Preface. 



-:o: 



'E1\Y few words are needed in introducing this work to the public, as the title 

 page and the contents fully indicate its character. It is the result of a faith- 

 ful anil laborious eftbrt to supply a long-existing want, by presenting in one 

 volume, but in a satisfactory and intelligible manner, summaries of all races trotted 

 or piiced in the United States or Canada from the earliest dates imtil the close of 

 1883. The difference in the form of printmg the summaries from the old tabular 

 methods is apparent rather than actual The paragraph style was adopted of neces- 

 sity, to l)ring the work within reasonable bt)uads, and the innovation is certain to be 

 approved by students of such matters when they become accustomed to it. The 

 recital goes on naturally dovra. the pages ; the victories of each horse, arranged alphar 

 beticaUy and indexing themselves, are gi'ouped in chronological order; and the 

 system of the Index of Beaten Horses wdth relation to the Winners is such that there 

 can be no confusion of identity. All who have the book are admonished to lead the 

 explanations carefully, and they will soon find no difficulty in using it to full ad- 

 vantage. 



The compiler wishes it to be fully understood that, while pedigrees of performers 

 are given where known, and are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief, this 

 volmue is not to be considered as a stud-book, in any true sense of the term. It is, 

 as it pm'ports to be, simply a record of performances, as comprehensive and as 

 accui'ate as can be made before being submitted to the crucial test of inilividual 

 inspection. Absolute con'ectness is impossible in a work of this magnitude, in which 

 the data are so confused, deficient, and frequently imi'eliable. There ai'e errors and 

 omissions, doubtless, but they ai*e such as have escaped the utmost vigilance and 

 cai-e, supporteci by unusual advantages for the preparation of such a work. Indi- 

 vidual knowledge of horses will bring such faults to light, and information of their 

 existence will be thankfully received by the compiler. Critics are advised, however, 

 that the records in this work have been compared, whenever possible, with official or 

 original reports, and have been pruned of the errors which spring from transmission 

 into newspapers or occur from other causes. In the 2:30 list, for instance, many ai'e 

 taken from it that were previously supposed to belong there, and a number of new 

 ones are added; besides which long unchallenged fast recoi-ds are altered by the 

 scores ; but in every one of these cases this work gives the exact facts. 



Annual books, recording the perfonnances of each j'ear, wiU follcnv this volume, 

 and these will be compiled in such a thorough manner as to be worthy of the vast 

 interest of which they will be the index. This volume is placed before the pxiblic, 

 Avith due modesty, as the best that can be done for the history of the past ; in the 

 future, with facts fresh and accessible, nothing will be left to be desii-ed in this 

 specialty of statistical work. 



WALTER T. CHESTER. 

 New York, May, 1884. 



