HAMBLETOXIAN'S soxs AND GKAXDSONS. 287 



George Wilkes was it is impossible definitely to determine, 

 so many and varying have been the representations on that 

 point. It has been claimed that he went a quarter in 

 twenty-nine seconds to an eighty-five pound wagon. William L. 

 Simmons some years ago stated that of his own knowledge 

 George Wilkes trotted a mile and repeat as a six-year-old at the 

 Oenterville Course in 2:19^, 2:18^, and that Sam McLaughlin 

 drove him a half-mile to wagon over Union Course in 1 :04|. 

 These statements I give for what may be deemed their worth, 

 contenting myself with the remark that it is safe to conclude 

 that George Wilkes would have trotted well within the 2:20 mark, 

 if he had been managed with a view to bringing out his highest 

 racing capacity, instead of being handled solely for the purpose 

 of smart betting and match-making manipulations. 



George Wilkes was taken to Lexington, Kentucky, by William 

 L. Simmons, his owner, in 1873, and in his declining years made 

 a reputation so great in the stud that his brilliant turf career is 

 almost forgotten. After having trotted against the best in the 

 country for twelve successive years, proving his fitness in the 

 fiery ordeal of turf contest, he, in the nine remaining years of his 

 life, fulfilled the purpose of his being, and demonstrated the 

 truth of heredity by getting trotters in plenty able to do and 

 outdo what he had in his day done. 



George Wilkes got a few foals before going to Kentucky, of 

 which the most notable was May Bird, 2:21, the first trotter to 

 "bring him reputation as a sire. Of the others got in the North, 

 Young Wilkes, 2:28^, a sire of some reputation, and Wilkes 

 Spirit, who also figures in the table of sires, are the only ones to 

 earn places in the records. Early in the eighties George Wilkes 

 "began to assume high rank as a sire, May Bird, Kentucky Wilkes, 

 Prospect Maid, So So, Joe Bunker and others bringing him into 

 prominence. Every year added to his roll of honor and soon he 

 was among the leaders. Blue Bull had surpassed Hambletonian 

 in the number of trotters to his credit in the 2:30 list, but at the 

 close of 1886 George Wilkes was even with the Indiana sire, in 

 1887 he passed him, and for some seasons led all sires of 2:30 

 performers. George Wilkes got seventy-two trotters and eleven 

 pacers to acquire standard records, of which the most noted were 

 Harry Wilkes, 2:13, Guy Wilkes, 2:15i, and Wilson, 2:16; and 

 ninety-four of his sons and eighty-one of his daughters have 

 produced, as shown in the table of Hambletonian's sons, 1801 



