THE AMERICAN TROTTER 37 



Messenger, commonly known as Imported Messenger, was a 

 Thoroughbred, his pedigree tracing back through his sire to 

 Flying Childers and the Darley Arabian. He was foaled in 1780 

 in England and proved a successful racer, and as a five-year-old 

 won the King's Plate. Believing that he would do valuable serv- 

 ice in the stud, he was imported to the United States in May, 

 1788. Messenger, however, though a trotting sire, had no imme- 

 diate descendants that proved to be noted trotters. He secured 

 his chief fame through his son Mambrino, a Thoroughbred, that 

 in turn was sire of Abdallah, a breeder of trotters. Messenger 

 was a gray, 15 J hands high, with strong loins and powerful hind 

 quarters. He was in stud service for twenty years in America, 

 — in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. He died Janu- 

 ary 28, 1808, leaving a lineage of driving horses of remarkable 

 excellence. 



Bellfounder, known as Jary's Bellfounder in England and as 

 Imported Bellfounder in the United States, was foaled in 18 15, 

 and was imported from Norfolk in 1822. He was a bright bay, 

 with black mane, tail, and legs, stood 15 hands high, and was a 

 natural trotter. At the time he was brought to America he was 

 regarded as one of the very fleetest and most powerful trotters, 

 and is said to have trotted 17 miles in an hour. Velocity, his 

 dam, trotted 16 miles in an hour on the Norwich road in 1806, 

 while two years later she is reported to have made 18 miles in 

 1 hour and 47 seconds. Thus it can be seen how a strong line 

 of trotting blood was brought to America. Bellfounder was taken 

 to Orange County, New York, where he went into stud service. 

 Here he sired the Charles Kent Mare, a most important con- 

 necting link with his American fame. Bellfounder died on Long 

 Island in 1843. 



Trotting families of note have been developed in America 

 during the past century, from which are descended the trotting 

 horses of eminence to-day. The families introduced below are 

 recognized as the most important. The judicious blending of 

 these families has, in cases, resulted in very great success, as for 

 example in the case of the Hambletonian and Mambrino. 



The Hambletonian family. On May 15, 1849, the Charles 

 Kent Mare gave birth to a male foal from service of Abdallah, 



