LIFE WITH THE TROTTEKS. 265 



his wonderful speed and race-liorse qualities the book-mak- 

 ers were willing to bet a hnndred dollars to five that he 

 would not win the first heat. But Protection came home 

 first in about 2:20 and there were a few people at the track 

 who did not get their breath again until the cold weather 

 set in. He was beaten the race, however, having to content 

 himself with fourth money. 



The following week, at Rochester, he bettered his posi- 

 tion a little by capturing a heat in about 2:20 and winning 

 second money. Again the book-makers got hurt by betting 

 they could tell which heat he w^ould win. At Utica he trot- 

 ted a well-contested race, winning two heats, but was again 

 beaten. At Albany he won the third and fourth heats in 

 his race and at the finish of the race stood second. Bj^this 

 time everyone said he would do very well for a heat or two, 

 but was no good after that. I made up my mind that there 

 would be a day when he would be able to win three heats. 

 My opinion was correct, for the following week at Hartford 

 he won over a good field with i^lenty of betting and acquired 

 a record of 2:19^. 



But what I consider the star performance of Protection's 

 life was when he beat J. B. Richardson a race over the Point 

 Breeze track under unfavorable circumstances where it took 

 five lieats to decide it, they being the only contenders. The 

 winning of this race caused me some satisfaction as it proved 

 what I had said of Protection — that he was a race-horse, and 

 it gave me an opportunity to take the scalp of a gentleman 

 w^hose hair I wanted. There was no i^ool-selling, but a good 

 deal of old-fashioned betting out of hand indulged in, and 

 Dr. Frost, Protection' s owner, and wdio they say is the best 

 dentist in the world, and whom I know to be a first-class 

 sport, w^as tem^oted to lay a little money on him at the odds, 

 which were four to one. Richardson had beaten Protection 

 every race they ever came together, was known to be fast and 

 a good actor, and proven himself one of the gamest Wilkes 

 horses I ever saw. Tliere was no laying up in the first 

 heat this time. Jimmy Goldsmith had the mount behind 



