Alexander's abdallah. 91 



The blood of Alexander's Abdallah is potent and speed giv- 

 ing generation after generation. Had he the opportunities of 

 George "Wilkes, Electioneer, and many others of the sons of 

 Hambletonian, I have no hesitancy in going on record as say- 

 ing he was one of the very best of all the great sons of that 

 great progenitor of trotting speed. As it is, if we give him 

 credit for all that justly belongs to him' and thus placing him 

 as the grand-sire of Gov. Sprague, who was undoubtedly sired 

 by Sprague's Hambletonian, who, in turn, was unquestionably 

 one of Alexander's Abdallah's best sons; then, and not till 

 then, can we count on his true merits as one of our greatest 

 progenitors of trotting speed. 



Sprague's Hambletonian was kept for stock purposes only 

 one season and not advertised at that, but was used as a road- 

 horse both in New York and Rhode Island, and with his mate. 

 Belle Brandon, was considered at one time the best road team 

 in New York city. He was then known by the name of New 

 York. He, with his mate, Belle Brandon, was purchased by 

 Col. Amasa Sprague of Rhode Island, and his name changed 

 to Sprague's Hambletonian. Col. Sprague used them as a road 

 team, and a good team it was — I remember them well — and 

 in 1870 they were mated together, the result of which union 

 was a black colt afterwards known as Governor Sprague, but 

 recorded as the son of a horse called Rhode Island. 



He also sired Boston-Boy-Hambletonian, 2.25, Gov. Dimon, 

 Col. Sprague, Lady Sprague, and a few other good ones in 

 Connecticut and Rhode Island. The three last-named foals of 

 Sprague's Hambletonian were all bred by myself in 1875 — 

 foaled in 1876 — and could all trot ; the two former were great 

 roadsters and very fast although never trained for speed. 



Sprague's Hambletonian died in Pomfret, Conn., in the 

 fall of 1876 of epizootic and the want of proper care. He was 

 a great horse, and I claim that with equal opportunities, the 

 peer of any of the sons of Abdallah. 



Abdallah died at thirteen years of age, just as he was be- 

 ginning and had an opportunity to make for himself a noted 



