37 



IKOSPERO was bred by Charles Backinan, 

 Esq., of Stony Ford Stud Farm, Orange 

 County, N. Y., was got by Messenger Duroc 

 out of Green Mountain Maid, by Harry Clay, 

 son of Neave's C. M. Clay, Jr., and was the first one of the 

 get of Messenger Duroc that claimed public attention. The 

 breeding of Prospero is a brilliant illustration of the happy ef- 

 fects of crossing the inbred descendants of stout old Abdallah 

 upon the fast trotting Clays. Prospero was foaled July 12, 

 1869. He is a black gelding, about 15 J hands high, possess- 

 ing great substance, strength of bone, and, like most of the 

 Hambletonian trotters, with enormous leverage of the hind- 

 quarters. His gait is that of a pure trotter no hopping 

 or hitching behind, no sprawling or pounding of the fore- 

 legs, but with clock-like regularity and machine-like cer- 

 tainty, the movements of his feet and legs, when at speed, 

 impress the beholder with the idea that there is in no part 

 of his machinery a waste of power, or excessive action. 

 lie is a very rapid scorer, apparently getting to his speed 

 without an effort, and his average stride is about nineteen 

 and a half feet. He was kept on Mr. Backman's farm 

 until the spring of 1872, when he was a three-year-old, 

 and he was then sent to Carl Burr's to be broken to 

 harness, and put in training for the three-year-old stakes to 

 be trotted at Prospect Park, Oct. 15. He was jogged by 

 Mr. Burr occasionally, to accustom him to harness, until 

 some time in June, when he began to get regular work, and 

 very soon began to show his prowess as a trotter. The 

 stake for which Prospero was entered closed with eighteen 

 nominations, but, whether from the rumors that began to 

 be heard concerning Prospero's great speed, or from other 

 causes, all excepting three of them declared forfeit, and 

 when the colts were called up for the word, only two 

 answered. The hardy knight that ventured to cross 

 swords with Prospero on this occasion was Highland King, 

 by Ashland out of Young Highland Maid by Ethan Allen, 

 At the word, Prospero took the lead, and at the quarter, in 

 37 is., he was ten lengths the better of his antagonist, and 

 when he got to the half, in 1:14 J, he had left his com- 

 petitor behind a double distance. He continued to open 

 daylight at every stride, and when he reached the wire, 

 in 2:33J, the race was ended, for Highland King was far 

 behind the distance flag. This performance, when we 

 remember that Prospero's driver, Carl Burr, weighed over 

 two hundred pounds, is justly regarded as one of the most 

 marvelous exploits that has ever been seen, and at once 

 established Prospero's reputation as one of the wonders of 

 the age. Immediately after this race he was purchased by 

 Wm. M. Parks, Esq., of Brooklyn, for $20,000, and he a 



few days thereafter refused an offer of $25.000 for him. 

 The colt was turned out soon after this race, and nothing 

 was done with him until June, '73, when he was taken up 

 and jogged, under Carl Burr's management, until Nov. 1, 

 when he was again turned out. During the season, Mr. 

 Parks challenged the world, to match him on equal terms 

 as to age, offering to stake two to one on his colt, but he 

 found no takers. In the spring of 1874 he was permitted 

 to run at will until July 1, when he was again taken up 

 and put in training, under Carl Burr's direction, but had 

 very little, if .any, fast work. In the month of October he 

 was brought to Prospect Park, for the purpose of giving a 

 public exhibition of his speed, when it was confidently ex- 

 pected that he would be able to show better than 2:20 ; but 

 in the preliminary warming up for the trial he picked up a 

 nail in his foot, which injured him so seriously that he had 

 to be at once turned out. In the spring of 1875 he was 

 sent to Charley Green, with the understanding that he was 

 to be entered in the Grand Eastern Circuit; but soon after 

 he was taken sick with pink-eye, and was returned to Carl 

 Burr's place. Upon his recovery from this disease he was 

 put to moderate work, and again had the misfortune to 

 wound his foot with a nail, and another let-up became 

 necessary. It now began to be whispered that Prospero 

 had gone back on his three-year-old form, and that he would 

 never again be able to trot in 2:30. But the public was not 

 long left to speculate upon this point, for a match was made 

 between the black gelding and the famous horse Honest 

 Dutchman, with a record of 2:26i, at $5000 a side. This 

 satisfied the public that there was mettle in the gelding or 

 else in his owner, for it was known that it would take a 

 good one to beat the Dutchman. The race came off on 

 October 20, 1875, and was witnessed by a large concourse 

 of gentlemen who were interested as breeders or owners of 

 trotting horses. All looked forward to an exciting contest, 

 and very few were prepared to see the race come to an end 

 in such a summary manner as it did. The horses got the 

 word, after six attempts, to a good start, and Prospero at 

 once took the lead, as he did in his former race, and was 

 never headed. He reached the quarter in 34Js., the half 

 in 1:08 J, and when he got to the wire, in 2:22|, his com- 

 petitor was just entering the homestretch. He was a very 

 unfortunate horse last year, and found no opportunity to 

 display the marvelous speed he undoubtedly possesses. He 

 has this year (1877) been placed in the hands of Dan Mace, 

 who will train and handle him during the approaching cam- 

 paign, and we hope to see him make his way to the front, 

 and we shall not be surprised at his marking a record low 

 down in the teens. Spirit of the Times. 



