THE TEIrUKION. 317 



STEPHEX A. DOUGLAS. 



This is a bay stallion foaled in 1861 — was by Hambletonian. First 

 ■dam the Beaks mare by Abdallah ; second dam by Shakspeare ; 

 "third dam by Young Bashaw. Shakspeare was by Duroc, dam by 

 Plato, son of Messenger. She was also the dam of Post Boy, son of 

 Duroc. Young Bashaw was by imp. Grand Bashaw, and his grandam 

 was the daughter of Messenger, which has given the trotting char- 

 acter and renown to the Bashaw and Clay families. 



This stallion is owned by H. Swift and Son, Foi-estville, Chautauqua 

 county, N. Y. His breeding makes him a valuable stallion in the last 

 two crosses especially — one of the best anywhere to be found. His 

 success in the stud has been equal to his excellence in blood. 



From the first crosses in the composition of this horse much of his 

 -character is apparent from what has been said of Jjakeland Abdallah, 

 -although he probably shows more of the Abdallah. The Duroc- 

 Messenger mare which was his grandam would not stand in the way 

 or impede the full force of the Abdallah blood as did the grandam of 

 Lakeland Abdallah. It would yield it more of the true Abdallah and 

 Messenger character and still exercise sufficient influence to affect the 

 outward manifestations of trotting quality in the horse. No better 

 soil could anywhere be found for the growth and full development of 

 an Abdallah trotting sire than that furnished by a Duroc-Messenger 

 mare just such as the grandam of this stallion. It is with me a most 

 profound conviction that if Abdallah from such a mare as this grandam 

 — she being a first-class mare aside from her blood composition — -had 

 produced a son, we should have seen a stallion that surpassed the 

 greatest and best horse we have yet produced. 



The Duroc-Messenger composite was such as would develop to a 

 perfect growth all the highest qualities of the great trotting combi- 

 nation. This grandam, in point of blood constituents, was really one 

 •of great superiority. No better could have been found anywhere. 

 From her, Hambletonian would have produced a great stallion ; from 

 her daughter, the Beaks mare, he would pi'oduce one that would 

 doubtless be a good one, but with a concentration of Abdallah that 

 would stamp his characteristic points very powerfully on the horse 

 produced. 



He is no doubt a good Hambletonian — but more certainly a strong 

 Abdallah. He will, doubtless, show great positiveness in his breeding 

 qualities. His produce will be strong in their Messenger character, 

 Jbut while the Bellfounder traits will appear diminished they will not 



