THE TROTTING-nonSK OF AMERICA. 261 



Douglas was of no comparative account to her that day. 

 Slic won in tliree heats, — 2.32^ 2.35, 2.31^. Another 

 matcli was made between them to trot on Long Island on the 

 SOth of June ; but, before tliat came off, Flora had a very 

 hard race, and, if luck as well as her own speed and thorough 

 game had not stood her friend, it is a question whether she 

 would not have been beaten. 



At that time, Mr. F. J. Nodine of Brooklyn owned two 

 very fiue young mares, as well as Centreville, who had been 

 beaten by Flora in 1852. This horse Centreville was a dark- 

 bro\vn gelding, nearly sixteen hands high. When he trot- 

 ted against Flora, Mr. Nodine, who was a very good and ex- 

 perienced driver, was asked to drive him a heat. He com- 

 plied, and liked the horse so well that he bought him after 

 the race. In 1853, he was quite successful with him. He 

 got forfeits from Gray Medoc and Beggar Boy ; and he beat 

 Black Douglas to wagons in five heats, of which the time 

 was 2.34, 2.32, 2.35, 2.33, 2.32. He also beat the Douglaf 

 ir harness ; and here again they had five heats of it, of which 

 the time was 2.30^, 2.32, 2.32^, 2.33, 2.33^. As Flora had 

 recently defeated these horses, she must have stood high in 

 the estimation of Mr. Nodine ; but, for all that, he matched 

 one of the young mares he had against her. 



The mare in question was Highland Maid. She was bred 

 in Orange County, and foaled in 1847 ; consequently she 

 was but six years old when she met the redoubtable Flora 

 Temple. Highland Maid was exceedingly well-bred. Her 

 sire was Saltram, a horse by Kentucky Whip out of a Gray 

 Messenger mare ; and her dam was a flea-bitten graj mare 

 of the Messenger blood. It follows that Highland Maid 

 was inbred to Messenger. Her own color was dark bay, 

 with a star in the forehead, and a little white in the heels 

 behind. She stood about fifteen hands and half an inch 

 high, and was low at the withers. She was, indeed, remark- 

 aide for her great height behind, as compared to her fore- 

 hand ; and this formation, with her immense loin, which wa» 



