1 88 The American Thoroitghbred 



tion was chartered in 1828, but racing was carried 

 on there long anterior to this. The great strip of 

 country in Kentucky, where the rich blue-grass 

 grows so luxuriantly, for many years has been 

 known as the " race-horse region of America." 

 Racing is one of the pastimes of the people, 

 and the love of racing led to the breeding of 

 the thoroughbred. The colts mature rapidly in 

 the genial climate and on the nutritious grass, 

 and for nearly a century they have asserted their 

 claim to preeminence. Kentucky stock is justly 

 famous, and breeding there is conducted with 

 less expense than in many other sections, for the 

 reason that the colts thrive so well in grazing 

 over the rich pasture-lands. 



The Lexington Association was singularly 

 prosperous. Since 1828, up to half-a-dozen years 

 ago, it had held two, and sometimes three, meet- 

 ings every year, excepting in 1862, when only a 

 spring meeting was held, Kirby Smith's army 

 being camped on the course in the fall. This 

 is something that can be said of no other asso- 

 ciation in America, and speaks to us of the 

 intensity of the racing spirit in that section of 

 Kentucky ; for it must be borne in mind that 

 Lexington, like many other cities south of the 



