14 INTRODUCTION. 



Mr. C. P. Relf has refused an offer of $50,000 for his 

 famous stallion Mambrino Pilot, and with reason — for a 

 moderate estimate of his earnings for a single year was cal- 

 culated at more than one-fifth that amount. Hambleto- 

 nian, the prince of trotting stallions, is valued at $100,000) 

 notwithstanding his advanced age. 



The second class is more numerous than the first, but 

 is still very small in comparison with the whole number of 

 horses in the United States, and may be set down at about 

 70,000, commanding prices ranging from $3000 to $10,000, 

 with many instances where two and three times the latter 

 figure has been paid. Mr. Bonner gave $33,000 for Dexter, 

 and, had it not been for his notoriously bad temper, and 

 the bad condition of his feet, defects which, thanks to his 

 owner's careful treatment and judicious shoeing, have been 

 effectually overcome, the price would doubtless have been 

 much higher, as he might easily have made more than that 

 amount in a single year by exhibiting at fairs and on the 

 track. "George Palmer" cost his owner $28,000; the 

 bay horse " Henry," raised in Kansas, has been sold during 

 the past year for $15,000, and $36,000 has since been 

 offered for him and refused by his present owner. $20,000 

 was paid for "Goldsmith Maid," and $17,500 for Lady 

 Thorn. The horses Fearnought, George Wilkes, and Draco 

 Prince, trotting in 2.25, are valued at $20,000 each. 



It must be remembered that all the " Fancy" horses do 

 not appear on the turf or race-course, as the greater num- 



