TWO GOOD MARES. 300 



from the centre of the hip to the outer edge of tl:i8 hock, and is 24 

 inches in the length of his thigh. His weight is given at 1,000 

 pounds, and is perhaps 1,050. I have not the measurements of Idol; 

 but have seen him, and suppose he is substantially like Electioneer. 

 There is probably no difference in the length of the two horses, 

 although Electioneer has a very short back, his shoulder-blades ex- 

 tending far back and coupling forward — he has the appearance of a 

 short horse. They do not differ materially in appearance — Idol hav- 

 ing the appearance of a horse of very even and smooth outline — each 

 of them showing high breeding, and the highest type in matter of 

 quality to be found in the Hambletonian family. The two mares that 

 respectively produced these two stallions are two of the best daugh- 

 ters of Harry Clay, and two of the best mares to be found anywhere- 

 Hattie Wood, the dam of Idol, produced his full sister, Gazelle — 

 2:22 — the second in speed of the daughters of Hambletonian. She 

 is also the dam of Louis Napoleon, the very promising son of Volun- 

 teer. She has also produced another son, Victor Bismarck, by Ham- 

 bletonian, full brother to Idol and Gazelle. 



Green Mountain Maid has given reputation to Messenger Duroc in 

 her son Prospero — 2:20 — and her daughters Dame Trot, Miranda and 

 Elaine — 2:28 — at three years old, and is regarded in breeding circles 

 as a mare without a superior anywhere. Hambletonian has not suc- 

 ceeded in producing a fast trotter from mares of Bellfounder blood 

 in more than two instances, and one of these was the mare Gazelle- 

 sister to Idol — and if the pedigree is correct, her dam was a mare 

 strong in Duroc blood, the very element that would float the Bell- 

 founder and render it available, as already shown. The grandam of 

 Gazelle was by Terror, by son of Long's Eclipse, he by American 

 Eclipse, son of Duroc; and the next dam by Cock of the Rock, a son 

 of Duroc. No better antecedent for the Bellfounder cross could be 

 found, as I have already shown in Chapters IX and X. Hence the 

 success of Gazelle is easily accounted for, without regarding her as 

 exceptional to the rule that her sire was a failure with Bellfounder 

 mares. 



It can not be said that the success of Idol as a stallion has 

 been equal to the expectations of his early friends. I have seen his 

 produce, but have not been prepossessed with them. He does not 

 adhere tenaciously to the matter of color, as might be expected from 

 a double cross of Bellfounder. He often breeds chestnuts. Thus far 

 in the matter of trotting quality, he can not be said to have shown 



