396 THE HORSE. 



what blood and what stallions they are to look for the perpetua- 

 tion of the best stock in this country. Most of our horses of 

 celebrity are considerably advanced in age, as Trustee, Glencoe, 

 and Margrave. Those most distinguished on our turf, that need 

 not be named, are yet untried in the stud. As for the result — 

 nous verrons. Others may furnish the "Spirit" brief and intel- 

 ligible pedigrees of a score or more of our best American-bred 

 stallions, of which I am incapable. Kentucky, our present 

 " race-horse region," seems to have benefited by crossing judi- 

 ciously the Sir Archy stock with good English horses ; and both 

 with the American Eclipse blood, especially as transmitted by 

 Medoc. Observek. 



BEST FOUR-MILE-HEAT RACES TIME AND WEIGHT EXAMPLES 



LECOMTE, LEXINGTON, ETC. 



Mr. Spirit. — As our representatives say on the floor of Con- 

 gress, will you allow me " to define my position ? " 



The crude vagaries and vaticinations of " Observer," shall 

 have farther notice. The " vagaries," as alleged, it has been shown 

 have been creditably shared on both sides of the Atlantic. In 

 respect to the influence of weight upon the time of a race, very 

 dift'erent opinions have been entertained. In England so much 

 importance is not attached to time as in our country ; more to 

 weio-ht. With us, some think " the best horse America ever 

 produced " must necessarily run four miles in the fastest time. 



The fallacy of this is apparent. Who remembers the time 

 of many of the best horses of England and America ? The fa- 

 mous Reel's fastest race was her last, when beat by George 

 Martin, with less weight for age, in almost the precise time of 

 Tally-ho's two heats ! Florizel and Monarch were so superior 

 to ail competitors as never to be put to their speed by any of 

 them. More cases of the kind have occurred in England than 

 in America. But the system of racing in the two countries is 

 now so difterent as scarce to admit of comparison. In England, 

 by handicapping, putting heavier weights on the best horses to 

 produce an equality, the inferior ones most frequently win ; and, 



