THE TROTTING-HOESE OF AMERICA. 2G3 



was near the half-mile before Mr. Nodine got her settled to 

 trot again. When he did so, she went very fast, and it 

 looked as though she might save her distance. But she was 

 tiring. At the head of the stretch, she broke again, fell a- 

 pacing, and was distanced in 2m. 32^s. 



A great row followed. Some of those who had lost their 

 money accused Nodine of throwing the race, and threatened 

 him with violence. He intended to claim foul driving 

 against me, but could not get near the judges' stand, by 

 reason of the clamors and threats of those who had lost their 

 money on Highland Maid. His claim would not have been 

 allowed, I think ; and Flora would have beaten Highland 

 Maid that day, even if she had saved her distance in the 

 third heat. It was, however, very unjust to charge Mr. 

 Nodine with throwing the race. The truth is, that the mare 

 tired, and, when tired, went into a pace as soon as she was 

 forced hard. I have had them do just the same with me 

 when the race seemed to be all but won. However, the 

 charges of those who had lost money, and the prejudices of 

 the public, very few of whom knew the rights of it, pre- 

 vailed upon Mr. Nodine to get George Spicer to drive High- 

 land Maid in the wagon-race. It came off on the Centre- 

 ville Course, June 28, only two days before Flora trotted 

 her third match with Black Douglas. I thought Flora a 

 better mare that day than I had ever seen her before. Her 

 races, and the work she had undergone, had done her good. 

 It was always one of her great qualities that she would train 

 on and get better, when thoroughly hardened, towards the 

 middle and close of the season. This is one of the most 

 valuable qualities that a trotting-horse can have. The 

 greatest excellence in trotting, as I observed at the begin- 

 ning of this work, is only to be reached through much labor 

 and cultivation. Now, if strong work at a few sharp races 

 overdoes a horse and knocks him off, it is a great, almost an 

 insurmountable, obstacle to his attaining the greatest excel- 

 lence, even in speed for a mile. 



