CHAPTER XXII. 



OLD TIME TROTTERS. 



Topgallant — Ripton — Lady Suffolk — Flora Temple — Ethan Allen — Geo. 

 M. Patchen — Geo. Wilkes — Goldsmith Maid — American Girl — 

 Dutchman — Americus — Dexter — Columbus — Betting on races — 

 Lady Suffolk {In Memoriam). 



"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 

 And never brought to min' ? 

 Should auld acquaintance be forgot 

 And days o' lang syne 1 " 



AMONG the old-time trotters who have cpntributed their 

 share toward creating and establishing an interest in 

 the American trotter, and who have afforded much pleasure to 

 the lovers of fast trotters, and who have occasionally electrified 

 the trotting world by their marvelous performances on the 

 turf, but who have long since gone the way of all flesh, I will 

 mention a few of the most noted in their day ; and to give my 

 readers some sort of an idea as to how the trotting business 

 was conducted in the past, I have selected ten noted trotters of 

 their day, which we will — partially, at least — follow through 

 their campaigns. 



"We will commence in 1829 with old Imported Messenger's 

 son, Topgallant ; then, in order, comes a somewhat noted son 

 of Sherman Morgan, called Bipton; then the much-abused 

 gray mare, Lady Suffolk. Next comes that wonderful little 

 mare, Flora Temple ; then the noted son of Black Hawk, and 

 the King of the Morgans, Ethan Allen ; then will come the 

 brown stallion Geo. M. Patchen, with a race record of 2.23£; 

 then the founder of the "Wilkes' family, George "Wilkes, 2.22 ; 

 then the reigning queen of her day, Goldsmith Maid — the first 

 to lower the trotting record to 2.14; then the invincible Dex- 

 ter, the great horse of his time who so long held the world's 



(189) 



