THE THOROUGHBRED 17 



In 1779 O'Kelly was asked by one of the Bedford family for his 

 price on Eclipse, and he replied that " all Bedford Level would 

 not purchase him." From another person he asked ^125,000 

 and an annuity of $2500 for life. 



Eclipse won eleven King's Plates and O'Kelly cleared ;£25,ooo 

 on him. In historical descriptions of this horse he is said to 

 have been about 15^ hands high ; his shoulders were very low 

 and oblique and thick above, while he stood high behind. He 

 had a great loin, very long quarters, and powerful and long 

 thighs and fore arms, and his stride was very wide. He was so 

 thick-winded that he could be heard some distance. He was of 

 fine disposition, and in a race he took his own gait, rushing along 

 with his head down, indifferent to his jockeys, who found it 

 impossible to hold him in. Eclipse sired 334 winners of races. 

 He died in 1789, aged twenty-five years. This horse was a 

 direct descendant of the Darley Arabian, and the very best of 

 British and American racing-horse blood traces its course from 

 these two great sires. 



Of these three English-bred stallions Eclipse as a breeder 

 was most important, at least in the male line of descent, while 

 Matchem was least so. The influence of both the Oriental and 

 English sires on the creation of the Thoroughbred as a breed 

 has been very profound, but without doubt numerous females 

 have had an important part. However, much less is known of 

 the personality and breeding of the mares than of the sires. 

 C. Bruce Lowe, in an elaborate study of speed lines of many 

 great Thoroughbreds, compiles a list of forty-four important 

 foundation mares. At the head of that list he places first, 

 Tregonweir s Natural Barb Mare ; second. Burton s Barb Mare ; 

 third, Dam of two True Blues. 



The Thoroughbred derives his origin from the union of Arabian, 

 Barb, and Turkish blood with the lighter type of English horse. 

 From this amalgamation came great stamina, remarkable speed, 

 unusual endurance, and great symmetry of form. 



The names of many famous Thoroughbreds appear during the 

 history of the breed. The following are worthy representatives, 

 all of them famous racers and most of them great breeders. The 

 dates after their names indicate the years of foaling. 



