Early Owners were Gentlemen 51 



aged, 133 pounds; Colonel Washington's b. h. 

 Shark, aged, 133 pounds; General Hampton's 

 Patriot, four years, 106 pounds. 



Commerce won the first and third heats, Shark 

 the second, and made a very near thing of the third. 

 Patriot was well up in each heat. The course 

 was very heavy or the time would have been better. 

 The time of the first heat is recorded as 8 mile 

 16 seconds; second heat, 8 mile 17 seconds; third 

 heat, 8 mile 32 seconds. 



Commerce and Shark were often tried against 

 each other, and were so nearly equal, it was the 

 opinion of competent judges that condition alone 

 determined their superiority. This was confirmed 

 by the fact that whenever Mr. Fenwicke, who 

 knew the temper and constitution of both horses 

 well, trained Commerce, he beat Shark; and 

 whenever he had the care and handling of Shark, 

 Shark in his turn would beat Commerce. 



Shark having beaten several of General Hamp- 

 ton's best horses, — his Lath and Hazard, — he 

 resolved to find a horse that should be more for- 

 tunate against him. In 1 799, therefore, he trained 

 a remarkably fine gelding, and brought him on the 

 course. As he was entered to destroy Shark, he 

 gave him the significant name of Harpoon. This 



