40 The American Tbowugbbred 



he is at least following in his passions the foot- 

 steps of some of the ablest and brightest men 

 who ever laughed in its pleasures or were brave 

 in the storms of American life. 



The history of the owners who raced in South 

 Carolina is also the story of the advance of the 

 thoroughbred horse to his secure position of pop- 

 ularity in this country. It was but a short time 

 after the Revolution, when, so far as the Southern 

 country was concerned, racing was upon a firm 

 footing and the breeding of horses exclusively for 

 the turf had become the pastime of the gentlemen 

 of the land. 



One of the greatest of the South Carolina 

 breeders was Colonel William Alston, of Wac- 

 camaw. Among his most distinguished and 

 popular mares from which he bred was " the Brill- 

 iant Mare," bred by his friend and neighbor, 

 Mr. Fenwicke, and got by the imported English 

 horse Matchem, out of a mare by Brilliant. An- 

 other noted breeding animal was the Tartar 

 Mare by old Flimnap out of a mare by old 

 Faro. He owned altogether some twenty thor- 

 oughbred mares, including among them that 

 remarkable racing mare, Betsey Baker. The 

 racing animals which he got from these, by 



