888 THE HORSE. 



fast race ; no record of the kind. However, it is recorded of 

 Matchem, that " in 1775, March 31, at six years old, carrying 

 8 stone 7 lbs. — 119 lbs. — he beat Trajan over the Beacon Course 

 in 7.20 ! " " Matchem was beat in 1776, running for the Jockey 

 Club Plate, four-mile heats," in three heats, winning neither of 

 them ; Spectator, winner of the race, " ran in 7.52 — 7.42 — 8.05." 

 The dilierence in the Jockey Club weights probably caused the 

 diiference in the time in the two races, if the former was really 

 the correct time. Spectator was sire to the dam of our famed 

 Diomed. Of course his blood descends to Lexington, as Avell 

 as that of Childei's and Eclipse, as might be shown in his pedi- 

 gree. Lexington's remote maternal ancestry is from the old- 

 fashioned American blood, as transmitted from Fearnought, 

 Medley, Diomed, and Sir Archy ; from whom he is also de- 

 scended in the paternal line, through Timoleon and Boston. 

 His pedigree has been given in full in the " Spirit of the 

 Times." 



These are mere observations on facts^ as they are, leaving 

 all speculation about them to others. Observer. 



THE THOROUGHBRED RACE-HORSE. 



In preceding articles, definitions and examples of a thorough- 

 bred race-horse have been given. Strictly speaking, it has been 

 stated, his pedigree, lineally and collaterally, must be traced to 

 an approved Oriental source, the fountain head of the best blood 

 of England. But few pedigrees of the best race-horses of modern 

 times will bear that test. Latterly, it has been deemed sufficient 

 for a " thoroughbred," if his pedigree can be traced for eight 

 generations without any base admixture. But no horse is con- 

 sidered thoroughbred in England whose pedigi-ee is not on 

 record in " The Stud Book." From the want of such a Avork in 

 this country, American horses are considered thoroughbred if 

 the sire be known to be so, and the maternal pedigree can be 

 traced without a stain to some mare of the fourth or fifth remove, 

 reputed to be thoroughbred ; as Burwell's Regulus mare, pro- 

 genitor of the Lady Lightfoot stock ; Johnson's Medley mare, 



