I.IFIO WI'I'U rUK TKoTTEKS. 155 



try to do too luiifli with liiin, for tear he might make a 

 break and spoil it all. He thought that, perhaps, driving 

 him to the half-mile pole in 1:04 would be too fast, and 

 make him sto^), but I figured that the Chicago track was at 

 least two seconds faster than the one at Mil waukee, where he 

 paced in2:lU,aiid I also thought that that effort had done the 

 horse good. I told Mr. Woodmansee I was sure that I would 

 be safe in trying to drive him to the half-mile pole in 1:04. 

 So when the time came I scored Johnston down a couple 

 of times easily, took my watch in my hand, and brought 

 him to the stand at about what I considered a 2:08 gait, got 

 the word at the third attem^^t, and went the first eighth of 

 a mile in just sixteen seconds. I never clucked or spoke to 

 him in any way, he simply swinging along at a great big 

 open gait, as though he w^as out for exercise. He went this 

 clip to the quarter i^ole, where he landed in thirty -two sec- 

 onds. The same even stride was continued down the back 

 stretch, and I timed him to the half-mile pole in just 1:04. 

 In going around the upper turn, I jnilled him a trifle wide 

 on the turn, as the water had washed the track out a little 

 next to the pole. That quarter we went, by my watch, in 31 J 

 seconds. I had not yet spoken to him, but he seemingly 

 increased his speed from the half-mile pole on. At the 

 three-quarter pole I found we had landed in 1:35, and knew, 

 from tlie ease with which he went there, that he was bound 

 to beat all the records that had ever been made, unless he 

 fell down. I never s2')oke to him until he was within an 

 eighth of a mile of the judges' stand. There I pulled the 

 bit through his mouth gently, and spoke to him once. He 

 seemed to straighten out and go lower to the ground, and 

 the sulky commenced to weave a little, as though it were 

 hooked to an express train. After he got well straight- 

 ened out into his stride I leaned over and touched him 

 gently witli the Avhip, when we were within about 100 yards 

 of the wire, and he shot out at a rate of speed that I never 

 before saw any horse attain. He i)assed the stand going 



better than a two-minute gait, finishing the mile, as I made 

 11 



