286 Alexander's abdallah and descendants. 



Although Almont is a young horse, and only entered the stud nine 

 years ago, he probably lias a greater number of colts that are pro- 

 nounced trotters than any otherstallion this country has ever produced, 

 with a stud service of twice that period. We often hear it claimed of 

 this or that stallion, that his colts are all trotters — it is a distinction that 

 can hardly be denied to Almont, if there ever was any such stallion. 

 Another and a marked peculiarity is that, in form and appearance, all 

 his produce have the form and physical conformation of young Ham- 

 bletonians. I recently observed in one lot a filly by Almont, from & 

 mare by Hambletonian, another from a thorovighbred mare by imp. 

 Knight of St. George, and another by Jay Gould, from a mare by 

 Hambletonian, and the uniformity of the type which prevailed between 

 these and all the Almonts and other Hambletonians of the same age 

 — ^two-year-olds — seen at and about the same time, was truly remark- 

 able. Almont is a Hambletonian, and the Almonts are all Ham- 

 bletonians, with as clearly stamped uniformity as any family in 

 America. 



In the matter of imparting a trotting gait to the produce of thor- 

 oughbred and other highly bred mares, I have compared him to 

 Pilot Jr. and Mambrino Chief; but in the matter of positivene«s in 

 every trait, and his ability to impress his own image and characteristics 

 on his offspring — his prepotency as a sire — I know of none that can 

 approach him — he is not only Almont but the Alta-mont. 



As a trotter, Almont made his mark before he entered the stud, in 

 one race— the only one in which he ever appeared, and in which he 

 distanced his field of competitors in 2:39tt, at the age of four years. 

 He was trotted over Mr. Alexander's track in 2:32, which, on other 

 tracks, it is said, would be equal to 2:27. He was soon after pur- 

 chased by Col. West, for $8,000, and has since been in the stud con- 

 stantly. Mr. Lowell drove him a half mile in 1:12 while in stud 

 service, and with no special preparation for speed. He was bought by 

 his present owner, Gen. W. T. Withers, of Lexington, Ky., in the 

 -winter of 1874, for $15,000, and is now doing a large stud service. 

 He is a plain but good-looking horse, more resembling Florida than 

 any other, but is slightly larger and heavier. While kept exclusively 

 for stud service, he is driven very regularly, and can show a gait equal 

 to about 2 :20, at almost any day of the year. He has every appearance 

 of a well-conditioned and very hardy horse. 



My readers will not obtain a complete idea of the qualities and 

 character of Aluiont, notwithstanding his rare breeding, and the extra- 



