364 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



well. He is one of the hardest horses to drive that there is 

 about here, for he will not hear enough of a pull to help him 

 when he needs help. I believe I drove him in the first race 

 he ever made, which was against Lady Suffolk, not the 

 old mare, but a gray mare belonging to Mr. Genet. 



On the 27th of October, Dexter and Butler trotted their 

 second match to wagons, on the Fashion Course. It was 

 two-mile heats, and certainly was the best two-mile wagon- 

 race that ever was made. Dexter had done well since the 

 mile-heat race. He looked somewhat gaunt, but his coat 

 lay right, his eye was bright, and he was full of spirit ; but, 

 as I knew that Gen. Butler was a very formidable two- 

 mile wagon-horse, I thought the odds laid on Dexter (100 

 to 40) were too great. The black horse had trotted the 

 fastest two-mile heat to a wagon that was ever known. I 

 had seen him do it, and knew that it was well done. It was 

 when he trotted the matches with George M. Patch en, and 

 Dan Mace drove him in it. I recollect somebody saying to 

 Mace, as he came along with his lead after weighing, " You 

 have got cotton in Butler's ears to-day." Upon which I 

 remarked, " I shall put cotton in mine when anybody comes 

 along hereafter to talk down this horse." 



I considered that the odds of 100 to 40 on Dexter against 

 such a horse .was too great; but I had great confidence, 

 nevertheless, that Dexter would beat him. My opinion had 

 always been, that Dexter was quite as remarkable for staying- 

 power as he was for speed ; and here was a race in which 

 staying-power was sure to be in demand. It was at the 

 close of a long and arduous season, in which Dexter had 

 trotted many races, and had won them all but one. It was 

 late in the year, and the day was not calculated for a very 

 fast race. The clouds hung low and dark, and the wind 

 came from the eastward, keen and salty. There were many 

 time-bets, and the marks ranged from 5m. 3s. to 5m. 5s. 

 I suppose there was not a man on the course who thought 

 five minutes would be beaten. The company was large. It 



