APPENDIX. 461 



ftcquisition of fast trotters. Ilcnry had finished the year 1871 hy 

 bcatini; George Palmer, American Girl, George Wilkes and Wil- 

 liam II. Allen in Fleetwood Park in four heats. He is a very 

 handsome, bloodlike horse. While he was trotting all this time, 

 while he wls going so fiist and beating such distinguished horsea 

 as I have mentioned above, it was said and believed that he was 

 got by Magna Charta. It is now said by Mr. Wallace of the 

 Trotting Register, that this was an error. He has investigated 

 the matter and finds that Henry was got by Harry Lathrop, alias 

 Harry Hibbard, a son of somebody's Black Hawk. Ilis dam was 

 a bloodUke bay mare whose pedigree was not known. In fact 

 Henry is another of those nearly first-rate trotting horses whose 

 pedigree is not only obscure in itself, but not famous in the only 

 line in which it can be briefly traced. Nevertheless, I am of 

 opinion that if he had possessed good legs and feet he would have 

 attained a position almost as high as that of any horse of his 

 time. 



The attendance at Fleetwood Park on the day in question was 

 v<^7-y large. It was an exciting time just then in racing matters, 

 and there were many turfmen in the city from the south, the west 

 and eastern states. One week before Longfellow had met Harry 

 Bassett for the first time, and had defeated him at Long Branch 

 in the presence of a vast multitude, in the great race for the Mon- 

 mouth cup. Among all the thousands assembled on the course 

 in West Chester county, there was not one in a hundred who be- 

 lieved that Goldsmith Maid could lose it on her merits. As no one 

 would bet against her, pools were sold on the other three in which 

 Lucy was the favorite. Nevertheless, the big spavined mare, 

 American Girl, was in beautiful condition, moving with a strength 

 and freedom which c.uld hardly be excelled, and the result showed 

 that it was her day. In the first heat. Henry led at the beginning 

 with AmPrican Girl close up, Goldsmith Maid third, and Lucy 

 last. At the quarter American Girl led a length. At the half* 



