Spark (horse)

Background

Spark was foaled in 1743. He was bred by and originally the property of Charles Fleetwood, Esquire. Fleetwood gave Spark to Frederick Louis, the Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales, gave the stallion to Lord Baltimore to give to Samuel Ogle, Provincial Governor of Maryland as a present.}} Spark was already known in the British Isles. An 1898 account described Spark as the "first pedigree horse" imported to Maryland.

One account states that Ogle took Spark back to the American Colonies from England in the Spring of 1747. Another says that Lord Baltimore gave the horse to Ogle "about" 1750. The pedigree record bears the seal of Lord Baltimore. It shows that Aleppo came from the Darley Arabian bloodline. They also show that Queen Mab came from thoroughbred stock through Musgrover's grey Arabian. Benjamin Tasker, Jr. claims he had handwritten records on May 20, 1758, from breeders associated with Spark concerning his pedigree. The American descendant records of Spark shows he sired a line of horses claimed to be very fast. By 1787, descent from Spark and Queen Mab was used in advertising to promote breeding stallions.

Belair

Main article: Belair Stable Museum (Bowie, Maryland), Belair Mansion (Bowie, Maryland)

The importation of Spark and Queen Mab was the start of the development of the American purebred racehorse field. These two horses established the Belair Stud legacy for the bloodlines of the future. The Belair Manor property was a horse breeding farm and stables for Thoroughbred race horses. This area of Maryland became known as the American Cradle of Thoroughbred Racing. Benjamin Tasker, Jr. was the original owner of this prominent well-known property and mansion. He gave it to his sister Anne as a wedding gift when she married Ogle in 1739.

The Manor property originally consisted of a Georgian colonial style red brick mansion and 3,600 acres of land. This way he could watch Spark from his drawing room when he was there for races. Maryland governors Charles Carnan Ridgely, Robert Wright, Edward Lloyd, Samuel Sprigg and Oden Bowie kept the tradition, started by Spark of thoroughbred racing, going by breeding their own race horses.

Notes

References

Sources

References

1. . (June 8, 1774). ["The noted horse Tryall"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4818623//). *Pennsylvania Gazette (p. 6)*.
2. . (2001). ["Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series)"](http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/000900/000947/html/biodic.html). *State of Maryland*.
3. . (March 5, 1906). ["The Carriage Horse"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4719544//). *The Tennessean (p. 8)*.
4. Haskin, Frederic J.. (June 24, 1930). "Belair, the Home of the Gallant Fox". Wilkes-Barre Time Leader.
5. . (August 31, 1873). ["A Turn amongst the Turfmen / The Stable-Folks at the Races"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4719514/the_first_thoroughbred_racing_horse_of/). *Chicago Daily Tribune (p. 6)*.
6. . (December 6, 1874). ["There's Money in Blood / Pedigrees of the Old Imported Thoroughbreds"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4739825//). *The Atlantic Constitution (p. 1)*.
7. . (December 17, 1874). ["There's Money in Blood / Pedigrees of the Old Imported Thoroughbreds"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4739727//). *Orangeburg Times (p.1)*.
8. . (March 5, 1906). ["Farm and Home"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4739986//). *The Tennessean (p. 8)*.
9. . (April 5, 1787). ["Careless"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4819251/). *Maryland Gazette (p. 3)*.
10. Haskin, Frederic J.. (June 16, 1930). "The Haskin Letter". The Independent Record (p. 4).
11. Haskin, Frederic J.. (June 16, 1930). "Belair, the Home of Gallant Fox". The Kokomo Tribune (p. 4).