Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. In the spring of 1839, a meeting of gentlemen took place at the Astor House, for the purpose of infusing fresh life and spirit into Northern Racing, by the formation of a new club for the Union Course; under whose auspices the year commenced with every appearance of a successful season in all sections of the country. A post match, for $20,000, was concluded to come off over the Newmarket Course, in Virginia. Great preparations were made for races over the Course at Trenton, N J., and elsewhere, and a produce Stake with a subscription of $2,000 each, $400 forfeit, two miles heat, to be called " The Hampton Stake," was projected. Commodore Eidgley was re-elected President; Messrs. John A. King, John C. Stevens, H. "Wilkes, and James Foster, Yice Presidents; Messrs. Henry K. Toler, Gouverneur Kortwright, Wm. K. Gaston, and Gerard L. Coster, Stewards of the New York Jockey Club, and its organization was celebrated by a dinner at the Astor House. Mr. King presided, and eloquently addressed the company upon the object of the meeting. A Club was formed for three years. " The song, the toast, and the enlivening story succeeded each other; and as the circling glass went round, flowing bumpers were pledged to the good men and true of the South and "West, and heel-taps discolored no goblets quaffed to the Sports of the Turf." Mr. Porter was of opinion that there should be a tribunal of some sort, to which the various Jockey Clubs, as well as individuals, could resort for the adjustment of controverted questions, and in a strong appeal in favor of a Turf Convention, he says: " So desirable do we deem a convention of the friends of the Turf, with a view to the adoption of a uniform code of rules, and the establishment of a Court of Appeal for doubtful points, that w... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.