Thoroughbreds of the West 187 



This was in the most glorious era of the turf, 

 when the wealth and fashion of the city rolled to 

 and from the races in equipages that reminded 

 the traveller of the royal displays of Europe. 

 Possibly Mr. Adams, occupying the highest 

 office within the gift of the nation, sought to set 

 an example of republican simplicity by trudging 

 along quietly on foot when others dashed by in 

 their carriages, each aiming to outshine his or 

 her neighbor with costly and gorgeous trappings. 



The second epoch of the National Course at 

 Washington was from the year 1822 up to about 

 1844. During this period the course resounded 

 with the footfalls of such horses as Eclipse, Sir 

 Charles, Boston, Blue Dick, Fashion, and Reve- 

 nue. As at Charleston, so at Washington, there 

 were jockey club dinners and jockey club balls, 

 attended by the beauty and fashion of the land. 



The last president of the club was Governor 

 Samuel Sprigg of Maryland. In 1844 the pros- 

 perity of the turf at Washington began to decline ; 

 and in 1846, after a few sickly, spasmodic efforts 

 to inaugurate a fresh era, racing was abandoned 

 on the National Course. 



The oldest race-course in the West is that 

 located at Lexington, Kentucky. The associa- 



