The Times

A FORTUNE FOR A COLT.

William C. Whitney Pays $75,000 for Nasturtium.

NEW YORK, June 23.—William C. Whitney yesterday bought the fine two-year-old colt Nasturtium, concerning whose sale there has been so much gossip, for a price which is believed to be in the neighborhood of $75,000. It is known that the owners of the colt had previously rejected an offer of $50,000 for the youngster, and while they would not announce the exact price they received from Mr. Whitney, they intimated that the $75,000 figure was not far out of the way.

This is the highest price ever paid at private sale for a two-year-old in this or any other country, but as horsemen generally consider Nasturtium the pick, with Blue Girl, of the year's crop of two-year-olds, and as the colt is entered in stakes the value of which aggregates over $150,000, including the English Derby of 1902, the price creates less surprise than would otherwise be the case. Nasturtium is by Watercress—Mergerique, and was owned partly by A. L. Aste, and raced in his name and colors. It is understood that a Wall Street broker was part owner of the colt which has now passed into Mr. Whitney's hands.

Nasturtium was bred by J. B. Haggin, and first appeared in public at Gravesend on June 4, when he easily smothered a field of maidens. On June 13 he ran second to Blue Girl in the Great American Stakes, after being interfered with early in the race. Many observers thought he would have beaten the filly otherwise. On Suburban Day he won the first half of the Double Event, covering the five and a half furlongs out of the new Futurity chute in 1:04 1-5, and hanging up new figures for the track. Mr. Whitney is part owner, with J. E. Madden, of Blue Girl, and appears to be bent upon engaging in turf affairs on a more princely scale than ever.

There was a report that J. B. Haggin was interested in the purchase to the extent of an agreement that when Mr. Whitney was through racing Nasturtium the colt should go to Mr. Haggin's stud.