Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-02-03
HARLOW'S LEXINGTON, BLACK
BANNER, JOHN RICHARDS AND


HARLOW'S LEXINGTON, BLACK
BANNER, JOHN RICHARDS AND
OTHERS.
We are indebted to several correspond
ents, including DR.. d. w. Prime of Bran
don and Mr.. f. ID. Kinds of Pittsford,
for interesting facts concerning the breed
ing of Harlow's Lexington and Black
Banner. DR.. Prime, who was at one time
joint owner of the latter with Mr.. AL
len, states that Black Banner was bred
by Gardner Harrington of Sudbury, VT,
and got by Vermont Black Hawk. He
left some good stock, as did also his son,
Green Mountain Banner. Mr.. Kinds
confirms the above in his statement,
which is as follows:
"Harlow's Lexington was bred by my
father, Jesse Kinds of Brandon, Vt.
Lexington was sired by Black Banner,
he by Vermont Black Hawk. Black Ban
ner was bred by Gardner Harrington,
then of Sudbury, Vt. Mr.. Harrington
told me years ago that Black Banners
dam was Post Boy mare. lexington
dam was untraced. She was close to
sixteen hands high, and could trot better
than three minutes to a heavy wagon.
She was brought from Connecticut.
Black Banner sired Green Mountain
Banner, and Green Mountain Banner
was the sire of Lady Pritchard (rec-
ord of 2.2D and Vulcan (2.29). Black
Banner died the property of Allen &
Prime and Green Mountain Banner died
the property of Potter Wescott of Fair
Haven, vt. Green Mountain Banners
dam, as before stated, was untraced.
After foaling Banner she was bred to
the Churchill Horse, another son of Yer
mont Black Hawk, and produced Queen
of Vermont, the dam of Redpath, Star
Ethan and Brandon Boy, three stations
now in the stud in this State"
Mr.. William Mason, who has been try
ing for years to learn the breeding of the
dam of Grand Duchess (2264), has at
last struck trail which promises to lead
to a solution of that difficult problem.
Since Grand Duchess's produce have
proved so uniformly speedy, her pedigree
has become matter of interest to all
breeders. 1t has long been known that
her sire was Hanley's Hiatoga, a descend
ant of the Virginia PAGER Hiatoga, and
also that her dam was by Anderson's
John Richards. All efforts to identify
the latter horse and trace his breeding
definitely have heretofore proved unav-
ailing, yet it has been stated, upon what
was supposed to be good authority, that
he was grandson of John Richards, by
Sir Archy. 1t seems from the following
that both he and Hanley's Hiatoga were
quite trotters in their day, and that their
speed was sufficiently developed to ena-
BILE them to compete for honors upon the
turf. 1t is remarkable coincidence that
both the sire of Grand Duchess and the
sire of her dam should meet in the same
race, as is related by Mr.. c. X. Upton in
private letter to Mr.. Mason, from
which we are permitted to copy the fol-
lowing:
SIN relation to the trotting stallion
John Richards, am not sure that can
help you, but shall give it my attention
and see what can be learned. l remem-
Der the horse well. remember seeing
him trot against Hanley's Hiatoga, his
great rival, away back in 1865 or 1856,
and it was horse race from beginning
to end and the talk of our country for
six months later.
"John Richards was pure-gaited, hon
est trotter, and trotted every foot of the
way. Hanley's Hiatoga was an ambi-
tious trotter, and when Honest John, as
he was commonly called, would get to his
necktie, he would make two or three ter
rible jumps, but light on his feet trot-
ting and in that manner defeated his
more honest competitor. Both stations
had hot friends. They talked fight and
matches for big money. l was quite a
boy at that time, but was so impress
ed with John Richards that l shall
never forget him. He was a horse
among thousand, blood bay, from
1873 to l6 hands in height, with black
legs, name and tail, the latter being car
ried in regular water-spout fashion. He
had long, arched neck, sensible head,
resolute eyes, fine tapering ears, we'll
rounded barrel; in fact, was a perfect
equine model. He had a commanding
appearance, whether standing still or in
motion. think there is no doubt but
what this grand horse was descendant