LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 35 



13at witli OTir money, as, barring accidents, I would win 

 sure. 



There was a collision in the next heat, however, wliich 

 came near upsetting my scheme, as in going past the half- 

 mile pole Keeler ran into me and took several spokes out of 

 my sulky. Kansas Chief, naturally a high-lifed horse, 

 started on a run, and acted as though he had made up his 

 mind to get away Avith me. I took him to the extreme out- 

 side of the track, and when he struck a trot Keeler was cer- 

 tainly seventy-five yards in the lead, and going for all there 

 "was in him. I cut Kansas loose right there, and if ever I 

 was in a hurry that was the time. With Keeler having 

 two heats won, and seventy-five yards in the lead at the 

 half-mile pole in the deciding heat, and three or four gen- 

 tlemen between him and me that I knew would not i)ull out 

 to let me through, the situation was rather gloomy. After 

 Kansas got well into his stride, I leaned over and touched 

 him gently on the shoulders with the whip. He showed me 

 a rate of speed then that I had often dreamed about, but 

 never expected to have at the end of a pair of lines. At the 

 head of the stretch I had them all beaten but Keeler, and 

 he was tiring. Seeing this, I stoptped driving my horse, let 

 him "get his breath, and about an eighth of a mile from the 

 wire cut him loose again. He soon moved up to Keeler' s 

 head, and the race was over. Mr. Baker comiDluined that 

 my horse did a good deal of running, but when the Judges 

 replied that they were thinking about distancing him for 

 foul driving he abandoned the argument. 



The Dexter Park meeting at Chicago was the commence- 

 ment of the grand circuit, and all the stables of the country 

 were tlirere to do battle for the money. Every man who 

 had a horse entered intended to turn him loose; and to show 

 what a good lot there werfe in the race that Kansas won, I 

 may say that the other starters were MoUie, John H., Harry 

 Mitchell, Phil Sheridan, Fox, Dan, Gen. Howard, Colum- 

 bia Chief, George Judd, and Hattie. In tlie pool -selling the 

 night before the race George Judd had the call. He 



