192 OLD-TIME TKOTTERS. 



energy of that wonderful horse's constitution. Topgallant 

 lived to be twenty -eight years old. 



KIPTON. 



Eipton was a very handsome bay gelding with four white 

 legs and a blaze in the face. He was bred in Eipton, Vermont, 

 foaled m 1830. He was sired by Sherman Morgan and his dam 

 was a granddaughter of old Justin Morgan. 



Eipton was a well-bred Morgan and one of the best of his 

 days, but on account of his bad white markings was gelded at 

 the age of two years, and then on account of his high life and 

 great natural speed at the trot, he was taken to the New York 

 market when five years old — in 1835 ; when, after being given 

 a trial mile in harness on the Centerville course — being the 

 first time he ever stepped on a race track — he made his mile 

 in the finest and handsomest style that had ever been shown 

 on that track, driven by an entire stranger to him, Joel Conk- 

 lin, in 2.46. He was purchased at a high price by Peter 

 Barker, who owned the great trotting horse, Dutchman, at the 

 time. He was afterwards sold to George Weaver of Philadel- 

 phia, and went into the hands of Trainer James Hammil. 



Eipton was a small horse, not exceeding fifteen hands high, 

 of the old-fashioned Morgan type. He was marked almost ex- 

 actly like Dexter, the exception being that in the case of Eip- 

 ton the white on one fore leg ran higher up than the other, 

 consequently it gave him the appearance, when going very 

 fast, of lifting that foot higher and slapping it down with ex- 

 traordinary vim, yet this was a mere optical illusion. 



Hiram Woodruff, in speaking of Eipton, says : " He was a 

 powerful horse of uncommon fine spirit and determination, and 

 his style of going was very fine. He went as level as the flow 

 of a smooth stream that is both swift and deep ; and could trot 

 fast, smooth, and honest." 



In breeding Eipton's pedigree was not unlike his illustrious 

 successor from Yermont, Ethan Allen, and his way of going 

 was much the same. His first race was with Mount Holly, 



