CHAPTER IV 



PRIMORDIAL STREAMS OF SPEED 



From a review of early trotting, written by 

 Walter T. Chester, and published in the Turf, 

 Field, and Farm in 1900, I take the following: 

 " Ancestry was given scarcely a thought in the 

 very early days of trotting. Prior to 1840 we 

 have chronicled ']^ winners, of which the sires 

 even of only 22 are given. The first performer 

 whose breeding on both sides seems to be known 

 after a fashion, is Topgallant by Coriander, 

 dam by Bishop's Hambletonian. This Cori- 

 ander, who enjoys the distinction of being the 

 first known sire of a winner of a trotting race, 

 was foaled in 1 796, by imported Messenger, dam 

 by Brown Figure. Bishop's Hambletonian was 

 also a son of Messenger. The next sire that 

 appears is American Commander, a grandson 

 of Messenger; next Chancellor, a grandson of 

 Messenger; next Tippoo Saib, son of Mes- 

 senger. No wonder that it appeared in those 

 early days as if no horse could trot unless he 



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