224. The American Thoroughbred 



Winner of the Kentucky and Latonia Derbys and the Suburban Handicap 1897. The 

 property of J. R. Kcenc & Son, Castleton Stud, Lexington, Ky. 



This beautiful little horse was known as the most consistent performer of his day, 

 never being beaten except by the highest class horses of that period. And scarcely had 

 popular applause over his victories subsided than the little marvel began to assert his 

 supremacy in another direction as a sire. The close of 1904 found him second on the 

 list with the substantial amount of $157,425 chalked up ag&inst his name. Here are 

 some figures to be contemplated : 



YEAR PREMIER SIRE. AMOUNT. 



1894 Sir Modred, imp $127,400 



1895 Hanover 106,005 



1896 Hanover 84,745 



1897 Hanover 116,140 



1898 Hanover 1 18,590 



1899 Albert, imp 95,975 



1900 Kingston 1 16,368 



In 1902 Hastings headed the list and in 1903 the imported horse Ben Strome, but 

 the earnings of both these fell below $115,000. As Ben Brush, while second on the 

 list, has $30,025 more to his credit than had Sir Modred, the highest of the nine stal- 

 lions above mentioned, it must be conceded that he is the best stallion of his age in all 

 America, being two years younger than imported Meddler ,the premier of 1904, and 

 over $100,000 ahead of Ornament who is only one year younger than Ben Brush, and 

 who is twentieth on the list for last season, with some excellent sons and daughters to 

 his credit. 



Ben Brush gets all sorts of performers, his daughter Lady Amelia being the fast- 

 est mare in all America at short distances. And as for stayers over a long distance, 

 his son Delhi's race for the Grand Republic stakes at Saratoga, last July, which he 

 won with 119 pounds at three years old, beating horses of all ages, is without a paral- 

 lel. It ranks up with Foxhall's Cambridgeshire and St. Gatien's Cesarewitch. 



BEN BRUSH comes from one of our most distinguished native American families 

 that of Maria West. From her came that great four-miler, Wagner, by Sir Charles, 

 who carried off the $20,000 Post Stake at Louisville in 1839; and her next produce of 

 note was Childe Harold, who defeated Jerry Lancaster and Sally Morgan at four-mile 

 heats when three years old. Maria West produced Margaret Wood, she being the dam 

 of Star Davis and Wade Hampton, the two most brilliant horses of the five years pre- 

 ceding the advent of Lexington. In the later years came such cracks as Sailor, Para- 

 chute, True Blue, The Banshee, Apache, Bright Phoebus (winner of the Realization 

 in 1895), Rainbow and Ahom, winners of the Brooklyn Derby; David Garrick and 

 Prince of Melbourne ; and three winners of the Kentucky Derby in Azra, Riley and 

 Ben Brush. Another winner of this family is Rensalaer, who won in America, Eng- 

 land, France and Belgium. 



