TROTTING FAMILIES. 39 



Central New York, neai the former home of Henry 

 Clay, and many farmers who saw the Russiau horses 

 there protested at what they considered an imposition. 

 " These are not foreign horses, they are nothing but 

 Clays," was their criticism. 



For many years, while the Hambletonian star was 

 rising, the Clay family were undervalued and mis- 

 re] >resented ; but finally, when it became apparent 

 that the most successful Hambletonian sires, George 

 Wilkes and Electioneer, were out of Clay mares, and 

 that in many other cases Clay blood had helped to 

 produce extreme speed, this prejudice was dissipated. 

 It seems to be true, however, that there is a slight 

 tendency in the family to sulk at critical moments. 

 "It was undoubtedly," says Mr. H. T. Helm, 1 "a 

 mental quality, which, when they were collared by an 

 antagonist, and likely to be forced to the utmost, caused 

 them to sulk and refuse to do their best." And Mr. 

 Helm adds that Boston, the famous four-mile racer, 

 and Harry Bassett, his grandson, both exhibited the 

 same trait. 



I have stated already the maternal lines coming 

 from Clay stock in which chiefly distinction has been 

 won. There is also an important California family 

 descended from the Clays in the paternal line. This 

 is the family founded by The Moor, among whose 

 descendants are Sultan, and the son of Sultan, Stam- 

 boul, whose record is 2.11. These California Clavs 

 are very beautiful horses, having almost the finish 

 and quality of thoroughbreds. 2 



1 "American Roadsters and Trotting Horses." A valuable 

 work, of which I shall make frequent nse. 



2 The breeding of this family is as follows : Henry Clay sired 



