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[ECOMPTE was bred by General Thomas J. 

 Wells, of Louisiana; foaled in 1850, by Bos- 

 ton, out of the renowned mare, Reel, by Glen- 

 coe. He was a chestnut horse, with white near 

 hind leg, about 15.3 in height, and made his first appear- 

 ance on the turf as a two-year-old (according to the then 

 existing Southern rule of calculating ages), on the Metairie 

 Course, New Orleans. April 5, 1853, in a sweep-stakes for 

 that age, winning both heats, in 1:48} 1:45}, and beating 

 Conrad the Corsair, Argent and Zero. The ensuing Fall, 

 he started for and won the sweepstakes for three-year-olds, 

 two-mile heats, Pharsalia Course, Natchez, carrying 86 fts. ; 

 beating his two opponents, Atala and Conrad the Corsair, 

 in 3:45} 3:46}. On Jan. 6, 1854, he beat the famous 

 mare Sallie Ward, by Glencoe, and another, in a race of 

 mile heats, over the same course, in 1:47 1:47; and just 

 one week afterwards beat Mary Taylor, Joe Blackburn and 

 Medina, two-mile heats, in 3:45} 3:52}. Seven days 

 afterwards, he won the two-mile heat purse, same course, 

 in 3:4413:55, beating the Cora Colt, by Gallatin. On 

 April 1, 1854, on the Metairie Course, New Orleans, he 

 started for the Great Post Stakes, of $5000, each, four- 

 mile heats, against Lexington, Highlander and Arrow, 

 over a heavy track. Highlander was the favorite, but 

 Lexington won the first heat by three lengths in 8:08J ; 

 Lecompte second and Arrow distanced. Lexington won 

 the second heat by four lengths in 8:04 ; Lecompte again 

 second and Highlander distanced. The friends of Lecompte 

 attributed his defeat to the heavy state of the track, which 

 was not adapted to his long, sweeping stride, and confidently 

 predicted that he would retrieve his laurels the next time 

 he encountered Lexington. That occasion soon arrived, for 

 a week afterwards, on the same course, Lecompte, Lexing- 

 ton and Reube came together for the Jockey Club Purse of 

 $2000, four mile heats. The track was in capital order for 

 running, and the day pleasant. Lexington was the favorite at 

 $100 to $80 against the field, and $100 to $60 against Le- 

 compte. In the first heat Lecompte made the running at a 

 terrific pace for three miles, when Lexington made a brush to 

 take the lead, and on the backstretch partially closed the gap 

 his fleet opponent had placed between them ; but all his 

 efforts were fruitless, for Lecompte baffled every challenge, 

 and, shaking him off, crossed the score the winner of the 

 heat by six lengths, in the quickest time ever made in the 

 world up to that time 7:26 ! The announcement of the 

 time produced intense excitement and the most clamorous 

 demonstrations of delight. Lexington was much distressed 

 after the heat, but recovered well before the second heat. 

 Lexington made the running for nearly two miles, when 

 Lecompte overhauled and passed him as they entered 

 the third mile, which throughout was one long-continued 



struggle for the lead, and was run in 1:46, the quickest 

 of the race. On the first turn of the last mile, Lexington, 

 who at that point was nearly up with his rival, for a moment 

 gave back and lost his stride, owing, it was alleged, to his 

 rider nearly pulling him up, under the impression that the 

 race was finished ; but, quickly recovering, he continued 

 the hot pursuit, although in vain, for Lecompte won the 

 heat and race by four lengths, in the astonishing time of 

 7:38f , distancing Reube. The result astonished the party 

 connected with Lexington, and his defeat was attributed to 

 the mistake made by his rider in pulling up at the end 

 of the three miles. The same Fall, at Natchez, November 

 17, 1850, Lecompte won the Association Purse, two-mile 

 heats, in 3:47 3:46}, beating Joe Blackburn. Three days 

 after, he walked over for the Association Purse, four-mile 

 heats. At New Orleans, December 5, he won the Jockey 

 Club Purse, two-mile heats, in 3:56 3:52}, beating Galla- 

 tina and Joe Blackburn. In the following spring, April 

 2, 1855, Lexington's great match against time was run on 

 the Metairie Course, when he made his imperishable record 

 of 7:19|. Three weeks afterwards, Lexington and Lecompte 

 again encountered eacli other, over the Metairie Course, 

 for the Club Purse, when Lexington obtained a decisive vic- 

 tory, winning, with ease, the first heat, in 7:23J , after which 

 Lecompte was drawn. At Natchez, Nov. 17, 1855, Lecompte 

 won the four-mile heat Purse, beating Arrow, in 7:55} 

 7:56J; but the latter very unexpectedly turned the tables 

 on him, at New Orleans, on Dec. 5th, the same Fall, in the 

 three-mile heat race, Lecompte winning the first heat by 

 three lengths, in 6:00, and Arrow the second and third 

 easily, in 5:59 6:03. Three days afterwards, on the same 

 classic course, he walked over for the four-mile heats, Jockey 

 Club Purse. The ensuing Spring, March 15, 1856, at 

 Natchez, Miss., he was beaten by Pryor, for the four-mile 

 heats Purse, in two heats, run in 7:57 7:44J. At New 

 Orleans, on the Metairie Course, April 18, 1856, Pryor 

 again beat him in the three-mile heats race, Minnow also 

 running. Lecompte won the first heat, but Pryor outlasted 

 him, and won the second and third; time, 5:58| 5:59} 

 6:12. Mr. Ten Broeck then purchased Lecompte to take to 

 England, in company with Prioress, Pryor and Babylon, 

 in the Fall of 1856, in his memorable enterprise to test the 

 speed and bottom of the American against the English 

 thoroughbred horses on the turf of the latter country. 

 Lecompte only started once on the English turf, in the 

 Warwick Cup, three miles, Sept. 3, 1857, when, he ran 

 third to the winner, Fisherman, and Oak Ball, second. The 

 following month, he, along with his stable companion, 

 Pryor, fell victims to disease, which had never been absent 

 from the stable of Mr. Ten Broeck since their arrival in 

 England. Spirit of the Times. 



