Whence the American Thoroughbred 13 



very few years after they began breeding, the 

 Virginians had estabhshed such a class among 

 their speed animals that they were quite willing 

 to take a Virginia-bred horse back to old Eng- 

 land and try conclusions with the best animals 

 of the mother country. 



Not alone, however, were the Virginia gentle- 

 men in their desire to own animals of high 

 quality, and many plantation-owners from the 

 north, the south, the east, and the west travelled 

 to Virginia and, at good prices, bought, off the 

 plantations about the James and the Rappahan- 

 nock, the best of the Virginia blood. An early 

 result of all this successful breeding in Virginia 

 was to distribute among her sister states the 

 produce of some of her best mares from the old 

 English stock. Though Virginians took care to 

 retain many at home, yet some of the highest- 

 bred horses found their way to distant counties, 

 and the mother of the American thoroughbred 

 soon found herself supplying weapons that were 

 destined ultimately to give her signal defeat. 

 The casting of this bread of blood upon the 

 waters gave her disastrous return in after seasons. 



In the very infancy of our turf, when George 

 III. was king. South Carolina purchased and 



