540 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE 



was also wintering there, and although she beat him five times out of 

 six, he lapped her out in 2 m. 14^ s. at Chico, and beat her at San 

 Francisco, May 26, when she was out of condition, lowering his record 

 to 2 m. 19i s. He also won races from Sam Purdy and Bodine. 

 After the race with Goldsmith Maid he came East, and won every 

 race he started in. At Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Hart- 

 ford, Long Branch, New York, Cleveland again, Columbus, and 

 Cincinnati, it was the same story. He always won, and from such 

 horses as Hopeful, Great Eastern, Lucille Golddust, Cozette, and 

 Albemarle. His record was now 2 m. 16 s., and it was conceded 

 that there was not a horse on the turf that could make him extend 

 himself; and so, in 1878, he was confined to special speed purses 

 generally, to beat Goldsmith Maid's famous record of 2 m. 14 s. 

 At East Saginaw, Mich., he trotted a mile in 2 m. 14} s., without 

 a break or skip. At Cincinnati, July 4, he made the fastest per- 

 formance over a half-mile track, 2 m. 17 s. At Cleveland he trotted 

 in 2 m. 14^ s., 2 m. 15 s., and 2 m. 14 s., and at Buffalo, August 

 3, 1878, he eclipsed all previous records and trotted a mile in 2 m. 

 13^ s. This great event is admirably described by an eye witness, 

 Mr. Hamilton Busbey of the Turf, Field and Farm. 



" The last event on the card was the fight of Earus against old 

 Father Time. The track was fast, although a trifle hard. Bets 

 were freely made that 2 m. 14 s. would be beaten. The first trial 

 was not encouraging. Barus went to the quarter in 35J s.,to the 

 half in 1 m. 9| s., to the third quarter in 1 m. 43 s., and came 

 home in 2 m. 17 s. In the second trial he went to the quarter in 

 33j s., and made a very bad break. Splan pulled up and jogged 

 around in 2 m. 50 s. As he approached the wire he nodded for 

 the word, and Mr. Hamlin shouted 'Go.' The horse left his feet 

 on the turn, and Splan again pulled up. It began to look badly for 

 those who had backed the horse against time. Rarus was halted 

 and sponged, and then the discovery was made that he was hitched 

 too short. The buckles were changed and he was ready for a new 

 trial. Puring the pause a crowd gathered in front of the judges' 

 stand and clamored for a decision. They insisted that those who 

 had backed time in the second heat had won. The judges declined 

 to express any opinion in the matter, but quietly wrote 2 m. 50 s. 

 under 2 m. 17 s. on the blackboard, and turned it outward. Splan 

 then came to the wire the fourth time for the word. Rarus went 

 off levol, and when he pas.«cd the quarter in 3'.ih s., and moved 

 steadily forward, the hope took rofit that he would eclipse all former 

 efforts. He was at the half-mile pole in 1 m. 5| s., a winning pace, 

 but the question was, could he ker^p up the stride. The critical 

 few shook their heads as if to say the half is too fast for the horse 

 to finish well. Smoothly, evenly, without the least jar or I'riction, 



