The race began in 1902 as a sporting way of deciding who among a group of young men on the Manor had the fastest and best jumper. Harry T. Pearce, John Rush Streett, J.M. Pearce, Charles M. Pearce and Walter Hutchins were the originators. In the years since, the descendants of some of these men, plus a lengthening list of other families - Bosley, Bonsal, Brewster, Cocks, Fisher, Griswold, Fenwick, Janney, Voss - have supplied two or more generations participating in these races as either riders, owners or trainers.

There have been many changes over the years, but the attraction of the spring countryside remains. The beauty of the race in the distance, the thrill of being within yards of thousands of pounds of man and beast pounding down the homestretch. As a long ago newspaperman wrote, "Today you have fine horses and courageous riders fighting it out over a fair line of countryside, for all to watch and enjoy. How better to spend an afternoon of early spring?" How better indeed. And the city dwellers will continue to walk on grass at the races each spring as long as the descendants of these early horsemen continue to race.