Sumner County, Breeding Centre 113 



a pitch absolutely painful. Silence the most profound reigned 

 over that vast assembly as these noble animals sped on as if life and 

 death called forth their utmost energies. Both jockeys had their 

 whip-hands at work, and at every stroke each spur, with a desperate 

 stab, was buried to the rowel-head. Grey Eagle, for the first hun- 

 dred yards, was clearly gaining; but in another instant, Wagner 

 was even with him. Both were out and doing their best. It was 

 anybody's race yet; now Wagner, now Grey Eagle, has the advan- 

 tage. It will be a dead heat. ' See, Grey Eagle's got him ! ' ' No 

 Wagner's ahead.' A moment ensues the people shout hearts 

 throb ladies faint a thrill of emotion, and the race is over. 

 Wagner wins by a neck in 7:44, the best race ever run South of the 

 Potomac." 



Kentucky made a motion for a new trial, which was 

 granted, and the horses met again five days later on the 

 same course, same distance, same crowd or larger and 

 more excited. Grey Eagle won the first heat, Wagner 

 the second; in the third Grey Eagle broke down and 

 so did Kentucky. 



Of 20 races run, Wagner won 14, n of them being of 

 4-mile heats; his earnings $36,200. 



Wagner's fame, therefore, preceded him to Sumner. 

 But with Albion it was quite different he had no fame 

 to precede him. It was not known who imported him. 

 He was landed at Charleston, South Carolina, in the ship 

 China, in January 1839, and was purchased at auction 

 by Col. Geo. W. Polk for $1,600. He was trained awhile 

 at Richmond and was later sold to Lucius J. Polk who 

 kept him in the stud several years and then sold him to 

 Col. Elliott. Tradition, supported by the records, is that 

 Albion was a failure in the stud until he went to Elliott's. 

 At any rate Wagner and Albion (and imp Sovereign 

 who also stood at Elliott's) well sustained the reputation 

 which their predecessors had given to Sumner County as 

 a producer of fine stock. Albion's dam was Panthea, by 

 Comus or Blacklock. 



