The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-12-21


bred, foaled in 1880, and imported, as
popular notion of perfection, being up
were many other English thoroughbreds,
on account of his value as running
horse, and for the Improvement of thor
oughbreds in this country. He had run
successfully in several races, and at five
years old won the Kings Plate. 1t was
three years after this performance, 1888,
that he was imported into New York by
Mr.. Bcngcr. The first two seasons after
his arrival he was kept at Neshaminy
Bridge, near Bristol, in Bucks Co., Pa.
Mr.. Henry Astor then purchased him,
and kept him on Long Island for two
years. About this time Mr. c. w. Van.
Rantz purchased an interest in him, and
for the remainder Of his life he was kept
in various parts of the State of N. Y,
with the exception Of one year at Cooper's
Point, N. j., opposite Philadelphia He
died Jan. 2Sth, 1908.
Messenger was gray, Is hands in
ches high, and stoutly built. His form
was not strictly in conformity with the
right in the shoulders and low on the
withers, with q short, straight neck, and
a large. bony head. His loins and hind
quarters were powerfully muscular, his
windpipe and nostrils Of unusual size, his
hook and knees very large, and below
them limbs Of medium size, but fiat and
clean and whether at rest or in motion,
| his position and carriage always perfect
and striking. 1t is said that during the
voyage to this country the three other
horses that accompanied him became 50
reduced in flesh and strength that when
the vessel landed at New York they had
to be helped and supported down the
gang-plank; but when it came Messen-
gers turn to land, he, with loud neigh
charged down the gang-plank, with col
ored groom on each side holding him back,
and dashed off up the street at a stiff trot,
carrying the grooms along in spite oftheir
efforts to stop him.
Though his name has been made illus
trious chiefly by the performance Of his
trotting descendants, he was also the sire
of some of the best trotting horses of his
day. The most famous on the turf OH
immediate thoroughbred defendants were
Potomac, Fair Rachel, Miller's Damsel
(dam of American Eclipse,) Bright Ph@-
bus, Hambletonian, Sir Solomon and Sir
Harry. The celebrated four-mile racer,
Ariel, had Messenger in her pedigree
four times in five generations.
In his day trotting was not so much in
fashion, as we have shown, and nothing is
known of the trotting speed of this great
fountain-head Of trotters, nor were any Of
his sons or daughters ever trained to
that gait. 1t was the second generation
of his descendants,the grand-colts of Mes
senger, and mostly those produced by a
cross with the common stock of the coun-
try, that attracted attention by their trot-
ting speed. This fact is easily explained.
The thoroughbred of his get were trained
to running, and were not used as road
horses, or some of them would probably
have surpassed any Of his descendants in
trotting. But even his own halfbred colts
make no mark as trotters, though some
of them became celebrated as the sircs Of
trotters. This is somewhat remarkable ;
but we should bear this in mind that pub
lie attention had not been given to that
gait, good roads and light vehicles were
not so common, and the next generation
being more numerous, the probabilities
were greater that this remarkable quality
of the family should not remain undis-
covered.
The sons Of Messenger to which nearly
/ all the fast trottcrs Of the present day trace
their pedigree were Plate Engineer, Com.
mandcr, Why-Not, Mount Holly, Nam.
brine, and Ilamblctonian
Nambrino, named after the sire o.
Messenger, was thoroughbred, 4 bright
bay, Is hands high, long bodied, and like
his sire, upright in the shoulders. IL,
was not only large, but also course
horse, badly stringhaltered a disease
that seldom impairs horses usefulness
though it was hereditary in this case ,anC
many of his descendants had it, He ha(
a free, rapid, swinging walk slashine
trot, and running speed Of the first order
He was the sire of Bstsey Baker, one o
the first American trotters; Of Abdallah
from which are descended many Of thC
fastest, including the get of Rysdyk'
Hambletonian, which was sired by Abdal
lah, and of Mambrino, Paymastcr, anc
from which are descended Mambrin
Chief and all his get, including Lad.
Thorn, Mambrino Pilot, Bay Chief, &c
,, This son of Messenger stands undoubted
ly at the head of the family as a progeni
tor Of trotters.