HURDLE RACING The American Turf Register records a hurdle race at the Wash ington, D.C., Jockey Club races in Oct. 1834, "one mile out, leaping six fences, every gentleman riding his own horse for a piece of plate, value one hundred pounds. Mr. Stratton had a bad start; he gradually gained on the others; at the last barrier his horse leaped over one of the leading horses and the fence at one bound." In 1838, at Montreal, Canada, there was great encour agement in racing because of the Governor General's Cup given by the earl of Durham. On the third day, a hurdle race for horses hunted with the Montreal hounds was won by Black Prince. Nimrod Abroad, 1842, speaks of hurdle racing in New Brunswick.
The sport in the States has had its ups and downs, but prin cipally the latter, for the reason that, not needing any regular course, the races were run over hurdles placed on the track. These, not being permanent, were flimsy affairs, and when hit by the leaders would give way, bound back, and be difficult to judge by those following. Then again, as the tracks in America are always dirt, the horses in front often made so much dust that those behind were unable to see the jumps and blundered through them. This brought the sport into such great disfavour that hurdle racing was discontinued about 1900 but started again a few years ago.
Many horses raced over both hurdle and steeplechase courses. In 1872, Milesian won the Grand National Steeplechase with Johnny Hylands "riding like a great Captain," and immediately afterward a hurdle race. Resolute, in 1876, won a "chase" at Balti more, then defeated Deadhead and Bullet in a steeplechase at Jerome Park, and later beat Trouble over hurdles at Saratoga, making 17 brackets that year to his credit. Lochiel, another grand hurdler of that period, held the record at Jerome Park of 2.26 for 14 m. over seven hurdles. Forget, the property of F. R. and T. Hitchcock, was one of the leading winners of her time (1898-99), coming first to the wire in 17 out of her 35 starts, and still held in 1928 the record for 2 m. at Coney Island.