THE CHIEFS

Mambrino King (1876). This horse resembles his sire Mambrino Patchen; he is out of Belle Thornton by Edwin Forrest, tracing in tail female to Sir Archy and *Messenger. Billed as “the handsomest horse in the world,” like his sire he produced many Standardbreds and a few Saddlebreds.

Alix (1888). By Patronage, who is a great-grandson of Mambrino Chief, the undistinguished but handsome RH son Cuyler, and Mambrino Patchen, with the remaining line going to Abdallah, sire of

RH. Alix is out of Atlanta, a granddaughter of Harold (another RH son), with tail female going to Cassius M. Clay and *Glencoe. At six years old, this handsome and correctly conformed mare became a world champion trotter with a record of 2:03 ¾ for the mile. Like other champion mares retired late to the breeding farm, Alix produced but two foals, both of which made standard time records and went on to produce winning racehorses.

Alma Mater (1872). Unraced because she was considered dangerous in harness, this mare is by Mambrino Patchen out of a granddaughter of the great Matchem-line Thoroughbred West Australian (sireline ancestor of Man O’ War). Her tail female is unknown. Alma Mater is the dam of Allendorf, sire of Allen F-1 the foundational Tennessee Walking Horse stallion. This great broodmare produced 13 other foals, with nine making the 2:30 list; her daughter Elaine set a world record of 2:28 in 1877.

Woodford Mambrino (1863). I have no doubt whatsoever about this horse’s ancestry; not only does he look like his sire Mambrino Chief in this rendition made directly from a Schreiber and Sons photograph, but he was bred by R. A. Alexander who kept scrupulous records. His own trotting record was clocked at 2:21 ½ , and he went on to sire 86 foals, most qualifying for registry with times of 2:30 or better.