Daily globe., 1883-08-27
AStOri0,

Orange county, state of New York, rep
utable farmer citizen, named Jonathan
Hawkins. Mr.. Hawkins had on his farm
very fine mare, named Clara, sired by
Seely's American Star, which in the spring
of 1857, he bred to the young stallion Ham
bletonian, son of the famous Abdallah, a
grandson OF imported Messenger, which
belonged to his neighbor of the adjoining
town of Chester, VIM. NJ. Rysdyk. The
produce OF. this coupling, foaled in 1853, was
brown colt with four white stockings and
white face with watch eyes, and which
grew up to become the famous trotter
Dexter, now owned by Mr.. Robert Bonner.
Mr.. Hawkins continued to breed the mare
to Hambletonian, and in 1873 she foaIed a
brown colt, which was named Dictator,
now the most famous breeding stallion in
the world, made so by the performances of
his sons, Jay Eye See, Phallas and Direct
or. In 1870 the produce was brown fIly
named Astoria, now owned by Commodore
Kittson, of St.Paul, and the subject of this
sketch, and in 1872 the brown filly Alma,
record 2:2615, now the property of Mr..
Bonner, of New York city. Clara was also
the dam of two or three other foals by
Hambletonian, one or two of which
died in their infancy, and the other was in
jured and Gid not acquire public notice.
Astoria when quite young was purchased
from her breeder by Mr.. Robert Bonner,
who at the time had high anticipations
that she would develop into trotter equal
to her brother Dexter. But in the process
of breaking she showed high and deter
mined spirit, and subsequently when being
worked on the track for the purpose of
speed development, gained bad reputa-
tion on the account of wilfulness, and the
effort was abandoned and she
not being considered safe for road driving,
was consigned to the breeding stud of
her owner, where she proved failure, af-
ter having been bred to Everett, Startle,
and other stations for several seasons and
not bearing a foal. In March 1881, Mr..
Bonner made consignment of several
head of horses to the Kellogg sale, held at
the American Institute, New York, among
which was Astoria, where she was purchas-
ed by Com. Kittson, for $2,250; since
which time her home has been at Midway,
which in its pallatial appointments is the
pride of st. Paul.
Soon after the arrival of Astoria at Mid
way Supt. Woodmansee commenced to
work her on the track, she showing no
signs of bad temper and soon SO
much speed was developed that it was
decided to enter her in the races at Min
neapolis as well as in other events adver-
tlsed for that season. In her work, driven
by Mr.. Woodmansee, she often showed
quarters in 30 seconds, halves in 1:12 and
full mile in 2:27, but at this time weak
tendon in one of her fore ankles, probably
an old allment, presented itself, and the
project of starting her in races was aban-
doned. In the fall of 1881 she was bred
to the stallion Won Arnim, and the follow
ing spring great was the satisfaction
at Midway when she unexpectedly
proved to be with foal, and later in the
season such pleasure was increased when
she dropped a fine colt foal which is now
year old, named Midway which gives
every promise of becoming a most wor-
thy scion of this noble equine family.
Early the present season she was bred to
Blackwood, jr., and is now known to be
again with foal. For few weeks past she
has received daily exercise on the track at
Midway with the purpose, that if her weak
tendon did not prevent, to trot her
mile for record, not only as
card for her progeny, but also
that the fact of her beating 2:3O, if done,
would add another name to the long list of
2:3O performers now credited to her sire.
the dead Hero of Chester, Rysdyk's Ham
bletonian.
To this end the managers of the race
meeting at Midway park on Saturday last
offered silver cup for Astoria
to trot a mile against time,
to beat 2:32. After the first heat in the
800 class was finished the mare was
brought out and after being driven mod
erately twice around the track, she was
started, accompanied by the stallion Won
Arnim. Astoria was driven on this occa-
sion by the venerable horseman, L. D.
Woodmansee, father of Mr.. B. D. Wood
mansee, superintendent of Midway breed
Ing farm, and of Mr.. D. L. Woodmansee,
manager of Com. Kittson's string of
trotters now doing battle in the grand cir
cult. The elder Woodmansee is now seven
ty-seVen years old and among the score
OF experienced drivers that appeared on the
track on that day none rode the suIky with
more even poise; none held the reins
with hrmer hand, or steadied their trot-
ter through the mile, and under the wire
without break more successfully than
NNA~ SAAA' 'S@OAchN4O 4C1uSLudus OQQ6r MS
guidance Astoria took the word. going
steady,and square as brick, closely follow
ed by the stallion, driven by the son, Supt.
Woodmansee. On she sped without wa7er
to the quarter in 80 seconds, passing on
through the back stretch at increased
speed to the half mile pole in 1:14L, and
still that steady stroke was maintained, the
three quarter pole being reached in 1 81 4,
passing which she rounded into the home
stretch, and seemingly impressed with the
Importance of the occasion, the noble mare
came on to and under the wire without any
abatement of her speed, making the mile
in 2:291125, amid the plaudits of hundreds
of people that thronged the grand stand,
the applause being equally divided be-
tween the noble mare and her venerable
driver, the latter being warmly congratu-
lated on the successful termination of the
gallant feat.
A silver cup is now being prepared to
present to Com. Kittson, which will be
suitably inscribed, commemorating the
occasion of the advent of Astoria into the
charmed circle of 2:3O horses.
1t is proper to state in connection with
the performance of Astoria above related,
that the track was at least three seconds
ell 4ha