100 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 



driver pulls up for a moment, on his way back to 

 the starting point alter the bell has rung for a re- 

 call, while the groom hastily sponges out the horse's 

 mouth and nostrils, adjusts the check-rein, takes up 

 a hole in the breeching, or makes some other slight 

 change in the harness. 



These are tense moments in an important race, 

 especially if the contestants are known to be evenly 

 matched, and if each driver is anxious that the oth- 

 ers shall take no advantage of him. At such times 

 a reputation for courage is of some service; it is 

 always a temptation for one jockey to "cut out" 

 another, or unfairly drive in to the "pole" ahead of 

 him, just as one boat in a rowing race may take 

 another boat's water. Under these circumstances, it 

 is the right of the driver, whose territory is invaded 

 to keep on, even though a collision may result ; and 

 a resolute man will do so, undeterred bv the fact 

 that spokes are flying from the wheel of his own or 

 of his adversary's sulky, as the two gossamer vehicles 

 come together. "The quarter stretch looked more 

 like a toothpick factory than a race-course," was face- 

 tiously remarked of one occasion, when the driving 

 had been reckless. 



With this explanation, I shall venture to give a 

 short account of a notable race which occurred at 

 Cleveland, in July, 1876, between the famous horses 

 Smuggler and Goldsmith Maid. The latter was at 

 this time nineteen years old, but she was thought to 

 be invincible, and in this very year she repeated her 

 best record, 2.14, first made by her in 1874. The 

 Maid was, as we have seen, the fastest trotter from 

 the time of Dexter, who achieved 2.17^ in 1867, 



