The Two-minute Horses of 1903 29 



officially recognized. At Cleveland, September i, 

 she trotted to wagon in 2.04^; and at Lexing- 

 ton, October 10, she reduced the wagon record 

 to 2.0 if. 



Previous to her start that afternoon Mr. E. E. 



Smathers drove his horse, Major Delmar, to a 



^ 

 record of 2.03^; and the friends of Mr. Billings 



were apprehensive that he would fail to equal 

 this mark. There was suppressed excitement 

 when Mr. Billings took the word and was at the 

 quarter pole in 31 seconds, and the half-mile post 

 in i.oi. The question now was to sustain the 

 flight of speed. There were cheers from the 

 grand-stand when the watches split on the nose 

 of the chestnut mare at the three-quarter pole in 

 i.3of, because it pointed to triumph. Mr. Bil- 

 lings held the great mare together down the 

 home-stretch, and when the official announcement 

 was made that the time of the mile was 2.0 if, the 

 driver and horse were the recipients of a great 

 ovation. I was sitting with the president of the 

 National Trotting Association and the president 

 of the American Trotting Register Association ; 

 and when we three joined the throng around Mr. 

 Billings and offered our sincere congratulations, 

 there was a glow of pleasure on his face that told 



