CHAPTER IV 



PRIMORDIAL STREAMS OF SPEED 



FROM a review of early trotting, written by 

 Walter T. Chester, and published in the Turf, 

 Field, and Farm in 1900, I take the following: 

 " Ancestry was given scarcely a thought in the 

 very early days of trotting. Prior to 1840 we 

 have chronicled 77 winners, of which the sires 

 even of only 22 are given. The first performer 

 whose breeding on both sides seems to be known 

 after a fashion, is Topgallant by Coriander, 

 dam by Bishop's Hambletonian. This Cori- 

 ander, who enjoys the distinction of being the 

 first known sire of a winner of a trotting race, 

 was foaled in 1796, by imported Messenger, dam 

 by Brown Figure. Bishop's Hambletonian was 

 also a son of Messenger. The next sire that 

 appears is American Commander, a grandson 

 of Messenger; next Chancellor, a grandson of 

 Messenger; next Tippoo Saib, son of Mes- 

 senger. No wonder that it appeared in those 

 early days as if no horse could trot unless he 



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