AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 527 



stakes $G1,125, and enjoys the distinction of being the only horse 

 that ever in fair contest lowered the colors of the mighty Dexter. 

 Lady Thorne was foaled in 185G, and trotted her maiden race, when 

 three years old, under the name of Ashland Maid ; but, owing to 

 the breaking out of the war and other circumstances, her turf career 

 did not fairly commence until 18G3, when she was brought to the 

 east and her name changed to Lady Thorne. In 1865 she beat 

 Dexter at the Union Course, L. I., taking first, second, and fourth 

 heats, in 2 m. 24 s., 2 m. 2GJ s., and 2 m. 26J s. respectively, and 

 the world knew that the big one-eyed mare was a trotter. She 

 also beat that year Frank Vernon, Stonewall Jackson, George 

 Wilkes, and Lady Emma, and did not lose a single race. In the 

 nest- two years she trotted numerous races against Dexter, George 

 Wilkes, Mountain Boy, Lucy, Lady Emma, Bruno, Old Put, with 

 moderate success; but in 18G8 she came out in fine form, beating 

 Lucy, General Butler and George Wilkes, and two others, at the 

 Fashion Course, May 22, in 2 m. 24^ s., 2 m. 23 s., and 2 m. 25 s. 

 She trotted eleven other races that year, reducing her record to 

 2 m. 21 s., and defeating Mountain Boy, Lucy, George Wilkes, 

 General Butler, Holla Golddust, Rhode Island, George Palmer. 

 She lost but one race. Mountain Boy beating her at Point Breeze, 

 Philadelphia, September 16. In 1869 she showed still greater 

 speed. She beat Goldsmith Maid in July, in three heats, time, 

 2 m. 21f s., 2 m. 20J s., and 2 m. 21^ s.j in August she beat her 

 and American Girl in 2 m. 20f s., 2 m. 20} s., and 2 m. 20} s.j 

 on September 9, 1869, at Point Breeze Park, near Philadelphia, 

 she defeated them again in 2 m. 21| s., 2 m. 19} s., and 2 m. 23} s., 

 when a greater number of people were assembled than on any pre- 

 vious occasion, ten thousand dullars being taken at the gates for 

 admission, while a couple of thousand jumped the fence to witness 

 this great race. An old friend says the people began to come in 

 the morning and came all day. Every vestige of space in the 

 club house and grand stand, and upon the roofs of the same, 

 was filled. A fourth time, October 1, she was victorious over 

 the same two mares, George Palmer being also in the race, in 2 m, 

 20} fe., 2 m. 20} s., and 2 m. 20 s.; aud'on October 8, at Narra- 

 gansett Park, she won her best race and made her fastest time, de- 

 feating George Palmer, Goldsmith Maid, Lucy, and American Girl, 

 winning the first, second and fourth heats iu 2 m. 191 s., 2 m. 18} s., 

 and*2 m. 21 s., George Palmer taking the third heat in 2 m. 19} s. 

 George Palmer was a little, lightly built bay gelding, by a horse 

 called Lame Bogus, of whom very little is known. He belonged to 

 Mr. Erastus Corning of Albany, the son of the famous railroad 

 king, and, had he appeared in any other period than that of the 

 three mighty mares, might have achieved much greater fame. It 



