THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 261 



Trotting sport has a foothold to-day greater than ever 

 before in the world's history. England, its original 

 birthplace, drifted away from it for many years, but it 

 has recently met with more fayor than ever. There are 

 several courses used exclusively for the sport, and a move 

 is on the tapis to build a track in London which will bear 

 favorable comparison with any trotting course in Amer- 

 ica; something on the plan of the new Empire City track 

 in New York. Several prominent American turfmen are 

 identified in the project with wealthy English lovers of 

 the trotter, and as the management will largely adopt 

 American methods, the movement cannot fail in giving 

 an impetus to the sport which will prove most beneficial 

 to its interests. Even now England has the distinction 

 of holding the world's four-mile trotting record, 9:58, 

 made by Polly G., an American-bred mare that raced 

 quite successfully in this country as Bertie R., taking a 

 mile record of 2 :i2^ before going abroad. In both 

 Scotland and Ireland there are a number of trotting 

 tracks, and the sport is in great favor in those countries. 



On the European continent trotting is the national 

 horse-racing sport. Russia has a native breed called the 

 Orlofrs, but has made large importations of the better or 

 American breed, which, crossed on the Orloff, has im- 

 proved the native stock greatly in speed, quality and sta- 

 mina. The Czar is an ardent admirer of the sport, and 

 supports a campaigning stable of his own. The govern- 

 ment employs an American instructor in the art of driv- 

 ing, and trotting is really the only recognized horse sport 

 of the nation, the pure-bred American horses, however, 

 holding all the champion records of that country, and for 

 that matter every country. Italy and France are ardent- 

 ly interested in the trotter and have a number of very fine 



