IN a slow-pacing race at Philadelphia, in the early 

 part of that season in which I started Glendennis, 

 appeared a new horse to me. He was a bay gelding 

 about fifteen hands high, of very smooth conformation 

 except his knees, and they were so bowed as to give 

 him the appearance of being badly knee-sprung, and a 

 stranger would not think it possible for those legs to 

 stand the strain of a hard contested race. This horse 

 was Robert J., that afterward became one of the most 

 sensational and greatest turf performers ever known. 

 He was then four years old and this was his first racing 

 season. He was distanced in the race at Philadelphia, 

 but won a race in New York a few days later and soon 

 after that at Albany. Although he did not then have 

 a fast record and had not shown phenomenal speed, yet 

 there was something about the horse and his easy way 

 of going that caused me to like him ; and at my sug- 

 gestion, while we were at Albany, Mr. Hamlin pur- 

 chased him and also purchased his dam. As soon as I 

 commenced to work him I became satisfied that we had 

 a great horse if those bow legs would only stand the 

 hardships of fast racing, about which I had serious 

 doubts, and many times after I had given him a stiff 

 workout I would sit and watch those crooked legs to 

 see if I could discover any trembling or signs of weak- 

 ness in them ; but I never saw any indication that 

 they were not as strong as those of any horse in my 

 stable ; and in all the great races in which I afterwards 

 drove him he never weakened, and would stand the 

 strain of a long race as well as any horse I ever drove. 

 He was a very pure-gaited horse and I generally shod 



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