HAMBLETONIAN AND HIS FAMILY. 271 



his dislike to Mr. Rysdyk, and as the most unreliable of all unre^ 

 liable horsemen. 



In the autumn of 1852 Mr. Rysdyk and Mr. Seely C. Roe, the 

 owner of Roe's Abdallah Chief, then four years old, concluded to 

 exhibit their sons of Abdallah at the fair of the American Insti- 

 tute, in New York, and after the fair to take their colts, three 

 and four years old respectively, for a light training for a few 

 weeks. The programme was carried out, and after reaching the 

 course they started the two colts together, and much to Mr. 

 Roe's surprise Hambletonian beat his colt in 3:03. In a short 

 time Mr. Roe gave his colt another trial in 2:55^. A few days 

 later Mr. Rysdyk drove his colt in 2:48. Believing then he had 

 the making of the best trotter in the world and being thoroughly 

 homesick, he packed up his traps and started for Orange County, 

 and this was the first and the last training that Hambletonian 

 ever had. When we consider the age of the colt and how few 

 of that age had then ever reached that mark, the little then 

 known by amateurs of the arts of training and driving, and the 

 very limited preparation, we must conclude that this was a re- 

 markably good performance. 



Was it honestly made? Mr. Roe has been dead a good many 

 years, but the next day after he returned from Long Island with 

 Mr. Rysdyk he called at the house of his brother-in-law, David R. 

 Feagles, a very responsible man, and in the course of the conver- 

 sation he asked Mr. Feagles if he had heard the news? "No," 

 said Mr. Feagles, "what is it?" "Rysdyk's colt trotted the 

 Union Course in 2:48. I held my watch and I know it is true." 

 Mr. Roe was always steadfast and immovable in this declaration 

 while he lived. Mr. W. H. Wood, the breeder of Abdallah Chief, 

 says he told him the time was 2:48, and he had several times 

 heard it disputed in Mr. Roe's presence and he had always settled 

 the dispute by giving the same fact. Mr. David R. Seely said 

 he could not remember the time made, but he had heard the 

 matter disputed, and Mr. Roe settled it by saying it was true, that 

 he saw it and held the watch on him when he did it. These men 

 were as reliable as any in Orange County and their statement of 

 Mr. Roe's assertions cannot be doubted. Considering the cir- 

 cumstances, it will occur to any mind that Mr. Roe was the very 

 best witness to the truth of this performance that could be pro- 

 duced. He was not only disinterested, but in building up the 

 reputation of a rival stallion he was testifying to his own hurt. 



