The Portland daily press., 1889-07-30
THE ANCESTRY OF A TRoTTER.
The Famous Nelson one Of a Fast
Line-HIs MlsJudged Sire Once
Offered for Sale for SIS.

Nelson's brilliant performance az Mystic
is feat which horsemen do not tire Of
recounting and shows plainly that Maine
can complete successfully with any section
in producing speed. 1t also teaches what
can be accomplished by breeding for several
generations from individuals of rare indi-
vidual merit, which are naturally speedy, and
which have had their powers quite fully de-
veloped. During a recent interview with
the well-known horseman, Mr.. Wesley p.
Balch of Boston, the representative of the
American Caltivator learned the following
interesting facts concerning the ancestors Of
Young Rolfe (221D, Nelson's sire:
In 1856 Mr.. Balch went to West Dedham,
Mass, and bought of Joseph Fisher s. Son,
relatives Of Mr.. Balch, bay mare, which
was brought from Canada by man named
Bridges. She was represented as O three
quarter bred mare, that is, she was from
thoroughbred stock on both sides. She was
a handsome, blood.like animal, and in
general appearance was almost an exact
counterpart of the stallion Nelson. She
could trot in about 2.40, which was fast for
those days. Mr.. Balch had tried to buy her
several times, but her owners valued her at
which left her with big leg that spoiled
her for driving purposes. Yet in this Grip
pied condition she cost Mr.. Balch 500. Mr..
Balch sent her to Waterville. Me-, and
mated her with Rising Sun, which he then
owned at Waterville. The result was a
black filly which got hurt in the pasture as
a three-year old, and was never harnessed
She was christened Lady Balch.
In course of time Mr.. Balch bought the
stallion Draco (22Sk, by. Young Morrill,
G.3p, and kept him at ,Wateryille, Me-. in
charge of Ira r. Doolittle. To digress a
little, it may be interesting to our readers to
know that Mr.. Balch afterwards sold Draco
to Col. II. S. Russell for $4,000. After keep
ing him awhile Col. Russell sold Draco to
Mr.. Balch again, who sent him to Col. X. S.
Strader, Bulletsville, KY, where, he was
to Mr.. Charles l.. Sharpless Of Philadelphia,
Pa, whose property he died a few years
since. Mr.. Balch mated Lady Balch with
Draco, and the produce was lilly which he
named Judith. She was again mated with
Drac0, and produced another filly, which Is
now known as Columbia, and is dis
tinguished as the mother of May Gould
(2.26D and Rienzi Maid. Columbia was
trained some, and could show wonderful
burst of speed but could not carry the clip.
A full mile in about 2.26 was her limit.
Judith was not broken until she was five
years old. She was mixed gated, but was
naturally very fast. Shortly after she was
broken they put toe weights upon her, and
she could show 2.35 gait at once. She was
a, remarkably stylish mare and prompt,
cheerful driver. There seemed to be no
limit to her speed for short distance She
could outfoot Smuggler in a brush down the
stretch. and take the pole from him when in
his prime. The best she ever did for full
mile, however, was 2.3O@ driven by the late
Mike Carol.
In course of time Mr.. Balch bought the
stallion Tom Rolfe, of B. S. Wright, then of
Boston, who had him of j. w. PritZ, Dayton,
Ohio. Tom Rolfe was then somewhat ad-
vanced in years and was lame in one ankle.
The price paid by Mr.. Balch was 500. Tom
Rolfe could then speed quarter in thirty
six or thirty-seven seconds. He was fine
coated, yellowish bay horse, and as beauti-
fully gated one as ever appeared upon
track. Before being injured he showed a
trial in 2.34.
Mr.. Balch mated Judith with Tom Rolfe
twice, and she produced two colt foals, which
with their dam were sold by Mr.. Balch to
the late George Everett of Norwood, Mass,
for S14OO One was weakly and died. The
other showed phenomenal speed from the
first.
He was called Young Rolfe. When he was
a yearling Mr.. Balch advised MIR. Nelson to
trade for him, which he did without seeing
the colt. The price was somewhere about
$240. When Mr.. Nelson went after the colt
he found him thin in flesh, having suffered
from lice, and offered to sell him for $40.
Fortunately no one then wanted him at that
where he improved rapidly both in form and
speed. AS he grew older he showed very
fast, and Mr.. Nelson finally sold him to
Mr.. Jonn Shepard, of Boston, for about
$500.
Some years ago there was a good-sized,
resolute, bobtailed mare owned.in the vicin-
ity of Medford, Mass, which could out-road,
out-trot and out-last anything she came in
contact with. She went by the name of
Kate. Nothing was then known of her
breeding She was finally bought by Mr.
George Lawrence, and taken to his home in
Damariscotta, Me. In 1868 Kate was mated
with Gideon, son of Rysdyk's Hamble-
tonian, and the following year pro,
duced bay filly, which became the
property of Mr. G. III. Nelson of Waterville
Me, and known as Gretchen. After produc.
ing four foals by other horses one of which
was Susie Owen (226, by Daniel Boone. Mr.
Nelson mated Gretchen with Young Rolfe in
1880, and in 1881, she brought a bay filly
called Daisy Rolfe. She was bred back tc
Young Rolfe again, and in 1882 produced q
bay colt which was named Nelson, he whose
history and performances are well known tC
our readers. He has been a sensational
lion to get record of 2.264, as a three-year.
old. over half mile track. This was al
Lewiston, Me-, Sept. %, 1885. Among the
vast audience present on that occasion were
J. o. Whitten and Col. Munroe, of Boston
MIR. Whitten had just started to leave the
grounds with gripsack in hand, to catch the
train for Boston, as Nelson came flying
down the track. Mr.. Whitten saw that the
colt was going very fast. He gave his bag
in charge of the proprietor of tent, hurried
PACK to the stables, closeted himself with