DEXTER. 457 



from his great-grandsire, imported Bellfounder, and that 

 the purer has completely obliterated that and canceled its 

 bad effects. 



His manner of going is peculiar to himself, and while 

 his trotting-gait is as even as the movement of a well-con- 

 structed watch, he goes with so much power that he fairly 

 makes the track jar with the energy of his motion. This 

 I think is due to the long sweep from the hip to the hock, 

 and the tremendous force of the muscles between these 

 two points. I saw an illustration of this in his late race 

 in Chicago. In coming to the score with Brown George 

 and running mate, he detached a ball of clay from his 

 shoe ; it flew into the air like a bomb projected from a 

 mortar, and describing the same kind of a curve, fell adja- 

 cent to the three-in-five distance stand. 



The Chicago track is constructed with a coating of clay 

 laid on the natural soil of the low prairie. There is a good 

 deal of elasticity, or rather there is a vibratory motion 

 when the horses pass over it, perhaps more sensibly felt 

 in the judges' stand than any other place. I feel positive 

 that I might have been blindfolded and placed in the 

 stand, and all the horses at the park driven by at speed, 

 when I could have selected Dexter from the throng ;i 

 dozen times in succession, from the greater jar that he 

 gave the building. 



"While other horses on the turf may possess as much 

 speed, as is instanced by the trotting with a running mate, 

 they are incapable of keeping it; while Dexter commences 

 at the outest, and the brush lasts till his anticipated task 

 is completed. There is no faltering, clambering, or dwelling, 

 but the steady rate is persevered in, and the powerful 

 stroke kept up with the same ease with which Kentucky 

 or Asteroid takes his daily exercise. I have not had the 

 pleasure of seeing Kentucky since he was two years old, 

 but have seen the other great horse run in many of his 



