CHAPTER X 



WOODBURN FARM ALEXANDER BRODHEAD 



THE Centennial Anniversary of the acquisition of 

 Woodburn Farm by the Alexander family was cele- 

 brated in 1892. The family is of Scottish origin and 

 Robert Aitcheson Alexander founded the breeding 

 stud in 1851. Lexington was his premier running 

 stallion, and his blood obtained prominence in some 

 of the most distinguished trotters of America. Alex- 

 ander's Abdallah, Pilot Jr., Edwin Forrest, and Nor- 

 man were the foundation trotting stallions, and they 

 were succeeded by Woodford Mambrino, bought as 

 a yearling; Harold, bought as a yearling; Belmont, 

 and Lord Russell. In August, 1865, Mr. Alexander, 

 who had suffered by the Civil War, advertised " on 

 account of the unsettled condition of Kentucky," a 

 large number of thoroughbred and trotting horses 

 for sale. 



Among the animals enumerated were Lexing- 

 ton, Scythian, Australian, Pilot Jr. and Edwin 

 Forrest. Later he changed his mind, and Woodburn 

 became one of the greatest horse breeding establish- 

 ments of the country. Mr. Alexander was a thought- 

 ful, unobtrusive man, and I received many valuable 

 suggestions from him in what might be called my 



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