44 THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



established in America in several sections and was 

 pre-eminently the sport of gentlemen. The 

 wagers made were heavy — would be considered 

 heavy to-day when the sport has become defiled 

 by being very much of a gambler's game — but 

 the races run were comparatively few. Section 

 against section soon became popular — the North 

 against the South, Virginia against South Caro- 

 lina, Kentucky against Tennessee, and so on. 

 The first, and in many regards the most import- 

 ant of these contests, was a race at four mile 

 heats over the Union Course on Long Island in 

 1823, for a wager of $20,000 a side. Sir Henry, 

 the representative of the South, was by Sir 

 Archy, dam by Diomed and grandam by Bel 

 Air. He was four years old, and carried 108 

 pounds. Eclipse (or American Eclipse) was by 

 Duroc, his dam being Miller's Damsel by 

 Messenger. He was nine years old and carried 

 126 pounds. So it will be seen that the contestants 

 were both grandsons of Diomed; indeed. Sir 

 Henry was a grandson through both sire and dam. 

 The description of the race I take from that en- 

 tertaining book, "Figures of the Past," by the 



