XLIY. 



Dexter's Three-Mile Heats Match with Stonewall Jackson of Hartford. 

 Description of Stonewall. Dexter and Gen. Butler. Dexter and 

 Lady Thorn. Description of Lady Thorn. The Thrae-Mile-Heat 

 Race under Saddle. Dexter and Gen. Butler under Saddle. Dexter, 

 Butler, and George Wilkes. Dexter against Time, to beat 2m. 19s. 



AFTER the trial I described in the last chapter, I was 

 pretty well convinced that this young horse, Dexter, 

 was as good a one as had ever come into my hands. Here 

 was a young horse that had never had a quart of oats until 

 he was more than four years old. In his first season, and 

 with very little handling, for it is to be remembered that 

 he was turned out from June to October, he had trotted 

 a trial in 2m. 23 |s., and had finished in masterly style. 

 My opinion of him was so high, that during the winter I 

 matched him to go three-mile heats against a horse that 

 had great fame just then, and was thought by many to be 

 invincible for a long distance. This horse was Stonewall 

 Jackson of Hartford, who had beat Shark with great ease 

 after the race in which Dexter hit himself. After I made 

 this match, some of my friends thought I had been im- 

 prudent and overweeningly confident. The Hartford par- 

 ty, who had the other horse, certainly thought so too. It 

 was to trot a race of three-mile heats, to go as they pleased, 

 on the Fashion Course, June 26, rain or shine. The 

 stake was $2,500 a side, half forfeit. 



When I came to talk to Mr. Alley about it, I found that 

 he was not much in favor of letting Dexter trot. He said 

 that he was but a young horse, was not seasoned, and that 

 he bolieved three-mile heats might be too long for him 



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