524 A SHORT HISTORY OP THE 



lion, 15 hands high, got by Eysdyk's Hambletonian out of a Clay 

 mare called Dolly" Spanker, and great as were his performances, he 

 would in all probability have attained still greater distinction on the 

 turf had he been more judiciously handled and not trotted such 

 severe races before his powers had fully matured. He is now 

 standing in Kentucky, and is perhaps the most promising of all the 

 Hambletonian stallions except Volunteer. In 1863, General But- 

 ler, George Wilkes, George M. Patchen, Silas Rich, California 

 Damsel, and Shark, another son of Hambletonian, were all on the 

 turf, and had it been any other than a war year would have won 

 even greater glory than fell to their share. 



In the history of all nations there are certain epochs or cycles 

 which are so resplendent with the deeds of some statesman or gen- 

 eral or monarch, that they serve as mile stones along the pathway 

 of the ages and landmarks by which we count the progress of 

 events ; so in the history of the turf there have been periods when 

 the pre-eminence of certain horses was so marked that to mention the 

 years in which they flourished is but to recall their names. From 

 1838 to 1852 had been the era of Lndy Suffolk and her famous 

 contemporaries. Flora Temple had flourished from that date until 

 the breaking out of the war, and now was to commence what might 

 be called the age of the Hambletpnians, for descendants of Rysdyk's 

 Hambletonian, the old hero of Chester, were now making that name 

 on the turf which they have held to the present day. The war 

 clouds were now breaking away ; it could plainly be seen that the 

 days of the Confederacy were numbered ; business was prosperous, 

 and the number of wealthy men interested in driving horses had 

 wonderfully increased. The turf was now to enter upon a career 

 of prosper ity, and every large city all over the Union was to have 

 its trotting course. 



The 4th of May, 1804, will ever be a red-letter day in the 

 memory of all turfmen, for that day witnessed the first public 

 appearance of Dexter the inconiparable. He was foaled in Orange 

 County, New York, in 1858. His sire was Rysdyk's Hamble- 

 tonian, and his dam was a daughter of American Star. He is 15 

 hands I2 inches high, and is a rich brown in color, with four white 

 legs, and a blaze in the face. 



It was on the Fashion Course, where he beat Stonewall Jackson, 

 of New York, General Grant, and Lady Collins. Two days after 

 he beat the last named again on the Union Course. On the 

 13th of JMay he defeated Doty's mare to wagon on the Union 

 Course, and five days afterwards, at the Fashion Course, he beat 

 Shark and Lady Shannon, and jogged out the third heat in 2 m. 

 30 s. On the 3d of June he trotted mile heats to wagon, at the 

 Fashion, against Shark and Hambletonian, but he hit his knee in 



