Spark

Spark was a Thoroughbred stallion who was among the early imports of Thoroughbred horses to America. The Belair Stud stables were associated with him and a mare, Queen Mab, also imported in this period. Frederick, Prince of Wales gave the stallion to Samuel Ogle, the governor of Maryland, as a gift. 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. This was Ogle's last tour of duty to replace Thomas Bladen, the past governor of the British colony of Maryland. The pedigree of Spark is unclear and somewhat disputed. Historian Fairfax Harrison concluded that Spark was the product of the mare Miss Colville and stallion Aleppo. Henry William Herbert records that Weatherby's Stud Book (General Stud Book) has Spark by Honeycomb Punch out of Wilke's old Hautboy mare, which is believed to be another name for Miss Colville. 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