342 THE TROfTLVU- HOUSE OF AMERICA. 



vigor, than thousands wlio had not numbered half her 

 years. 



I have previously stated that the Widow iMachree waa 

 a spoedy mare and an all-day trotter; and, as I have always 

 considered her among the most reliable and garaest trotting- 

 horses that I had ever driven, I will give a sketch of her 

 performances while in my stable and under m}'- observation. 

 She was first called Mary Hoyt. In the spring of 1859, 

 she was purchased by Capt. Isaiah Rynders of New York, 

 of James W. Hoyt of Middletown, Orange County. After 

 driving her on the road a short time, he matched her 

 against John J. Kelly's bay mare, to trot two miles and 

 repeat, to wagons, over the Union Course, in the month of 

 August following, for $1,700. Her name was then changed 

 from ^lary Hoyt to Widow Machree. After the match 

 was made, Mr. Kelly proposed to make it pay or play ; 

 which was accepted, and the money put up. A considerable 

 amount was betted the same way before the race came off. 

 Horace Jones, Alderman Compton, and others, backed the 

 Kelly mare ; Capt. E-ynders backed the Widow. The 

 Widow was sent to my stable to be trained for the race. 



I knew nothing of her qualities, except that I had heard 

 she was a good, game mare ; and the captain knew about as 

 much as I did. After I had worked her about three weeks, 

 we gave her a trial to a wagon, a mile and repeat. I did 

 not drive her to the top of her speed the first mile; but I 

 found I was behind a trotter of no ordinary capacity, and 

 one that did not give back in the home-stretch. The second 

 mile she was timed, and made 2.31; which was much 

 better than we expected. We did not time her again until 

 within a week before the race. We gave her the trial a 

 week before the race, two miles to a wagon. 



She made the first mile in 2.35 ; and then I urged her a 

 little more, and she came round the second mile in 2.33 : so 

 I was informed by Mr. Rynders, who held the watch. I 

 could have driven licr faster than that; but this was H.u^t 



