220 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



ran on until they were ten or twelve. They now reach a 

 pitch of astonishing speed and power at three and four years 

 old, and few remain in active service on the turf after they 

 are six. The racing-trainers do not deny that the early 

 maturity and training of the colts impair the durability of 

 the race-horses ; and this being so, I deny that the system 

 ought to be adopted with our trotters. To follow a method 

 for obtaining certain results at three years old at the ex- 

 pense of half or three-fourths the value of the horse when 

 he becomes seven or eight, is just like the conduct of the 

 directors of joint-stock companies when they pay dividends 

 out of the capital stock. 



Lady Suffolk's second year upon the turf (1839) was as 

 arduous as her first. She trotted twelve races, one of 

 mile heats, two of mile heats three in five, eight of two- 

 mile heats, and one of four-mile heats. Her season began 

 on the 26th of April, when she trotted two-mile heats under 

 saddle against Apollo, at the Beacon Course, New Jersey. 

 Apollo was a blind horse, a chestnut gelding. The mare 

 won the first heat in 5m. 21s. ; and, finding the blind one 

 had no chance, I drew him. On the 27th of the same 

 month, and at the same course, Dutchman and Lady Suffolk 

 went two-mile heats under saddle. I beat her the first 

 heat in 5m. 16s., and in the second led all the way, and won 

 as I pleased in 5m. 9s. At the first turn of the second mile 

 in this heat, and when the Lady was close to me, I just 

 touched Dutchman with the spur ; and he shot away from it, 

 twenty-five yards ahead of her, like an arrow from a bow. 

 The Lady lay by all May and June, but came out on the 

 3d of July, feeling very fine, to trot Cato at the Beacon, 

 two-mile heats under saddles. She won the first heat in 

 5m. 39s., and he was then drawn. 



Bryant then took her to Philadelphia, and on the 24th 

 of that month trotted her against . George Woodruff's Lady 

 Victory and Mr. Duffy's Lafayette. The latter was a brown 

 gelding, about fifteen handst hree inches high ; and he was 



