American Eclipse in a Landscape

Bred by General Nathaniel Coles, American Eclipse was by Duroc out of Miller's Damsel. At four he won one race at the old Newmarket turf track in New York. He was sold to Cornelius van Ranst for whom he won two four mile races before being retired to stud. Two years later, in 1821 he was put back into training for a match race with Lady Lightfoot for the opening day of the Union Course on Long Island, America's first dirt track. Amercian Eclipse won the first two of the best of three four mile heats. After several more victories, he returned to stud at John Snedecker's stud farm, where Troye probably painted this picture.