274 ALEXANDER'S ABDALLAII AND DESCENDANTS. 



On the 24th of August, at Poughkeepsie, Ne-w York, he started 

 again in a field of seven, and won the race in three straight heats of 

 2:23:^, 2:24^, 2:23^. The uniformity with which he put in his heats 

 as to time, in this the second race of his real career, shows the great 

 quality of the horse he is. He was already regarded as possessing 

 the character of a veteran of many campaigns. His next appearance 

 was in the stallion class, at the Centennial meeting at Philadelphia, 

 September 28, 1876, when he won, in three straight heats, in 2:30^, 

 2:31^, 2:32^. The following week, October 3, he won the stallion 

 stake at Poughkeepsie, in three straight heats, which seems to have 

 been a custom with him; best time, 2:27-2-. This closed his record 

 for 1876. 



In 1877 he made but one race, and that shows in still higher degree 

 the extraordinary qualities for which he is distinguished. It was the 

 expectation that Thorndale should start at the Breeders' meeting at 

 Hartford, in September, 1877; but he was prevented by an accident. 

 In passing through New York his groom, having him in charge, ran 

 him against a truck and hurt his ankle, so that he favored it from 

 that time until he reached Fleetwood, two days before his great race. 

 Hence he was short of work; in spite of all which he would have 

 won the race on the third heat easily, had not the drivers and the 

 judges determined that he should not if they could prevent it. This 

 race was at Fleetwood Park, New York, on the 18th and lOth of 

 October of that year, and was for the stallion championship for 1877, 

 and I set out the report of the race, taken in full from the New York 

 Spirit of the Times, of Oct. 27. 



THE STAXLION CnAMPIONSHIP RACE. 



There were nine original entries, of which five started, as follows : J. H. 

 "Welsh's black stallion Thomas Jefferson, by Toronto Chief, dam Gipsy 

 Queen, by Wagner; A. J. McKimrain's black stallion Blackwood Jr., by 

 Blackwood, dam Belle Sheridan, by Blood's Black Hawk ; R. Penistan's bay 

 stallion Nil Despcrandmu, by Belmont, dam Lady McKiuney; Edwin 

 Thome's bay stallion Thorndale, by Alexander's Abdallah, dam by Mambrina 

 Chief; and Patrick Day's bay stallion Young Sentinel, by Sentinel, dam by 

 American Star. 



First Heat. — Thorndale was favorite in the betting at 10 to 7, 3 to 1 being 

 offered against both Thomas Jefferson and Nil Desperandum, 4 to 1 against 

 Blackwood Jr., and 5 to 1 against Young Sentinel. The favorite got away 

 first, and at tlie quarter pole, in 36s., had a lead of three lengths ; Thomas 

 Jefferson second, two lengths ahead of Blackwood Jr., and yt)uug Sentinel, 

 who had made a bad break, last. At the half, in 1:12, Thorndale had 



