TtlE TkOrTiNG-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 11)5 



heats in harness on tlie Union Course, against Ladj Suffolk. 

 The Lady won in t\v'o heats, — 5ni. 18 l-2s., and 5m. 25 l-2s. 

 This conchuled 1847. In 1848 and 1849, Eij^ton did 

 not trot, but remained at Philadelphia, and was driven on 

 tlie road by his owner. In the fall of 1850, it was deemed 

 proper to bring him out again ; and he was entered in a 

 purse at the Hunting-park Course, Philadeljihia, with 

 Sorrel Ned and the brown gelding Smoke. It was mile- 

 heats, tliree in five, in harness. George Youngs drove Sorrel 

 Ned; 0. Dimmick, Smoke; and William King, Ripton. It 

 was on the 11th of October, and a trot of five heats took 

 place for the money. Ripton won the first heat in 2m. 40s., 

 and was second to Sorrel Ned in 2m. 39s. for the second. 

 Smoke got the third, in 2m. 38s. ; and Sorrel Ned won the 

 fourth and fifth, in 2m. 43s. and 2m. 47s. 



Ripton was not in good condition for this race, having 

 had but little work He was now nineteen years old, and 

 had accumulated fat inside. As he had always required 

 a great deal of work to make him fit, the brief preparation 

 for this race was not enough. But, believing that about three 

 weeks more would bring him to tune, they matched him 

 against Sorrel Ned for $1,000, to trot over the same course, 

 mile-heats, three and five, in harness, on the 4tli of 

 November. George Youngs drove Ned, and William King 

 handled Ripton. At the start, the old horse was the 

 favorite at slight odds. He won the first heat by a length 

 in 2m. 42s., and his friends began to sport their money with 

 confidence. But, as Sorrel Ned had only been beaten a 

 length, his friends were not much disheartened ; and they 

 took the odds offered by the Ripton party quite freely. 



The second heat was well contested by Ripton; but 

 Ned won it under the whip, in 2m. 42s. again. The betting 

 was now even, and both sides a little anxious. The old 

 horse was stiff and a trifie lame; but his backers relied up- 

 on his fine pluck and sound bottom t j pull h\m out victori 



