LIFE WITH THE TROTTEES. 83 



general public backing Fullerton. A few of my intimate 

 friends, like Mr. Simmons, Jack Bachelor, and Mace, put 

 down their money on my chances. We decided that if no 

 one else gave Fullerton a fight for the second heat, we would 

 make the battle with Rarus. In the meantime there was a 

 rumor in the betting ring that Feek was very sweet on Great 

 Eastern' s chances, and the betting soon showed that some- 

 body was i;)utting a lot of money on that horse. In scoring 

 for the second heat Great Eastern showed as much speed as 

 Fullerton, which somewhat suri)rised the crowd, as the 

 chestnut gelding had the reputation of being able to out- 

 score almost any horse when he would go on a trot. From 

 the way in which Feek scored I was satisfied that he would 

 make a fight for the heat, and so determined to lay uj) again. 

 Great Eastern and Fullerton Avent at each other, hammer 

 and tongs, and in a driving linish for the last two hundred 

 yards. Great Eastern outlasted Fullerton and beat him half 

 a length, in 2:20|-. Taking into consideration the day and 

 track, I have always considered this the best mile that Great 

 Eastern ever trotted. 



I now began to think that our chances looked very rosy, 

 as Fullerton and Eastern had gone two corking miles, and I 

 was sure that Rarus could come back in 2:20, which, to my 

 mind, was certain to win. In going off in the third heat I 

 concluded that Fullerton and Eastern would make the j)ace' 

 from the start, but I decided to drive my horse a rating mile, 

 IDaying no attention to the brushes that they might indulge 

 in. Sure enough, the XDair went away with the lead, I con- 

 tenting myself with fourth place. They out-trotted Rarus 

 the first quarter, but in going along the Morrisania side I 

 spoke to him, and he moved up and closed a part of the gap. 

 As Ave struck the hill coming to the Rocks, Fullerton broke, 

 and Great Eastern drew away from Rarus. I could never 

 account for it, but I never saw a horse that could outs^Deed 

 Great Eastern going up this hill. What is usually termed 

 the Point of Rocks on this track was where he out-trolted 

 Rarus this time, and ii^ another race he did the same thing. 



