▁Fame ▁ ▁tra iner . ▁A ▁native ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁William ▁B urch ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁cou rier ▁in ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁Army ▁under ▁Lie ut . ▁Gen . ▁W ade ▁Ham pton ▁III ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁At ▁war ' s ▁end ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁racing ▁of ▁American ▁Qu arter ▁H ors es ▁at ▁various ▁fair ground s ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁he ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁professional ▁tra iner ▁in ▁Thor ough bre d ▁horse ▁racing ▁which ▁led ▁him ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁rac etra cks ▁along ▁the ▁n ort he astern ▁se ab o ard ▁where ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁he ▁owned , ▁trained ▁and ▁rac ed ▁horses ▁for ▁himself . ▁Among ▁those ▁were ▁Big gon et , ▁who ▁won ▁important ▁races ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁tracks ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁Sp ina way ▁St akes ▁at ▁Sar at oga ▁Race ▁Cour se ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁With ers ▁St akes ▁at ▁Jer ome ▁Park ▁R ac et rack . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁B urch ▁condition ed ▁horses ▁for ▁own ers ▁such ▁as ▁Francis ▁H itch cock , ▁Samuel ▁Ross , ▁and ▁Admir al ▁C ary ▁Gray son . ▁ ▁While ▁prepar ing ▁horses ▁for ▁own ers ▁C ary ▁Gray son ▁and ▁Samuel ▁Ross ▁at ▁Sar at oga ▁Spr ings , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 6 ,