English Aristocrats 27 



later years, Eclipse ran 4 miles at York, in 8 minutes. 

 According to the accepted calculations of experienced 

 turfmen that 7 pounds extra makes a difference of a 

 distance of 240 yards in a 4-mile heat, Eclipse moved 

 along at a swifter gait than Flying Childers. 1 



Eclipse "was never beat, never had a whip flourished 

 over him, never felt the tickling of a spur, nor was he ever 

 for a moment distressed by the speed or rate of a com- 

 petitor out footing, out striding and out lasting every 

 horse which started against him." 



O'Kelly cleared $125,000 by him winning 18 prizes. 

 He withdrew Eclipse from the turf because no horse hav- 

 ing a chance to win against him, the odds on him varied 

 from 20 to 100 to i. 



Eclipse began his career as a stallion at 50 guineas a 

 mare; reduced the next year to half that sum. In 23 

 years 344 horses got by him won for their owners $790,000. 



When requested to name a price for Eclipse, O'Kelly 

 placed it at 25,000 down, in addition to an annuity of 

 500 on his own life and the privilege of sending to him 

 annually six mares. 2 



Marske who had been standing for half a guinea and 

 who was sold for twenty guineas, after siring Eclipse 



1 In 41 4-mile heat races of 1838, over the most popular courses 

 in the United States, where the purse or prize was $1,000 or more, 

 the average winning time was 8:12$; usual weights: 4-y ear-olds 

 100; 5-yearsno; 6-yearsn8; aged 124. How far these and better 

 horses of their day and of-Iater times would have been left behind by 

 Flying Childers or Eclipse is a question referred to those who like 

 to make figures. 



2 O'Kelly seems not to have been the favored son of mere luck. 

 When Eclipse was about starting in the second heat of his first race 

 O'Kelly placed him first and the others nowhere; and it was so. He 

 bought an old hack mare by Tartar (of the Herod line) when she 

 was past 20 years and cleared 30,000 by her ten produce, all by 

 Eclipse; among them being Mercury and Volunteer. 



