68 AMERICAN TROTTERS. 



It is now well known and admitted that the trot and the pace are 

 interchangeable, and that a horse may be taught to go at either gait. 

 The idea of 20 years ago, that pacing blood was of no value in a trotting 

 pedigree, has gone, and gone to stay. 



i'OME OF THE FASTEST 1 888. 



An examination of the list of fast records brings up matters of 

 such interest as to warrant at least notice in these pages. In every 

 case, through the list of stallions, mares and geldings, the really fast 

 movers have been the result of steady breeding in blood lines to attain 

 the desired ends. It is this fact which points conclusively toward the 

 inevitable recognition of the claims of the American Trotter to be 

 classed as a breed. 



The fastest stallions at close of the racing season 1888, were: Maxey 

 Cobb, 2:13^; Phallas, 2:13^, and Patron, 2:14^. Maxey Cobb has 

 the best record, but it is admitted that Phallas next by a difference of 

 one-half second is really the better horse, since he met and defeated 

 the former in an easy victory. The 2:13^ of Phallas was, at that time, 

 the fastest time ever made by a stallion in a race, and the fastest time 

 ever made in a fourth heat by any horse ; and cannot at least be con- 

 sidered inferior to the 2:133^ of Maxey Cobb, made in a trial against 

 time. 



Phallas (see pedigree in full) is a bay son of Dictator, out of Betsy 

 Trotwood by Clark Chief. Dictator was by Rysdyk's Hambletonian, 

 out of Clara, by Seely's American Star, and was a full brother to Dexter. 



Maxey Cobb, a bay, is by Happy Medium a trotting-bred trotter, 

 standing third on the list as a sire of 2:30 horses ; he by Rysdyk's Ham- 

 bletonian, out of the trotting mare Princess, the famous California long- 

 distance mare, whose history is so intimately connected with that of 

 Flora Temple, through their struggles on the track. Princess was by a 

 grandson of Bishop's .Hambletonian the son of Messenger, supposed 

 to be Thoroughbred, and whose name was at first spelled H-a-m-i-1- 

 t-o-n-i-a-n. 



Patron, a bay, is a great grandson of Mambrino Chief, through his 

 sire Pancoast. On the other side, he runs again to Mambrino Chief 

 family, his dam being by Cuyler out of a mare by Mambrino Patchen. 

 When we consider the age of Patron (five years) at the time his record 

 of 2:14*^ was made, he may fairly be called the equal of the two pre- 

 ceding : indeed, taking the trio together, a horseman could hardly 

 choose one without an innate fear that a better judgment would have 

 chosen another. 



The fastest mares at close of the racing season 1888, were : Maud S., 

 2:08^; Belle Hamlin, 2:13^; Goldsmith Maid, 2:14, and Trinkett, 2:14. 



Maud S., a chestnut, the then queen of the trotting turf by virtue of 



