3o6 The American Tboroiigbhred 



on the time standard, Lexington was far and 

 away superior to the horse which sired him. 



However much one's personal opinion may 

 lean to Boston or to his son Lexington, as the 

 greatest horse which America has produced, one 

 must be compelled to bow to the single and sig- 

 nificant fact that Lexington was, at the close of 

 his career, and is now in the minds of the Ameri- 

 can people, the greatest horse that ever lived this 

 side the Atlantic Ocean. The ordinary casual 

 observer of turf affairs imagines that Lexington 

 must have been a most wonderful animal, racing 

 a great number of years. And to many turfmen 

 it will be surprising news to know that Lexington 

 started in his first race May 22, 1853, and that he 

 ran his last race April 14, 1855 ; that in two years 

 of standing for all that was highest and best on 

 the turf, Lexington faced the starter but seven 

 times and met defeat but once, and that in the 

 second affair with Lecompte, when New Orleans 

 was packing Royal Street with its best blood and 

 was hysterical in a Latin way over Lecompte's 

 four miles in 7.26. 



Lexington reached Kentucky from New Or- 

 leans a short time after his defeat of Lecompte 

 in their last race, and went into the stud a per- 



