402 GOVERNOR SPRAGUE. 



vigorous and muscular mould, that trotted with an even steady stroke, 

 neither reaching far out in front, nor spreading wide apart behind, but 

 more noted for the precision and regularity of his stride than for the 

 remarkable display of great apparent trotting action which is so attrac- 

 tive to many amateurs. 



In addition to all this, he is described by those who knew him well, 

 as a horse of a highly organized temperament — that quality of nerve 

 that comes from and accompanies high breeding, whether in the Arab 

 of the desert, the thoroughbred racer, or the ever sjDeedy trotter. 

 But, with all this, he was what might be styled in a man, one of cool 

 temper — a level head, quick and clear to think, and prompt to act, 

 but so evenly balanced as never to get oif his understanding — a good 

 quality in horse or man, and essential to winning the race on the 

 track, or in the battle of life. 



Such Avas Rhode Island, the sire of Governor Sprague. His dam, 

 Belle Brandon, was, perhaps, noted for qualities of equal excellence, 

 and also such as exactly suited the sire from which she produced her 

 now distinguished son. She was by Hambletonian, and her dam is 

 stated to have been by Bacchus. 



From her own sire she would and did derive a physical conforma- 

 tion not much unlike that of Rhode Island as regards evenness of 

 proi^ortion; and, in addition, a nerve or brain organism well calculated 

 to reproduce the exact and wonderful harmony that is one of the 

 •distinguishing features of her level-headed son. She was, herself, a 

 mare of positive individual excellence, and was a trotter of merit, 

 having been driven as the mate of Sprague's Hambletonian for some 

 years; and there is a sort of repute following her that she was able to 

 trot in 3:30 or better, but I have no authentic information on which 

 this can be based. She was undoubtedly a very superior breeder. 

 By Volunteer, who is himself a remote Duroc-Messenger, of even 

 and uniform physical conformation, not differing greatly from that of 

 Rhode Island, this same mare produced the young mare Amy, that 

 has attained a record of 2:22^. 



To those who have studied the physical and nerve organism of the 

 Hambletonian family, it will be apparent that there Avas no great dis- 

 parity in the physical conformation, or the nerve traits, or mental organ- 

 ism, or temperament of the sire and dam of the stallion under con- 

 sideration. He is in no sense a cross-bred animal — in no respect the 

 '.•esult of opposing and counteracting forces — in blood, mental or 

 physical traits. In his make-up he is entirely homogeneous, and, in 

 this respect, differs from much of our American breeding. 



