LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 79 



house sounded, and everybody made a bee line for that 

 pomt, I told Barney to look after Rarus; that I would go 

 to the club-house; that while I was gone, to x)ut the boots 

 and harness on him again, and that when I saw the boys 

 comfortably seated at the table I would return and drive 

 the horse a mile for ourselves. When I came back Barney 

 had Rarus ready, and I met Jim Murphy, a man whom I 

 had known for some time, and who is famous as a 

 trainer of some of the most successful racehorses on the 

 running turf. I told Murphy my plans, and asked him 

 to time Rarus for me from a big tree at the head of 

 the stretch. I sent him a mile from that point, and when I 

 came back, and he showed me his watch with the hands at 

 2:21^ I made up my miiid that the first mcmey in that 

 purse would go East. When the day of the race arrived 

 there was plenty of betting, Bodine being the favorite. 

 Murphy had a commission from our party to jout on the 

 money, and it is not necessary to tell those who know 

 Murphy that he did this, put on his own mone}", and Avas 

 willing to get on himself. Rarus won the race in the easiest 

 possible manner, not losing a heat, the miles being done in 

 5:25J, 2:24, 2:25^. Silversides got second place, Bodine 

 being obliged to content himself with third money, thereby 

 carrying down in the pool-box all who backed him. 



About this time the Fleetwood Park people in New York 

 offered a purse free to all trotters with the exception of 

 Goldsmith Maid. I had been driving the chestnut gelding, 

 Judge Fullerton, in the free-for-all class against Goldsmith 

 Maid, and at this time had him in my stable. I said to 

 Mr. Humphrey, his owner, that if he had no objection I 

 would like to trot Rarus in the Fleetwood Park j)urse, and 

 after talking the matter over he concluded that he would 

 give Fullerton to John Murphy to drive in this race. A 

 great many people thought the purse would not fill, but, 

 when the entries were opened, we found that a lot of other 

 drivers liad figured just as I did, and thought they would 

 get some easy money by dropi^ing into New York. The 



