io8 The American Thoroughbred 



in Virginia was at the very highest pitch of 

 popularity ; and the Fairfield Course near Rich- 

 mond, and the Newmarket Course near Peters- 

 burg, the Broad Rock Course, and the Tree Hill 

 Track, were giving great public entertainments 

 through the agency of the thoroughbred that were 

 quite as distinguished for the character of the 

 attendance of the ladies and gentlemen as those 

 given on the Washington Course at Charleston. 



To treat in like manner the Virginia patrons 

 of the turf as those of the turf of South Carolina 

 were treated would require such lengthy writing 

 as would not be suited to this volume. Colonel 

 John Tayloe, of Mount Airy, Colonel Hoomes of 

 Bowling Green, Colonel Selden, his near neigh- 

 bor, the Randolphs (John Randolph of Roanoke, 

 and William Randolph of Cumberland), the 

 Washingtons, the Lees, the Lightfoots, the Car- 

 ters, the Fairfaxes, — all these, themselves gentle- 

 men of the very best breeding and of private 

 accomplishments, the real F. F. V.'s, were the 

 breeders and racing men of the time. 



A perusal of the races of Sir Archy, all of which 

 are authentic, will give the reader an idea of the 

 character of the horses then existing in Virginia. 

 Nearly all descended directly from imported 



