The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-01

with one cxcep-
Zion had little trotting Inheritance or de-
vclopmcnt. Neither imported Messenger
nor imported Grand Bashaw were brought
20 this country for any tr0tting instinct.
Imported Messenger was q retired running
horse from England Of very Indifferent
turf success, and frequently ridiculed for
trOtL.n0 a. exercise. Grand Bashaw was
little black pony from Barbary, beauti-
ful TO the eye, but useful only as saddle
hack. Justin Morgan was not bred FOR
trottne purposes. and be was noted more
for his pulling matches and bis quarter
races than for his trotting capabilities.
Neither Of them could trot under four
minutes.
Imported Bcllfoundcr IS the only horse
ever brought 90 this country that had the
trotting habit fixed. he belonged TO the
hackney or roadster breed Of England, and
previous to his importation in 1872 had
trotted two miles ia six minutes. He knew
nothing but trot.
From these unpromising beginnings on
the common mares Of this country within
the space Of three-quarters Of a century
American breeders have evolved the swift
est harness horses in the history OF the
equine race
The blood elements out Of which the
trottiug horse is being evolved is worthy
OF the most careful consideration A new
breed of animals is never made by crossing
two and only two distinct breeds, presery-
Ing the better qualities Of both. New
breeds. however. are often made from sew
D.. from no
mougrcl progeny. and this is the case with
the trotter. The English thoroughbred
has been bred and developed for running
horse. and while he but rarely trots he has
the conformation Of q swift horse as well
as those mental qualities and instincts
that 40 him for the race course.
Some tboroughbreds, especially import
Ell Messenger, have shown special aptl-
tude TO beget trotters when crossed on the
common stock of this country and the
American trOtting horse is being evolved
out Of a cross between the thoroughbred,
the common stock Of the country and one
vulgar outcross. imported Bellfounder
MESSENGER is undoubtedly the great fOun-
tain source of the trotter, and this state
nent is deserving Of the greater weight,
when, as the stud book shows, all other
strains receive potency in speed prOduc
ing qualities just in proportion TO the de-
gree of intcrmiXture with his lineage.
But too little credit in tracing the origin
OF the trottcr is given 10 imported Bell
founder, himself a trotter and the get Of
Old BenlOunder out Of Velocity, both
great troiters i'm England during the first
part Of this century. 1T is well known that
uamhlctOnian 10, the greatest progenltor
OF trOtters was sired by Abdaiiah /, son
OF Mambriuo, by imported Messenger, and
that his dam, the Kent mare, was by inn
ported BclfOunder IL is only fair to give
Bellfounder some Of the credit of this won
derful horse that his great-grandsire Mes
senger always receives. Then in the case
of the Green Mountain Maid. the greatest
trotting brood mare ever foaled, we find
that she was sired by Harry Clay 10, whose
dam was by Belfounder.
Again, the breeding of Electioneer, the
greatest sire of trotters, with hundred Of
his get in the $3.50 list, including the fast
est trotter in the world, Sunol, 2:OSil, the
fastest stallion, Palo Alto, 2:OS54, and the
fastest 2-year0ld, Arion, 2I0t4, rs well rs
Inc 1dHlNnt az al o-An h-ANh ~ WI tff'--''f
and one Of his yearlBgs for time held
the record for that age. How IS Elec-
tioneer bred? BY Ilambletonian 10, grand
son of Bellfounder out of Green Noun
tain Maid, granddaughter OF Belliounder
Thus i'm Hamblctonian, the greatest pro-
eenitor of tr0tters, and in Green Mountain
Maid, with eight in the 23O list, We find
% per cent. of Bcllfounder, while the son
Of these two is ElectiOneer, the greatest
sire of troltcrs, an inbred BellfOunder
LAYING aside all prejudice in the matter
Is it not time that due need should be
given to imported Bellounder in forming
our race of trOtting hOrsesy
But as the trotter tn one side comes from
the common stock of this country, it is in
teresting TO know It's condition at the time
Of the importation Of Messenger, Bell
founder and Grand Bashaw. This stock
was even then much improved by the cross
Of the splendid horses that the French cav
airy officers had brought into Canada for
their own use
The newspapers throughout New Eng
land from the Revolution 10 the beginning
OF this century show in their advertise
ments the horse then in demand for driY-
Ing. Hewas the PAGER, and fully one-fourth
OF the common stock Oil the country where
imported Messenger landed were natural
PAGERS. Our common stock in those days
both trOttod and paced, but the preference
was much in favor of the pace. IL must not
be forgotten that pedigrees Of trotters show
concmsivelv that the cross OF thorough
bred and pacing siies frequently produced
Intense speed. as in the case of Maud :, and
n is impossible TO ignore the conclusion
that the early PAGERS eXerted apoweriui IN
duence in stamping both trotting action
and speed upon the sons of Messenger
Had this common stock not been of such
intrinsic excellence neither the Messen-
gers. Bellfounders. Bashaws Hor Mo, gans
would have been able TO proouce a horse
anywhere near the perfection Of the trotter
TODAY. The type, that of the greyhound,
is fixed and his perfection cannot be OBJ
tanned by untried crosses or retroactive
herding Such colts as Frou-Fr0u, Mon
bars. Ralph Wilkes and Aron show the
fxedness Of the type and also that he
needs 40 eXtraneous outCrOsses. Rapidly
yet certainly he has been evolved in in-
stinct and brain in conformation and APP
propriate muscular development, in cour-
ace and in STAYING qualities TO trOt, till the
American trOttinC horse of today Is the
peer Of the race horse IN size power and
beauty. In speed and endurance he Is
superior in the first century Of his eSls-
tence 70 all other harness horses on the
globe. L. I, RDDIcK.