40 THEHORSE. 



From tlie above tables have been excluded all races made over courses notoriously 

 short if a mile in length. By adhering to this rule, very many excellent races at 

 Norfolk have been omitted ; — as Andrew's, Betsey Ransom's, Polly Hopkins', and 

 others ; Mercury's race in 7rn. lOs. — 7m, 42s., at New Orleans, is omitted for the 

 same reason. 



Again, we have inserted in the tables only the winners of the different races ; 

 winners of a single heat are omitted. But it would be unjust not to note one or two 

 winners of single heats. 



Bee's-wing, by imported Leviathan, 5 years old, carrying 97 pounds, in March 

 1840, won a first heat from Grey Medoc, in 7m. 38s. As she pulled up lame, she 

 was drawn. Kate Aubrey, by Eclipse, 4 years old, carrying 83 pounds, in March 

 184'2, won a three-mile heat in 5m. 39s., but was distanced the next heat. 



The reader will note that the great races made at New Orleans have been run 

 generally in March ; according to their rule, tjieir horses taking their ages from May, 

 have run a year under their true age, and carried weight accordingly. In the above 

 tables their proper age has been given, and attention is called to the subject again, for 

 the purpose of pointing to Sarah Bladen's race, which she lost with Jim Bell — the 

 first heat by a length and a half, and the second by but eighteen inches ; time, 7m 

 37s. — 7m. 40s. — The mare ran as aged, and carried 121 pounds — but two less than 

 she would have to carry at the North. 



Again, the best time ever made at two and three miles, has been in four-mile races. 

 Thus Boston and Charles Carter ran the first and third miles in 3m. 41s., and the 

 first three miles of their great race in 5m. 36^s. ; Fashion and Boston ran the first 

 two miles in 3m. 43s., and three miles in 5m. 'Sl\s. ; Wagner and Grey Eagle, it is 

 said, ran the last three miles of their best heat in 5m. 35s. Gallatin is said to have 

 run the two middle miles of a four-mile heat in 3m. 43s., and Trifle the last two 

 miles of a four-mile heat in the same time. Mingo and Post Boy are believed by the 

 writer to have run a mile of a four-mile heat at Trenton, in Im. 48s. ; the former and 

 Mary Blunt ran their twelfth mile in Im. 47s., and a third four-mile heat in 7m. 46s. 

 The higher estimation placed v.pon their great performances at the longer distance, 

 renders it superfluous to note further the rate of speed in the different miles. 



Finally, it will not have escaped the observation of attentive readers, that w'hile the 

 horse may appear by these tables, exhibiting as they do, his utmost capacity for a 

 series of years, to have been brought, by careful attention to blood, and by great 

 skill and nicety in training, up to the probable maximum of his powers ; it is yet as 

 clear as it is encouraging to see, that by unremitting recourse to the same means, 

 and by that alone, he may he kept up fully to the standard of capacity which these 

 records have established as the measure if his attainable speed atul stoutness. 



If with an eye to the fact, that '■'■the Inst'" is '■'• the first,'''' and the fastest on the 

 record, (Fashion and Boston at L. I.) the hope should spring up in the bosom of the 

 sanguine, that llie " end is not yet," and that the thread may be drawn yet a little 

 finer ; without M'ishing to repress an iota of exertion to make good that conclusion, 

 it may be well to remember, that as before stated, according to the opinion of some 

 -whose judgments we are bound to respect, a few of our principal courses have been 

 improved at the rate of more than a second to the mile! Thus it may be doubted 

 whether, if we could meet again in the club-room, or at the social board which they 

 were wont to ornament and enliven, the Fathers of the American turf, — the (Sharpes, 

 the Ogles, the Taskers, the Tayloes, Hamptons, Ridgelys, Lloyds, Spriggs, Bowies, 

 Ducketts, Duvalls, Seldens, &c., they would not remind us of those our advan- 

 tages, and be prompt to match and freely back some of their favourite old nags 

 against the best on these lists of more modern performers. 



To some of these ancestors of our present stock the tribute is due that their name 

 be here recorded as well for tlieir achievements as for having transmitted their powers 

 to their descendants, viz.: Tasker's Selima, by the Godolphin Arabian, never beat; 

 the dam of Galloway's Selim, the best Maryland horse of the last century ; Fitzhugh's 

 Regulus, Semmes' Wildair, Goode's Brinnuer, Tayloe's Virago, Bell Air, Grey Diomed, 

 Black Maria, Leviathan, and Gallatin; Hooines' Fairy, sister to (Jallatin, Og'.j's 

 Oscar, Ridgely's Post Boy, Bond's First Consul, Willis's Maid of the Oaks, Edelin's 

 Floretta, Ball's Florizel, Sir Archy ; these last nine were at the head of the turf early 



