The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-03
Ma1nbrino Chief, the Progenitor Of
. Sturdy Race Of Fast
T~rotters.
James B. Olay's Reasons for Taking
tho Great Sire Back to
Kentucky.
An Entertaining Talk with His SON ON
the Subject An Experiment with
Jsrsoy Cattle.

heels. said: my father, James B. Clay,
brought the first trotting horses to Ken
tncky, they being Mambrino Chief. Tag.
lioni and Vermont Black Hawk, and ths
white mare Polly. called the New Yorl
Mare. Ihave seen the statement going ths
rounds that my father paid forfeit to Gen,
Singleton in the celebrated match rsos.
Gen. Singleton and my father we're the
very best Of friends. and the match which
7 think was for $4,000 : side, $4,000
forfeit, grew out Of a friendly rivalry be-
tween the two men. We had . fairly gooe
track At Ashland, and on ii Manbrino
Chief was trained. I think that the
late DR.. Herr did some OF the training. A
short time before the day set for tho race
GEN. Singleton paid father the forfeit, he
believing. no doubt, that Silverhesls would
be defeated. Father arranged two other
matches for Aambrino Chief, one with ST.
Lawrence and the other vita Pilot, Jr.,
and in each IT these races he also received
forfeit money from the owners. This owner
q 81. Lawrence not only paid forfeit. but
presented father with i beautiful 6lly by
his horse. Ths day before the match with
Silverhesls, or Pilot, IT., I forget which,
Mambrino Chief trottsd : mile over our
track At Ashland in 2:28, and On the day Of
the match 10 trottod the Kentucky a%ssosia-
ton running ooares, which, AZ you know.
has = comfortable hill. in 2:33.
"AanbrinO Chief never vent out Of tho
state of Kentucky after having been
brought here by my father. He made four
Or Ave seasons AZ Ashland, when father sold
him to Willis Jones, Of Versaillsa, Ky, Who
made one season and part OF another with
him whom hs died. Ny father believed that
BY crossing Mambrino Chief On thorough.
bred mares he would lay the foundation OF
= great trOtting family, Rnd ii was with this
idea in view that he bought suoh mares az
utilla, BY lmp. Margravs, one Of the highest
bred nares in the stud book; Susan. by imp.
imp. Fury, by Priam, and Hsada-I-Sav. BY
inp. Glencoe. The latter mare is tho
granddam,of.the noted race horse S%prinpbok.
The first colt Mambriao Chief ever got in
kentucky was ont Of the mare Utilla, and he
York. Father called him Ashland, but l
think his nnns was changed and that he
figures extensively ID the trottinR stud
book. The price paid for Aambrino Chief
was $1,000, and Taglioni and Polly cost
$1,000 zach. Kentucky breeders thought
father vss making e wildca. speculation i
laying ont 40 much money for . brssd Of
horses Of which 80 littls was known in this
state at that time. He sold Nambrino
Chief, however, to hr. Jones for IS. go,
and the sales OF trottinR horses that were
held q Ashland, although they took place
daring the war, whom business Of all kinds,
and especially tbs breeding Of horses, va
greatly demoralized, shew that his judg-
lnent was good. Had not %untownrd dr.
cunstances ocourred.1 feel satisfied that
Ashland would have made a name for itself
ma the cradle of the ~trotting horse business
In the west.
ut was not alone my fathers fondneaa
for trotters that caused him to import
them into this state. His venture had 4
broader foundation than that. His idea
WAS to improve the breeds of horses and
other live stock; and in this connection it
might be we'll to state that no brought
eight head of Jersey cattle to this CITY a.
carly as 1856 or 57-the first ever imported
into Kentucky.
There is an am using incident connected
with his Jersey cattle venture which shows
how times change. We made more butter
than wa could use after the lows had be-
come domiciled in their new quarters. and
mother told the o%o.chman to take 4 lot of
it into Lexington and sell it at the market
house. The COWS haG been eating grass
and, like all Jersey butter, that which the
coachman had for sale was a beautiful desp
of it and taste it and then shake their heads
and gay: '1ts too highly colorcd. You
must have used some ~oolorinC mattor.' The
goodman protested that it WAS nothing
but pure butter, without an foreign sub-
stance whatever; but be brought the butter
back hoane without selling . single pound.
Mother had the butter packed mp and sent
it to one Of nay unclss in Louisville, who
used it ON tho table. This gives you an
idea of the prejudice that existed At that
time against anything nav III Kentucky,
and you will agree with me that it is no
wonder that horse-brssdcrs thought father
was going daft when he brought such costly
animals as Manbrino Chief, 'Taglioni, oto..
to Kentucky Tor ths purpose OF breeding.''
MIR. Clay's father was q son OF Horny
Clay. ths orator and statesman. who was
himself an importer Of fine horees and
jacks. Young Mr.. Clay inhsrits all his
erandfathet's love for fine stock; but his
breeding ventures AYE bssn confined prin-
line he il making an snviabls reputation.
To his father, however, the trotting horse
breeders Of kentucky owe q debt of graft.
tuds the can nsver repay, for, with the
name of Nambrino Ohief removed from
wealth would ccaae TO be the queen Of
breeding ststss.-Philadslphia Record.