THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 339 



race had taken a great deal out of liiin. He was not at his 

 best on the day of the three-mile race j and, what is more, he 

 never again came hack to it. 



At the start, he had the inside, but broke, and she took 

 the pole. The first mile was trotted in 2m. 29s., the mare 

 being a length ahead at the end of it. On the turn, she in- 

 creased her lead ; but, on the back-stretch, he got to her 

 quarters. She finished the second mile, which was trotted 

 in 2m. 27s., with him at her quarters, and on the turn he 

 got to her head. They went neck-and-neck for a short 

 time, and then the chestnut broke ; but Turner caught him, 

 and Flora soon after broke. While she was up he took the 

 lead, and this was the first time he had ever obtained it in 

 their races. But at the half-mile pole she was with him 

 again, and able to make a stout struggle for victory, while 

 his powder was burned out. He died away to nothing 

 after she passed him, and Flora actually walked in, time 

 7m. 47s. I have no doubt that he hit himself in the last 

 half-mile, for he broke three or four times in coming up the 

 home-stretch. He had always had a strong liability to hit 

 himself from over action ; and, after his races with her, it 

 got to be a good deal stronger. She won the second heat 

 of the three-mile race in 7m. 48s. 



He was afterwards matched with her again, but hit him- 

 self in his work and paid forfeit. I think, that, in John 

 Morgan, the material out of which one of the finest trotters 

 that our country ever produced might have been made was 

 partly ruined by overwork at an early age. It is quite true 

 that the horse's power and breeding, and Bradley's forcing- 

 system, produced a wonder ; but it was a marvel of very 

 short duration to what we might have witnessed if he had 

 been handled as Flora Temple and Dexter were in their 

 early years. 



It now appeared to be absolutely certain that there was 

 not a horse in the country who could contend with Flora, on 

 even terms, with any hope of success. She was the mis- 



