Preface. 



T TERY few words are needed in introducing this work to the public as the title 

 \/ page and the contents fully indicate its character. It is the result of a taith- 

 V ful and laborious effort to supply a long-existing want, by presenting m one 

 volume, but in a satisfactory and intelligible manner, summaries of all races trotted 

 or paced in the United States or Canada from the earliest dates until the close of 

 1883. The difference in the form of printing the summaries from the old tabular 

 methods is apparent rather than actual The paragraph style was adopted of neces- 

 sity, to bring the work within reasonable bounds, and the innovation is certain to be 

 approved by students of such matters when they become accustomed to it. The 

 recital goes on naturally down the pages ; the victories of each horse, arranged alpha- 

 betically and indexing themselves, are grouped in chronological order; and the 

 system of the Index of Beaten Horses with relation to the Winners is such that there 

 can be no confusion of identity. All who have the book are admonished to read the 

 explanations carefully, and they will soon find no difficulty in using it to full ad- 

 vantage. 



The compiler wishes it to be fully understood that, while pedigrees of performers 

 are given where known, and are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief, this 

 volume is not to be considered as a stud-book, in any true sense of the term. It is, 

 as it purports to be, simply a record of performances, as comprehensive and as 

 accurate as can be made before being submitted to the crucial test of individual 

 inspection. Absolute correctness is impossible in a work of this magnitude, in which 

 the data are so confused, deficient, and frequently unreliable. There are errors and 

 omissions, doubtless, but they are such as have escaped the utmost vigilance and 

 care, supported by unusual advantages for the preparation of such a work. Indi- 

 vidual knowledge of horses will bring such faults to light, and information of their 

 existence will be thankfully received by the compiler. Critics are advised, however, 

 that the records in this work have been compared, whenever possible, with official or 

 original reports, and have been pruned of the errors which spring from transmission 

 into newspapers or occur from other causes. In the 2:30 list, for instance, many are 

 taken from it that were previously supposed to belong there, and a number of new 

 ones are added; besides which long unchallenged fast records are altered by the 

 scores ; but in every one of these cases this work gives the exact facts. 



Annual books, recording the performances of each year, will follow this volume, 

 and these will be compiled in such a thorough manner as to be worthy of the vast 

 interest of which they will be the index. This volume is placed before the public, 

 with due modesty, as the best that can be done for the history of the past ; in the 

 future, with facts fresh and accessible, nothing will be left to be desired in this 

 specialty of statistical work. 



xt ^ ™ , m , WALTER T. CHESTER. 



New Tobk, May, 1884. 



