xxxm. 



The Time- Test. — Saddle- tlorses. — Riders of Trotters. — Mace, Mur) ihy, ftnd 

 Doble. — Flora and Lancet. — Trusting to Trials. — Flora and Tacony. — 

 Flora distances him in 2m. 24^3. — The True Explanation of that Heat — 

 Caution to Young Drivers. 



IN the year 1856, Flora lay by without a match until 

 towards the last of June. There were not many horses 

 likely to dispute the palm of superiority with her ; for, 

 although she had not then made the best time on record, she 

 liad defeated so many good ones, and had won races from those 

 whose time excelled hers with such ease, that in every thing 

 but the time-test she was already at the head of the trotting- 

 turf. Time, no doubt, is a vcr}^ good test, as far as it goes ; 

 but it is not the only test. There commonly has to be a con- 

 junction of favorable circumstances iu order to enable a horse 

 or horses to make extraordinary time. Therefore, when it is 

 found that one who has not made such time can beat those 

 who have, race after race, all of them being apparently in 

 good condition, a reasonable presumption is raised that the 

 trotter in question will, at no distant day, beat the time 

 at the head of the record, as well as the horses who made it. 

 At this period, — the summer of 1856, — I had for some time 

 entertained the conviction that Flora Temple would surpass 

 all that I^ady Suffolk and Tacony had done under saddle 

 by making faster time in luinicss. Every thing indicated 

 such a Hisult; but I was Jiot then prepared to say that we 

 should see it done that year. Ilcr first match in 1856 was 

 with Chicago Jack, the horse mentioned in the last chapter 

 as belonging to Gen. Dunham, a very worthy and enter- 



274 



