THE TROTTING-nOESE OF AMEIilCA. 129 



I speak of old Topgallant, one of the best and stoutest 

 that ever looked through a bridle. It will soon be forty 

 years since I first rode the horse at his exercise ; and, after 

 he began his racing-career and went into my uncle's hands, 

 we had many a long day together. As I have said, Top- 

 gallant was a son of imp. Messenger. He was a dark Lay 

 horse, fifteen hands three inches high, plain and raw-boned, 

 but with rather a fine head and neck, and an eye expressive 

 of much courage. He was spavined in both hind-legs, and 

 his tail was slim at the root. His spirit was very high ; 

 and yet he was so reliable that he would hardly ever break, 

 and his bottom was of the finest and toughest quality. He 

 was live-oak as well as hickory, for the best of his races 

 ware made after he was twenty years old. Topgallant 

 was raised on Long Island. He was more than fourteen 

 years of age before he was known at all as a trotter, except 

 that he could go a distance — the whole length of the New- 

 York road — ; as well as any horse that had ever been extend- 

 ed on it. Topgallant then belonged to a gentleman named 

 Green ; and Mr. M. D. Green, who now resides in the city 

 and is well known, must be acquainted with many particu- 

 lars about the horse. After a time, when he was weU 

 stricken in years. Topgallant was taken to Philadelphia, 

 where he was engaged in many races. It was prior to this 

 when I used first to ride him for exercise. 



In the year 1829, when in his twenty-second year. Top- 

 gallant trotted four-mile heats against Whalebone, over 

 the Hunting-park Course, Philadelphia; and there were 

 four heats before it was decided. Like Topgallant, 

 Whalebone was a New- York horse. Prior to that time he 

 had been owned by Capt. Dunn, one of the partners of 

 the firm of Brown & Dunn, livery-stable keepers. Whale- 

 bone was a remarkably handsome horse, — a fine blood bay, 

 sixteen hands three inches high, and he had but one eye. 

 He ought to have been called Waxy, instead of Whale- 

 bone ; for in all these particulars he resembled the famous 



