172 THE TROTTING-UOESE OF AMERICA. 



I have heard something of his having been got by a cer- 

 tain horse ; but it is only hearsay, and of no value or author- 

 ity. In 1836 he was brought to New York from the Eas- 

 tern States, and offered for sale, being then five years old. 

 Mr. Peter Barker, who owned Dutchman at the time, agreed 

 to buy him if he suited in a trial. They tried him on the 

 Centreville Course in harness; and he made his mile, driven 

 by Joel Conklin, in 2m. 46s., in great style. He was after- 

 wards sold to Mr. George Weaver of Philadelphia, and 

 went into the hands of James Hammil. Ripton's first race 

 was for a sweepstakes, in which Mount Holly and another 

 were also engaged ; but the third did not start, and Eipton 

 beat Mount Holly handily in two straight heats. Eipton 

 then passed into the hands of George Youngs, who had very 

 great celebrity as a rider and driver of trotting-horses, and 

 deserved it all. He was one of the best horsemen that I have 

 ever known. Eipton was brought back to New York, and 

 trotted over the Beacon Course, mile-heats, three in five, in 

 harness, against Kate Kearney. Kate was a bay mare, 

 about fifteen hands and an inch high. She belonged to Mr. 

 Stacey Pitcher. Eipton won the first heat ; and then, after 

 a good deal of consultation between the parties, they agreed 

 to draw the race. The fact was, that Eipton was very high 

 strung, and had run away with his driver a day or two be- 

 fore. He had given some indications of an intention to 

 bolt again, and they were shy of him. 



His next change was into the hands of Peter Whelan, 

 the elder brother of my friend William. Peter, like George 

 Youngs, was a capital rider and driver. I am told his 

 brother thinks that he and I excelled Peter and George 

 soon after, if not at that time ; but I have my doubts wheth- 

 er anybody ever excelled either of them much, especially in 

 the saddle. Peter Whelan died in Philadelphia in 1840, 

 and Eipton was then sent to me. He w.is then ten years 

 old, with all the requisites to make a very fine trotter, such 

 as he afterwards became, but was not altogether then. I 



