The achievements and development of the pacer in the past ten or fifteen years, since the advent of the Hals, and the swift tribe of trotting-bred pacers, has been so marked and so great that a special chapter is needed for its explanation. The old “side-wheeler” has gone—the new, beautifully gaited, true striding pacing race horse has taken his place. No other feature of a race meeting brings out the crowd and the enthusiasm equal to the free-for-all pace. Never before had such races been witnessed as those first seen in the days of the Big Four—the queen of which was Mattie Hunter 2:12½, the first great Hal mare to attract the attention of the world. She was the star of the Big Four, the others being Blind Tom, Lucy and Rowdy Boy. Later, some of the great free-for-allers were Little Brown Jug, Brown Hal, Hal Pointer, Robert J, Direct, Joe Patchen, John R Gentry and many others whose names will be readily remembered by every horseman. The very mention of these names brings a thrill to the heart as, toward the last of the century, Robert J, John R. Gentry and Joe Patchen and Star Pointer began to bring the pacing record to the two-minute mark. This was first done by Star Pointer, an inbred Hal, crossed again and again in the thoroughbred blood which, undoubtedly, gave to the Hals the staying power so characteristic of the family. And so, looking back, the following article, written by Trotwood December 29, 1892, seems prophetic—that is, if there were such a thing as prophecy. But, alas, there is not, for prophecy is merely another name for the cause of the future as foreseen in the present’s effect. And though this was written thirteen years ago, it is embodied into this history, as fitting so well the present: