OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 211 



A PATRON SAINT OF AMERICAN STOCK BREEDING 



82. Woodbum Farm is a name to conjure with among those 

 devoted students of the art of breeding who builded the hus- 

 bandry of the last half of the nineteenth century. Robert A. 

 Alexander and his brother, A. J. Alexander, were natives of 

 Scotland, but early In life purchased a princely estate at Wood- 

 burn, Woodford Co., Kentucky, a few miles west of Lexington. 

 Housing and stabling of stone brought something of the Scot- 

 tish permanence to the high tilthed acres of the farm, and noth- 

 ing was omitted to give grace and worth to this notable estate. 

 Two breeds of livestock, trotting horses and Shorthorn cattle 

 vie with each other in proclaiming the fulness of debt they owe 

 to the Alexanders. In the history of the American trotters who 

 can surpass the romance of Alexander's Abdallah, ridden to 

 death by the Morgan raiders, or who can rival the breeding 

 annals of Miss Russell, dam of sixteen foals. By Harold, half- 

 brother both of the ill starred Abdallah and the ever illustrious 

 George Wilkes, she produced eight foals, among them the cham- 

 pion Maud S., while from Belmont, Abdallah's supreme son, 

 came eight more foals with the magnificent Nutwood as pre- 

 mier. Who can vie with the endurance of the great four-mile 

 Thoroughbred runner, Lexington? The sources of broodmare 

 excellence were cradled in this farm. Sally, Lady Russell, and 

 Water Witch, how these names stir the memory of the harness 

 lover, whether he be breeder or track follower, and yet how 

 these mares contributed not only to the harness bloodlines, but 

 also to the Thoroughbreds and runners of Kentucky's palmiest 

 days. 



Modem agriculture was reached through Shorthorn, Jersey, 

 Cotswold and Southdown. Today the venerated bluegrass 

 swards of Kentucky and Tennessee are dotted white with the 

 rich meated products of the master hands of Ellman and Webb, 

 bequeathed through the genius of the master of Woodburn. But 



