184 TJie Horse-Breeders' Guide and Harid Book. 



AMERICAN ECLIPSE, 



(WINNER OF THE GREAT SECTIONAL MATCH BETWEEN THE NORTH 

 AND SOUTH, RUN OVER THE UNION COURSE, L. I., MAY 27TH, 1823, 

 BEATING HENRY.) 



ECLIPSE, by Duroc, son of imp. Diomed, bred by Gen. Nithaniel Co!es, Desoris, 

 Queens Co., L. L, foaled May 25th, 1814, dam Miller's Damsel, by imp. Messenger^ 

 son of Membrino, out of imp. mare by Pot-8-os, son of the great English Eclipse. 

 Eclipse was trained at three years old, and tried; and again at four years old ; but ran 

 his first race at five years old, at Newmarket, Long Island, 2-mile heats, which he won, 

 beating Black-eyed Susan, by Sir Archy, and Sea Gull. March 15th, 1819, Eclipse 

 was sold to Mr. Van Ranst, and in June, 1819 won Club Purse, at Bath L. I., defeat- 

 ing Little John, by Potomac, Bond's Eclipse, and James Fitz James. October, same 

 year, won Club Purse at Bath, 4-mile heats, beating Little John, Fearnought, and one 

 other, in 8:13, 8:08. In 1820 and '21 he covered mares on Long Island. October 15th, 

 1821, won the Club Purse, Jamaica, L. L, 4-mile heats, defeating the noted Lady 

 Lightfoot, then nine years old, Flag of Truce and Heart of Oak, in 8:04, 8:02. Lady 

 Lightfoot was distanced in the second heat. In May, 1822, won Club Purse over the 

 Union Course, L. I,, beating Sir Walter, by Hickory, in 7:54, 8:00. October, 1822, 

 won Club Purse, 4-mile heats, over Union Course, beating Sir Walter, Duchess of 

 Marlborough. and Slow and Easy, in 7:58, second heat no time. A challenge having 

 appeared in a New York paper in which Jas. J. Harrison, of Virginia, proposed to* 

 run Sir Charles by Sir Archy, against Eclipse, 4-mile heats, for $5,000 or $10,000, the 

 race to be run over the Washington Course, the challenge was accepted by Mr. Van 

 Ranst, and $5,000 forfeit put up on each side, the race to be run November 20th. 

 Both horses came to the post and the riders were mounted, when Mr, Harrison an- 

 nounced that in consequence of an accident to Sir Charles, he would pay forfeit, but 

 proposed to run a dash of 4 miles, for $1,500 a side. This was accepted, and the 

 horses started. The first two miles were run in 3:50, when Sir Charles broke down, 

 and Eclipse galloped the balance of the distance. Sir Charles carried 120, and Eclipse 

 126 Ibs. On the evening of the same day, Col. Wm. R. Johnson, of Virginia, propos- 

 ed to produce a horse on the last Tuesday in May, 1823, to run 4-mile heats against 

 Eclipse, over the Union Course, for $20,000 a side. The challenge was immediately 

 accepted by John C. Stephens, Esq. John Richards, intended for the match, broke 

 down, and Henry, by Sir Archy was substituted. The race was run May 27th, 1823. 

 Henry won the first heat,7:37i, Eclipse the second and third in 7:49, 8:24, Eclipse car- 

 ried 126 Ibs., Henry (4) 108 Ibs. Col. Johnson again challenged to run Henry against 

 Eclipse, the same race, for $20,000, or $50,000, but the challenge was declined. 



Eclipse was as famous in the stud as on the turf. He stood in New York, Virginia, 

 and Kentucky. The most famous of his get were, Ariel, Lance, Lady Jackson, Black 

 Maria, Shark, Goliah, O'Kelly, Godolphin, Maryland Eclipse, Rocker, Medoc, Midas, 

 Mingo, Ten Broeck, Monmouth Eclipse, Bay Maria, Tom Kimball, Gano, and many 

 others. Ariel was the great mare of her day. She ran fifty-seven races and won 

 forty-two, seventeen of which were 4-mile heats. Black Maria also ran a large number 

 eleven winning ones, at 3 and 4-mile heats. Eclipse was a chestnut horse, 15J hands 

 high, with a star in his forehead and near hind foot white; was heavy set, and full of 

 bone and muscle. The following were some of his measurements : head 23f in. ; neck 

 25 in.; from point of shoulder to point of buttocks 65f in.; girth 74 in. ; around the 

 arm, 21 in. ; below the knee, 7 in. ; around the tibia 18| in. ; the hock 16 in. ; from 

 hip to point of hock 37-J in. ; he measured the same around the flank as girth 74 in., 

 and the same height at hip as withers, 61 in. An examination of his pedigree will 

 show that he was very much inbred to the Darley Arabian, through Chllders, and to 

 the Godolphin Arabian through Blank, Cade, Regulus and Cripple. Eclipse died the 

 property of Jilson Yatcs, in Shelby County, Ky., in Aug, 1847, then in the 34th year 

 of his age. 



