A SIRE OF TROTTERS. 191 



Ristori 2:31i^ Nelly MaUison 2:35 



Volney. 2M Fanny Osborn '. . .2:;35 



Harry B...... 2:34 Volunteer Maid 2:36 



Sterling 2:34 Hamlet (to wagon) .2:37 



Mary Lamb 2:34 Pelham-.... ....2:37. 



Matchless "2:31 



In reaching a true estimate of the real greatness of Volunteer as a 

 sire, we must compare him with his own imperial sire, Hambletonian,, 

 the only name that can approach him. Hambletonian closed his. 

 career, and left a record of about thirteen hundred and twenty-five- 

 foals, four hundred and sixty-four of which number were produced 

 before he was eleven years old; and of his whole number he has a 

 record of 2:30 and better for twenty-seven, which is one for each 

 forty-eight; and a record of 2:25 and better for ten, which is one for- 

 cach one hundred and thirty. 



Volunteer, April 1, 1865, at the age of ten years, had, as I am- 

 informed, only about eighteen foals. He has now probably over four 

 hundred and seventy-five to this date ; but putting the number at five 

 hundred, he has twenty-eight performers with a record of 2:40 or bet- 

 ter, which is one out of each eighteen; sixteen with a record of 2:30 or 

 better, which is one for each thirty-one; and twelve with a record of 

 2:25 or better, which is one for each forty-one. This ratio places hirui 

 far ahead of Hambletonian, or any other stallion we have ever pro- 

 duced, as the sire of fast trotters. 



This leaves Volunteer a far greater proportion, while the produce- 

 of Hambletonian have nearly all now come to maturity, and it is not 

 probable that over three-fourths of the produce of Volunteer are old 

 enough to make their appearance on the public courses. Moreover,, 

 it is a well known fact that for the first fifteen years of his life Volun- 

 teer's popularity was not such as to bring him the best class of mares,, 

 while Hambletonian at all times had the best that could be selected. 

 But for certainty of trotting speed, Hambletonian, great as he was,, 

 did not equal in uniformity the success of Volunteer. 



In view of this marvelous showing, I may well ask if the day- 

 has not arrived for the reversal of the judgment of those who were so- 

 ready to assert that he could not " be counted on as producing any 

 hut a small proportion of trotters.'''' 



The one noticeable feature about the fast trotters of this family is 

 the apparent lateness or tardiness of their coming out, and the sudden- 

 ness of their advent. St. Julien was bought for $G00, and at the end 

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