Remarkable Dams

When Phileman P. Parrish returned after serving in the war, he brought a young mare called Kit with him back to Midway, Kentucky. She was by Long's American Boy out of the Gardner mare. At first Mr. Parrish intended to use Kit as a driving horse and for general farm work. But he changed his mind and Kit was sent to Star Almont and the next year she produced a foal, Mamie (f.1880). Mamie showed great trot but she was never trained properly since lameness caused her to retire. She had six foals and all were females. Although three of them were exported she was able to start a very strong maternal family.

One of her foals, Rose Leyburn (f. 1887), by Onward 1411, contributed to make a strong maternal family through Margaret Parrish (f.1908) and her daughters Margaret Castleton (f.1933), by Guy Castleton, and Margaret Arion (f.1923), by Guy Axworthy. However, horses like Dartmouth, Mystic Park and Sugarcane Hanover didn't come from either of these two daughters, but the Margaret Arion-line have given us Protector, The Marchioness, Princess Peg, Valley Victory, Killbuck Mary and Fresh Yankee.

From the branch of Margaret Castleton came horses like The Intruder, Nihilator (p) and Runnymede Lobell (p).

Another daughter of Mamie, Criterion (f.1884), by Crittenden 433, has her own branch in this family. In this branch we will find Albatross (p), Dudley Hanover (p) and Henry T. Adios (p).

Midnight

Just like the Kathleen-family, this family started with a thoroughbred mare, Twilight, bred to Pilot Jr.The foundation line started at Woodburn Farm with the result of the cross, Midnight (f.1865). Midnight was sold to Colonel Richard West and while his property she produced the champion trotter Jay-Eye-See (f.1878), by Dictator 113. She also produced a daughter called Noontide (f.1874), by Harold 413, before she left Woodburn Farm. Noontide was bred to Alcantara 729 and she foaled Rosy Morn.

One of the first mares David M. Look selected when he started at Castleton was Morning Bells, by Bow Bells, a daughter of Rosy Morn. Morning Bells was bred to Todd and she produced Emily Ellen in 1907. Mr. Look kept Emily Ellen and most of her foals. Four of her sons were two-minute trotters.

The achievements of Emily Ellen were so great that some might call this line the Emily Ellen-line. Midnight do, however, have another branch in her foal of 1882, Lady Kerner, by Prescott 1452. Lady Kerner went to Stony Ford Farm, near Goshen, New York where she foaled Polly Pry (f.1896), by Prince George 2948. Polly Pry produced Fan Patch, by Joe Patchen, and she won Walnut Hall Cup at Lexington in 1913.
A daughter of Fan Patch, Great Patch (f.1920), by Peter the Great, was acquired by Henry Knight when he started Almahurst Farm. This branch of the family produced champions like Ayres, Elma, Cassin Hanover, Arpege and Cocktail Jet.

The branch from Noontide and Emily Ellen contains horses like Noble Victory, Florida Pro, Keystone Pioneer, Emily's Pride, Spencer Scott and Pine Chip.