Remarkable Dams

Jessie Pepper was bred by Colonel R.P. Pepper at South Elkhorn Stud. and foaled in 1861. She was sired by Mambrino Chief 11 and out of the Sidi Hamet-mare Lena Pepper. Jessie Pepper was purchased by Dr. Talbert and she went to his Inwood Farm and became a broodmare. However, like another of Mambrino Chief's great daughters, Lady Thorn, Jessie Pepper had also problem with her eyes. But unlike Lady Thorn, who was only blind on one eye, Jessie Pepper was entirely blind and never saw any of her foals. Jessie Pepper had eighteen foals and the last one at the age of twenty-eight, just a year before she died.
Although Jessie Pepper was an ordinary looking mare, her foals were attractive. Her seventh foal was by George Wilkes and named Annabel. Annabel was foaled in 1875 and she had a daughter in 1880 called Estabella, by Alcantara 729. The family continues with Princess Royal, foaled in 1890, by Chimes out of Estabella, and Princess Royal left the three McKinney-sisters, Regal McKinney (f.1907), Queenly McKinney (f.1908) and Roya McKinney (f.1911).

Roya McKinney was a great broodmare and she left Scotland and his sisters Rose Scott and Elsie Scott. The branch from Rose Scott gave us Hickory Smoke, Tar Heel (p), Hickory Pride, Armbro Flight, Armbro Goal and Earl while the Elsie Scott-family contributed with Falcons Future (p) and No Nukes (p).
However, Roya McKinney had another daughter in 1926, La Roya, by Guy Axworthy. From this branch you will find Maggie Counsel, Silk Stockings (p), Village Jiffy (p) and Falcon Seelster (p).

Queenly McKinney found herself a place in history when she foaled the first winner of the Hambletonian in 1926, Guy McKinney (f.1923). Her branch also holds horses like Run the Table (p) and Coleman Lobell.

The branch from Regal McKinney also found a place in history by Guy Abbey. He sired world champion Greyhound and another trotting star, Pronto Don.

From another branch of Estabella we can trace horses like Doublemint and Worthy Bowl, while another of Jessie Pepper's daughters, Iona (f.1882), by Alcyone 732, led to the champion mare Mabel Trask (f.1911). She was the fastest trotter that the champion stallion Peter the Great ever sired. This Iona-branch also produced Easy Goer (p) and Crysta's Best.

Kathleen

Kathleen is the foundation mare with the longest family tree. Her thoroughbred antecedents can be trace back to about 1700 in England. The dam of Kathleen was a thoroughbred but when she once was mated with a trotter, Pilot Jr., she foaled Kathleen. Kathleen was sold to Colonel R.P. Pepper and Major H.C. McDowell but later on Mr. McDowell bought out his partner.

Mr. McDowell was first located at Woodlake Farm in Kentucky but in 1882 he purchased Ashland and Kathleen and her daughter Ethelwyn (f.1882), by Harold 415, was moved. Mr. McDowell had many noted broodmares at Ashland and from these came champions and stake winners. One of them was Extasy, foaled in 1896, by Baron Wilkes out of Ethelwyn. She was a pacer and a champion but as a senior she came back and this time as a trotter. From the branch of Extasy came Nedda, who held the trotting crown for mares for nineteen years. Another of Extasy's daughters, Petrex (f.1915), by Peter the Great, foaled the champion sire Spencer (f.1925), by Lee Tide.

The branch from Extasy grew strong due to horses like Good Time (p), Big Towner (p), Handle With Care (p), Tender Loving Care (p), Sue Adios (p), Meadow Connie (p), Olympia, Ethelinda, McLin Hanover and Express Ride.

However, another branch from Ethelwyn have contributed with the Hambletonian winning sire Bill Gallon.