Prepotent Sons of Hambletonian 161 



miles over Union Course, Long Island, in 4.44 so 

 easily that on dismounting he picked up his fore- 

 foot, spat on the shoe, which was so hot that it 

 sizzled as if at white heat and suddenly dropped 

 into water, declaring that he never moved him and 

 could drive him two miles in 4.36 or 4.37 sure. 



" George Wilkes worked a half-mile over the 

 Union (Long Island) Course in 1.04 to a 120- 

 pound wagon. 



" He worked a quarter of a mile from the half 

 to the three-quarter pole in 29 seconds, Mr. Relf, 

 Wesley Bishop, and myself timing him. This 

 was done to 85-pound wagon. 



" He went from the stand on the Union to the 

 drawgate to a wagon (85 pounds) in 1.44, when 

 he was pulled up and finished the mile in a 

 walk in 2.18. 



" All this was 40 years ago, over ground at 

 least 10 seconds slower than tracks of to-day, 

 with old methods of training, shoeing, etc., and 

 without the aid of the delusive and deceptive 

 bike. If alive and fit to-day, George Wilkes 

 would defeat every horse in the world easily. 

 Compare ground 10 seconds, shoeing and train- 

 ing 3 or 4 seconds, and the bike from 4 to 20 

 seconds, according to the horse, and we must 



