400 GOVERNOR SPRAGUE. 



and we take it that the doctrine of inheritance, of which we hear so 

 mucli now and then, of late, is not the exclusive property, by patent 

 or copyrig-ht, of any one. 



I have but little information in regard to the raising, training or 

 handling of this horse Rhode Island, besides that which appears in 

 the record of his public performances on the trotting turf. At the 

 age of seven years he won a race at Cincinnati, in three heats, in 

 2:42-i, .2:40, 2:37. The next year, 1805, he won a race in 2:37-^, 

 2:28f. In 1866 his record was 2:36, 2:32, 2:36, in one race; 2:38^, 

 2:3ot, 2:39, in another, a race of four heats; in another, in the first, 

 fourth and fifth heats, his record was 2:32^, 2:39, 2:37; and in an- 

 other, of five heats, in the second, fourth and fifth heats, his record was 

 2:28f, 2:29^, 2:27^, winning against Lucy. In 1867, at the age of 

 ten years, he appears in one race, with a record of 2:36, 2:37^, 

 2:34. In 1868, when eleven years old, he appeared in three races; 

 the first with a record of 2:28t, 2:31:^, 2:32|-; the second in 2:32^, 

 2:34,2:35; and the third a record of 2:33^, 2:35f, 2:43. In 1869, 

 at the age of twelve years, he trotted and won in three heats, in 2:30, 

 2:29, 2:28i. In 1868 he won two heats of a race, in 2:25, 2:23^, 

 against George Wilkes and American Girl. In a race against Gold- 

 smith Maid and American Girl, he won the third and fourth heats in 

 2:26, 2:26, and the Maid won the fifth in 2:26^, and the first in 

 2:24^, and the second in 2:24f — his best record attained being 2:23^, 



This record is notable for three features which, in connection with 

 the subject now under consideration, are worthy of special notice: 

 first, the number of heats trotted in each race, showing that he had 

 unfaltering competitors, and unfailing capacity in himself to the end 

 of a protracted contest; secondly, the even and uniform rate of speed 

 which he displayed at all times; and, thirdly, the age at which he 

 maintained his superiority as a trotter in company with the most noted 

 trotters that have distinguished the American trotting turf. The fol- 

 lowing account of Rhode Island is given by a well known driver and 

 trainer, who drove him in his latest and most important contests: 



Rhode Island was a dark brown, almost black, stood 16 hands high, and had 

 a vciy heavy neck, with a medium-sized head. When he was iu trotting con- 

 dition he weighed about 1,1U0 pounds. We kuew just how much he weighed 

 every time he trotted. When he was fat he weighed nearly 1,400 pounds. 

 He was a very stylish-going horse, and very tine gaited, and was a nice 

 breaker for a large horse. He was a good gentleman's road horse, not 

 afraid of anytliiug. His legs were very good, pretty hea\w boned and 

 short. The weakest point about him was his hind ankles. When he had 



