214 THE TROTTING-nORSE OF AMERICA, 



I) ad no confidence that she could win it. I was not mis- 

 taken ; though she made another good game hc^at, the time 

 of which was om. 42s. again. For a five-year-old mare, and 

 one that had been raised rather on the pinching than the 

 forcing system, this was a fair race ; and most people would 

 have given her a short holiviay after it. 



But Dave Bryant had no notion of letting her stand still 

 when there was the ghost of a chance to make a few dol- 

 lars ; and two days afterwards he had her at it again, two- 

 mile heats, under saddle. This time, too, it was against 

 a mare that had come on from Philadelphia with a great 

 reputation and a host of backers. She was a handsome 

 chestnut, and called then the Virginia Mare. Afterwards 

 they changed her name to Lady Victory, and then to Kate 

 Horn. George Woodruff had brought her on from Phila- 

 delphia, having tried her two miles before he came, over 

 the Hunting-park Course, in 5m. 09s. Many gentlemen 

 from Philadelphia had come to the Beacon to back the 

 Virginia Mare ; and she was the favorite at one hundred to 

 twenty-five. There were two others in the race besides the 

 chestnut and Suffolk ; and the chance of the latter was 

 thought so ill of, that Bryant could get no one to ride her. 

 In this emergency he swore he would ride her himself, ana 

 mounted. George Woodruff was to give the Philadelphians 

 a signal when he had the race safe ; but the gray mare was 

 all on edge that da}'' : the saddle-work suited her. She 

 went ahead, and won the first heat in 5m. 15s. ; and George 

 Woodruff made no sign. Still the confidence of the friends 

 of the Virginia INIare did not leave her. But the Lady of 

 Suffolk won again, in 5m. 17s. ; and Uncle George Woodruff 

 never made that signal. It was a heavy blow to the Phila- 

 delphia party, and a wonderful hoist to Br^^ant and the 

 young gray mare. This was on the 22d of June. 



On the 4th of July he had her out again, at the same 

 Beacon Course, to trot two-mile heats under saddle, against 

 no less a horse than Battler, who was then in charge of 



