382 THE BASHAWS AND CLAYS. 



The value of these mares has rapidly advanced until now they are 

 the most desirable of any in the country. Breeders too often accept 

 the fact, but sfive no consideration to the reason. The fact is of 

 value, but the reason lies at the true foundation of all value in 

 breeding science. 



The Clav cross in general was nothing but a Messenger strain, 

 deriving some advantage, of course, from the increase of leverage 

 and muscular conformation in the quarters from the mare Surry, the 

 greater part of which has long since yielded to the superior force of 

 the Messenger blood. That of Neaves' Clay was an exceedingly fine 

 one, but not equal to Strader's Clay. 



Sayer's Harry Clay was bred by Decatur Sayer, of Unionville, 

 Orange county. New York. He was foaled in 1853; was a black, with 

 white face and legs. He trotted a great many races and maintained 

 a rank as one of the best trotters among the stallions of the Clay 

 familv, but adhered to their standard ideal of excellence, that of 

 quitting when he got ready to do so, especially if hard pushed in a 

 race. His record is 2:29. 



He is the sire of Lady Ross, 2:29f; Surprise, 2:26; and of Black 

 Harry Clay, sire of Bateman, 2:27. 



His dam was by imported Bellfo\inder, and the cross gave him 

 some of the same physical conformation which is secured to Hamble- 

 tonian, but it also gave him a power to transmit this quality in a far 

 greater degree than Hambletonian possessed it. 



We have seen that Hambletonian did not succeed with mares 

 closely and strongly in-bred in Messenger blood, as well as Avith those 

 which had only a line or two of that blood, and that the reason was that 

 the in-breeding of his own dam and sire in that blood gave it such a 

 preponderance as to completely overpower and obliterate the Bell- 

 founder element which in union with his Messenger blood constituted 

 his greatness; that he excelled most when the equality of the two 

 forces were best preserved. 



In the case of Harry Clay the Bellfounder blood gained a better 

 foothold than it did in Hambletonian, as is manifested in the produce 

 of the two horses. Hambletonian breeds back to the Messenger, 

 naturally enough, as that was the controlling element in him — three- 

 quarters made up of separate and powerful lines directly from Messen- 

 ger himself. 



Harry Clay's sire was less potent than Abdallah, and there was no 

 known reinforcement in the blood of his grandam. Besides, the ana- 



