318 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



two lengths and a half ahead, and she was tired and beat. 

 He won it very easily in 4m. 57 s. A great deal of money 

 was lost and won on this race. 



Two matches were made, to be trotted at Suffolk Park, 

 Philadelphia, the first, mile heats, three in five ; the second, 

 two-mile heats. The first of them was trotted on the 4th 

 of July. Flora was the favorite at 100 to TO. The race 

 was the fastest and best that ever was trotted at Philadel- 

 phia. In fact, few ever surpassed it anywhere. In the first 

 heat, Flora was half a length ahead at the quarter, in 34|s. 

 Just before they reached the half-mile, Patchen got to her 

 head, and even showed in front for a moment ; but she was 

 going too fast for an endeavor to pass her to be safe, and in 

 making such an effort the stallion broke up. She led at the 

 half-mile in 1m. 09^s., and opened a gap. He afterwards 

 closed it ; and, on the straight work, coming home, got to her 

 shoulder. But she had a link in ; and, when she let it out, 

 he broke again. She won in 2m. 22 |s. 



In the second heat they trotted nearly neck and neck to 

 the quarter in 35s. Flora led a trifle there. On the back- 

 stretch he out-trotted her, and led half a length ; but just 

 before they got to the half-mile pole she collared him again, 

 and made the pole in 1m. 10|s. Then she broke, and he 

 took the lead ; then he was so hard pressed in his effort to 

 maintain it, that he broke, and she was once more in ad- 

 vance. At the head of the stretch, they were nearly neck 

 and neck, and doing their very best. It need not be said 

 that their best trotting, neck and neck, at the rate of about 

 2m. 20s. to the mile, was very fine. It is a spectacle which 

 has very seldom been seen, except in the races between Flora 

 and George M. Patchen ; for they were the only two that 

 came together capable of doing it, heat after heat. There 

 had not been another horse that had been so close to Flora 

 Temple herself in speed, in ability to stay a distance, and 

 in apparent endurance and capacity to keep at it race after 

 race, as George M. Patchen. The finish now was very fine. 



