Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-10-31
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Milt Nennrbtt suurnaI.
MISUNDERSTANDING.

correspondent of the Spirit Of the
'r;mes writing from Des Moines, says 1T
= viehiF oh 9 memory OF many who have Oh
tsn beard II said that the breeding of trot-
tsrs l. all q chance etc. Every tine day
IN along our roads and streets handsome
xteupiue srosters can be seen at tour-inin-
ate and over gait. which Induces their
.awnsrs to secure competent person IN
nr,isr. 10 train and develop his speed.
Money is not wanting nor spared to ac-
coupiish this. The trainer does his whole
fotv. and in due time brings them AROUND
In about three minutes. This, however,
win not win many of the big purses hung
up all over the country, nor It's hiaSne1
attract the needle 10 cause his owner or
any one to value him away up in the sun
dry thousands. IL is evident there Is O
cause. because the horse has fine trotting
action and TO all appearance Is all right.
Pasu experience i'll breeding has clearly
demonstrated that IL is the thoroughbred
blood which sends them whizzing around
ia and below the twenties. l no not wish
10 provoke nor create discussion on this
subject. because it will not make horse
trot one second faster anywhere save at
the end of the tongue and point of the pen
and, by the way, these are very numer-
Gus. If breeders and all others will close
IL examine the pedigrees of many whose
records are below 2min. 25sec., they Will
find that the blood of the four-mile thor
ouEhbred horse strongly flows in their
veins, 1t is true there are some in tins
class whose pedigrees are not known. and
..chance" tells all about these with pride
and pleasure. I am glad there are many
gentlemen who take an interest in this
matter, and give all they know to the pub
lie about the pedigrees OF many horses
whose public records are credit. This
Is commendable.
1.-THE Spirit of December ?, 1871, con-
tanned letter from me in relation to what
p. Mc(lew of this place told me about his
experience and observation of the trot-
ting qualities of the produce OF Irish Bird
catcher in Ireland, over twenty years ago.
He also told me, but did not then state it,
that the Harkaways, Tom Turfs, and 9TH
ers were affected with the true trotting
action. In nine months after, however.
was not then prepared to hear this tully
confirmed in the horse Jim Irving, who is
8 great grandson of Irish Birdcatcher,
who was full brother to ugh-a-Ballagh,
WHO is the grandsire of John Harper's
horse Longfellow. His dam, Nantura. has
three crosses of imported Messenger in
her. and, rs understand, all through
thoroughbred sources. Those who have
. seen Longfellow run on four legs at Long
Branch, and then seen him run on three
legs at Saratoga, might tell what they
think of his speed, game and grit. When
his time of running the first mile in the
Saratoga Cup race in 1871 is beaten, then
the world will hear of it. No horse can
defend himself on paper. Why not give
the noble equine his just merit? Shame
on the biped that would cowardly attempt
to pluck one laurel from his well-earned
and brief career Those who have seen
Jim Irving trot at Buffalo, when he had
good horses to trot against him, might
tell what they think OF his trotting and
sticking qualities in n race. When half
and three-quartcr bred horses make fast
trotters. why not more of it make Il faster
trotter? You will search in vain for the
cold-blooded horse who can successfully
compete with the well-bred horse in a way
of going. Theories may be advanced and
questions easier asked than answered, but
Keep your eyes and ears open and your
purses well Ranked when the thorough
bred appears against you in harness on
the track.
.'The late lamented Hiram Woodruff, in
his book. stated very decided prefer
ence for the thoroughbred blood to put the
stuff in our trotters." etc. His long and
extensive experience fully convinced him
iothis conclusion, and he gave it to us
valuable legacy. The breeder who can
raise fast trotters has no difficulty in Sc
curing purchasers at fair, if not fancy,
prices, as the purchasers are plenty,
ready to buy at any price, provided that
the speed, game, and sticking qualities
are all there. Many purchasers know
from dear-bought experience that these
essential qualities are in the thoroughbred
horse, but necessity compels them to take
the best that they can get"