THE AMERICAN THOROUGHBRED 



CHAPTER I 



WHENCE THE AMERICAN THOROUGHBRED 



For the existence of this thing which we call 

 the thoroughbred horse of America, we, in com- 

 mon with all countries of civilization, must give 

 thanks to England. There is not at this day 

 galloping upon the turf of any land under the sun 

 a single animal worthy of the name of race-horse 

 which does not go back through generations to 

 an original English foundation. 



The American turf is only the English turf 

 transplanted, with some alterations, to a new soil. 

 Our whole instinct for racing comes from our 

 English and Irish ancestry, and we were the first 

 country outside of England itself to begin the 

 breeding of horses for purposes of the turf and 

 for their general improvement. 



Almost with the genesis of the white man upon 

 the American continent the use of the horse as a 



