388 THE TROTTING-nORSE OF AMERICA. 



his great speed, but I have never thought so. When 1 

 matched him three-miie heats against Stonewall Jackson, 

 in the early part of his career, I was fully convinced that he 

 was a horse of fine game and hard bottom. I have had 

 horses as fast as he is for a brush ; but I have never had 

 another that could maintain a great rate so far, and come 

 again in repeating heats, making the last the best. I think 

 the gray mare Peerless, who is closely related to Dexter, as 

 she was by American Star out of a mare in the Messenger 

 line, was as fast as he is. The breeding of Peerless was 

 much the same as his in blood, but reversed in Jhe sexes. 

 She was the produce of Star and a mare of Messenger 

 descent. He was the produce of a Messenger horse in the 

 male line and a Star mare. I do not mean to say that Peer- 

 less could equal Dexter's saddle-rate, but I think that to 

 wagons they would be very close together, if she is as good 

 as she. once was ; but, as Dexter appears to be steadily im- 

 proving, he will probably attain to a rate of speed in harness 

 and to wagon such as we have never yet seen. 



I had a horse in my stable late last fall that I am satisfied 

 was then as fast as Dexter; and I think it quite likely that 

 he was a little faster. I allude to Mr. Bonner's big chest- 

 nut gelding, the Auburn Horse. He certainly carried me 

 faster than I had ever before ridden behind a trotter, and he 

 went away from Lady Thorn with the greatest ease. The 

 Auburn Horse had jusi; come right, and got to feeling well 

 after having been out of sorts for some time. His speed 

 and resolute way of going had soon made a strong impression 

 upon my mind ; and I told my friends Oliver Marshall and 

 Foster that if I could have him to trot a race, I thought I 

 could put a mark up so high that it would take a long time 

 to wipe it out. That is my opinion now, and the readers of 

 this work have a right to know it. Yet it does not follow 

 that the Auburn Horse is equal to Dexter, though he might 

 trot a mile in harness faster. 

 When we look a*; the grand combination of excellent 



