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(AGONY was a roan gelding, foaled in 1844. 

 He was bred by Paul Trompean, of Prince 

 Edward County, Canada West; was sired by 

 Sportsman, a son of Tippoo, his dam being a 

 Shakspeare and Peacock mare. With a number of other 

 horses, he came to Bucks County, Pa.,- in 1850, and was 

 bought by a gentleman living near Philadelphia. The first 

 race that he ever trotted was a match for one thousand dol- 

 lars against the gray gelding War Eagle, at Philadelphia, 

 July 17, 1851. He won the first heat, in 2:34; War 

 Eagle the second and third, in 2:35 2:33; the fourth was 

 dead, in 2:36J ; and War Eagle took the fifth, in 2:40. In 

 his next race Tacony was beaten by Jack Rossiter, and on 

 September 18, 1851, he scored his first victory, beating 

 War Eagle, in a race of two-mile heats, in 5:29! 5:25. 

 In 1852, he trotted a great many races, and scored eleven 

 victories. September 14, of that year, he achieved a grand 

 triumph. Since July 4, 1843, the time made by Lady 

 Suffolk, over the Beacon Course, 2:26J, under saddle, had 

 stood at the head of the record as the fastest mile ever trot- 

 ted. On September 14, 1852, at Philadelphia, Tacony met 

 Zachary Taylor and Black Ralph in a saddle race, and won in 

 straight heats; time, 2:282:292:26. This wonderful 

 performance, for the period, was heralded over the country, 

 and caused the greatest excitement. Tacony had beaten 

 Lady Suffolk's time, and had done it in a third heat; 

 whereas, her 2:26J was made in a first heat. Even readers 

 of The Spirit who were mere lads at the time, will remem- 

 ber the furore produced by the event; how the children, 

 playing horse, at once deposed Lady Suffolk from her 

 position as favorite, and the great strife was, who should 

 personate Tacony. It is a great thing for a trotter to stand 

 at the top of the ladder with a mile record, and Tacony 

 enjoyed this distinction from September 14, 1852, until 

 September 2, 1856, when Flora Temple trotted a mile in 

 harness in 2:24J, distancing both Tacony himself and his 

 record. Tacony first met Lady Suffolk, the mare whose 

 glory he had extinguished, September 24, 1852, at Union 

 Course, L. I. The greatest interest prevailed among horse- 

 men because of their coming together, and the crowd was 

 immense. The race was mile heats, best three in five, to 

 wagon, and Lady Brooks was also in the party. It was a 

 protracted struggle, but victory finally perched on the colors 

 of Tacony. He took the first heat, in 2:34; the second 

 was dead between him and Lady Suffolk, in 2:40 ; Lady 

 Brooks won the third and fourth, in 2:36} 2:35; Lady 

 Suffolk won the fifth, in 2:37 ; and Tacony scored the sixth 

 and seventh, in 2:30 2:41. This sixth heat, to wagon, 

 in 2:30 was a most remarkable performance, and we are 

 almost inclined to think there is an error in the record. 

 The campaign of 1852 placed Tacony at the head of the 



trotting horses of America, although it was only his second 

 season out. It was in the following season, 1853, that he 

 began his famous series of races with Mac. He had been 

 beaten by this horse, in October, 1851, in company with 

 others, and in the meantime the fame of both had been 

 growing. Each had his warm admirers. The first meeting 

 between them in 1853 was May 12, for $2,000, in harness, 

 and Tacony was beaten in straight heats, best time, 2:30. 

 The next race was May 20, for $1,500, to wagons, with 

 the same result, Mac's best time, 2:33. The next race was 

 June 2, for $1,500, under saddle, and Tacony then turned 

 the tables, winning the first and second heats, each in 2:25 J, 

 after which Mac was drawn. In this race, it will be seen, 

 Tacony eclipsed his own record. The pair then transferred 

 the scene of their struggles to the Union (L. I.) Course, 

 where they trotted a match race, in harness, June 28, and 

 one to wagons, July 4. Each was for $1,500, and each 

 was won by Tacony, after Mac had taken the first two heats. 

 Mac afterwards beat Tacony, in November, 1853, and in 

 October, 1854, while he beat Mac in November, 1853, and 

 in September, 1855. In all their races, Mac won five and 

 Tacony the same number. The latter made the fastest 

 time, but Hiram Woodruff credited Mac with being the 

 better horse, before he got the thumps from over-driving. 

 Every time they met, the result of the race was awaited 

 with the greatest interest by horsemen all over the country. 

 On July 14, 1853, at Union (L. I.) Course, Tacony first met 

 Flora Temple, then becoming famous. The race was in 

 harness, for $1,000, and Tacony won in straight heats, in 

 2:282:27 2:29. Five days later, she beat him in a two- 

 mile race over the same track, and then the two went off 

 on a hippodroming tour, in which Tacony won one race and 

 Flora six. Thus early in his career Tacony had reached 

 the zenith of his powers. He could never afterwards beat 

 his saddle record, 2:25, or his harness record, 2:27. He 

 continued trotting, though often long intervals would elapse 

 between his appearances, until 1860, after which year he 

 was finally retired from the turf. The last race in which he 

 showed anything like his old speed was trotted at Saratoga, 

 August 13, 1859, when he defeated Jake Oakley and George 

 Dawson in straight heats, trotting the first in 2:29 j. After 

 this his powers seemed to fail him. In September, 1859, 

 Ethan Allen beat him, at Burlington, Vt., in 2:37t 

 2:36 2:33J ; the Granger Horse, afterwards called Rock- 

 ingham, beat him, at Portland, Conn., in still slower time, 

 the last heat of the race being trotted in 2:45; and it 

 became evident that his days for victories were ended. 

 Nothing remained for him but to leave the field in which 

 he had won so many brilliant triumphs, and he did so with 

 a reputation such as has been achieved by very few horses. 

 Spirit of the Times. 



