THE TURF AND THE TROTTING HORSE. 545 



referred to was a trial of one mile to wagon. Hiram Woodruff 

 drove her in 2 m. 23^ s., which is the best time to wagon upon 

 record. This mare was bred in Orange county, New York, and 

 is directly derived through her sire, American Star, from Sir 

 Henry. She is therefore the best living representative of that 

 excellent and popular strain of trotting blood, and is held by many 

 of its admirers to be able to draw a wagon faster than any other 

 horse living. 



It will perhaps be noticed that the principal races mentioned 

 have been upon Long Island. This is owing to the fact of its 

 being the seat of the great metropolitan race-courses to which 

 every first-class horse sooner or later is brought. New York City 

 is, in truth, the sporting emporium of the Union. The great 

 facilities for driving in its suburbs, and the large number of its 

 wealthy men interested in fast horses, make it the best market for 

 them in America. The record of trotting on Long Island is, con- 

 sequently, a record of its progress in the whole country. 



The year 1864 was one of the most brilliant in trotting-turf 

 annals. A fitting record of its great races would fill a volume. 

 They represent the best horses of 1862 and 1863, General But- 

 ler, George Wilkes, Lady Emma, and Stonewall Jackson ; and 

 such additions as Dexter, Shark, Nutwood, Brunette, Prince, May 

 Queen, Lady Thorn, and Commodore Vanderbilt. Some of the 

 latter had been on the turf for a short time previous ; but it was 

 in 1864 that they flowered into a fulness of speed which gained 

 them a national reputation. Dexter, however, the greatest of all, 

 and the horse that at present represents the highest development 

 of speed in trotting, made his first appearance on the 4th of May 

 of this year. 



Dexter was bred in Orange county, New York, of the blood of 

 Messenger and Sir Henry. That of the former he derived from 

 his sire, Hambletonian ; and the latter from his grandsire, Ameri- 

 can Star. He was foaled in 1857, and was therefore seven years 

 old when he made his appearance on the turf. He is of a rich 

 brown color, fifteen hands one and one-half inches high, and has 

 all the characteristics which distinguish the trotter, as the follow- 

 ing minute analysis of his prominent features exhibits : a His 

 head, though somewhat large, is clean and bony; lower jaw well 

 open at the base, leaving ample room for the windpipe ; ears taper- 

 ing and lively; eyes bright and prominent; head well set on to a 

 rather light neck, which is well fitted to fine sloping shoulders ; 

 withers high, with great depth of brisket, and a good barrel; 

 back slightly arched, with broad loin and hips, and a drooping 

 rump; -uncommonly long from the point of the hip to the hock; 

 shurt cannon-bone. Though wide across the hip, he is more so 

 measured across the stifles, where his power is most apparent; fine 

 46* 2M 



