104 RACEALONG 



FASHIONABLE FAMILIES 



Blood lines in race horses slip in and out of fashion 

 like styles in clothes. After a run of a few seasons 

 another strain glides in and gathers the laurels. 

 Breeding in fashionable lines is a case of following 

 the winners in the colt races and aged events. Those 

 who supply them and start the boom get the reward 

 while those who hop from one family of horses to 

 another in the hope of getting a champion pay the 

 bills. The changes are first seen in the futurities 

 while the flourish in the aged events precedes the 

 exit. 



In the early days of light harness racing when 

 there were eight or nine families, the rivalry was 

 keen. At that time the number of the performers 

 was the most important item. For a time the 

 Morgans flourished from Maine to California. They 

 faded when the speed dropped to 2 :20. By that time 

 the Hambletonian, Mambrino Chief, Champion and 

 Clay families made their bow. The northern breeders 

 pinned their faith to the Hambletonians while a 

 few remained loyal to the Clays and Champions. 



Kentucky was the battle ground of the Mambrino 

 Chief family. It was not very numerous on account 

 of the early death of its founder but it had several 

 formidable representatives on the turf. 



For a number of years George M. Patchen, Lucy, 

 American Girl and Hopeful kept the Clay pennant 

 flying. Lady Thorn, Hannis and Woodford Mambrino 

 and the descendants of the last named through Pan- 



