144 ORIGINAL SOUECES OF TROTTING BLOOD. 



in which we have seen the tendency was toward a short leverage, and 

 nothing seems to detract from the good results from surh a cioss 

 except the blood defects inherited from Diomed, which will be noticed 

 /"urther along. 



The blood of Duroc, while it was tainted and was infectious in its 

 tendency, and was certainly injurious if intensified by close and con- 

 tinueJ in-breeding, was in other respects one of great valuel When it 

 was properly supported and renovated by judicious outcrosses, it was 

 »:ot necessarily an unsound or contaminating agency, and, as allied 

 wdth the blood of Messenger, it was an imj^ortant trotting element. 

 The blood of imported Messenger was crossed with that of several 

 other thoroughbreds and part-bred animals, notably with that of Trus- 

 tee and Expedition, both imported horses, and with other sons of 

 Diomed. That of Duroc was also crossed with the blood of other thor- 

 oughbred and trotting str-ains; but nowhere was there a union of any of 

 tliese elements that produced a trotting type so marked and lasting in 

 its peculiarities as that of Duroc and Messenger. I have before stated 

 clearly that I do not believe there was one particle of trotting ten- 

 dency in the blood of any of the Diomed family; and I am confirmed 

 in this opinion by the observation of those who lived in the day of his 

 sons and early descendants. Certainly I can not credit Duroc with, 

 any such tendency, or with any other element of a trotter than a con- 

 formation of thigh and hindquarter peculiar to himself, and which had 

 a tendency to develop and increase in his descendants, especially 

 when in-bred, that greatly adapted them to the trotting gait; but I 

 call the attention of those who deny the magical trotting qualities of 

 the Messenger blood to the fact, that while Duroc was thus lacking in 

 trotting tendencies in himself, his blood, in union with that of imported 

 Messenger, constituted royal trotting Mood of the highest quality we 

 have ever seen on this continent. And it was so marked and noted 

 in its own type and character as to stand by itself and give form and 

 character to all the subsequent elements into which it has entered. 



Every descendant of Seely's American Star, of Marabrino Chief and 

 Almont or Thorndalej attests in his way of going, his wide open gait, 

 and the peculiar action of the thigh and quarters, the presence of the 

 Duroc-Messenger union. Messenger Duroc was by Duroc, from a 

 daughter of Messenger, and was a thoroughbred. The first American 

 Star was similarly bred, according to all traces that have come down 

 to us. And let me ask, where have such trotting elements been found 

 in or exhibited by any other two thoroughbred horses this country 



