunday for Chicago where I promised to act as a Steward for one week. Then I am going to Vineyard Haven, Mass. where Mrs. Grayson and the boys are spending the summer. I plan to be in Saratoga from the 10th to 20th of August.
I hope that you are making a good recovery, but I am anxious to hear how you are getting along.
I am going to quote from a letter which I recently received, concerning a 3 year old chestnut colt by HURRY ON, by name of PRESS GANG. I saw him last year and liked him immensely before he ever ran in a race. He afterwards won the Middle Park Plate, which corresponds to our Futurity- the best 2 yeardold stake. Lord Woolavington, who owns the colt, I am informed did not care much for him and had his engagement cancelled for the Derby when he was a yearling because his full brother was a disappointment. Many good judges think he would have beaten BLENHEIM for the Derby this year. Since I last wrote you he beat ROSWORTH, the winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, easily. I had an excellent judge and veterinarian look at him and give me a report on him. I said I was interested in him for a friend, of course notmentioning your name. Following is the report:
“I had a good opportunity of seeing this horse at Newmarket last week. As you will know, he ran there and very easily beat BOSWORTH. At the finish it was no race. He is a very good looking horse much of the type of CORONACH when he first went to the Stud. By this I mean that he is not a great big heavy topped HURRY ON, he is more of the high quality type of that sire. The majority of his colts are like himself, excessively heavy topped and very masculine. PRESS GANG shows much more quality than the majority.
“With regard to his quarters they are very slightly drooped but they have improved very much and I think that they would improve more still with time. It is however, the conformation of the family and I would not mind it. He may be just a little light but this also I think would improve as he was a very fit horse the day I saw him run.
“The one objection I have to this horse and it is one I know which you Americans will not readily forgive and that is to my mind he has very low heels and a flat foot. Personally, I think that his feet have been probably the cause of any difficulty which there has been in training this horse. There must have been something. As you will see from the papers his wind was suspect but that is not so. I went down the course and saw him pull up after his severe race at Newmarket and his wind is as clear as it could possibly be. Going at Newmarket was hard, very hard indeed, he however, moved freely as he would have to do to win the race, which he did and after the race he showed no soreness of feet. He walked quite freely. I saw him half an hour after the race on his way home.
“This bring me now to the point as to whether with a view to what I have to report to you about one of the most vital points about a stallion for America “Weak feet”, I ought to go on with the proposition of trying to buy this horse. I have bery seriously thought the matter over and have come to the conclusion that I had better not do so until I get your opinion. His feet to my mind could be improved a great deal but they would never the hard, sound feet which are so necessary for breeding in America. In any case, from a conversation I had with Fred Darling, I very much doubt as to whether the horse will be available until the end of this year, and of course it is too late, so I presume an option on him for purchase at the end of the racing season would fill the bill just as well.”
* * *
Now that he is turning out to be such a top-notch race horse I dont suppose I will be able to get much definite information about price etc until the racing season is over. In the meanwhile, I hope to have the opportunity to see you, and if you are still interested we will try to get a price on him. You may not care to consider him, owing to what the vetinerary says about his feet. He also has a goose rump, but he tells me that it is not marked as it was when I saw him as a two year old. Of course, you realize it is hard to get a perfect horse, but what you and I are after is one that can run and win - and this one seems to have that habit.
Please let me hear from you as to how you are getting along.
Your sincere friend,
Cary T. Grayson
Original Format
Letter
To
Waggoner, William Thomas (1852–1934)
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson to WT Waggoner,” 1930 July 26, WWP16679, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.