296 LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 



men, and might be taken for a couple of students. Joe 

 is pa7'ticularly fond of music and lias given to it a great 

 deal of attention. 



George Robens, native of Michigan, lias the distinction 

 of giving the record to the fastest Blue Bull, also the fastest 

 three heats in a race by the same horse, namely George- 

 town, the pacer, that was afterward sold to a foreign market. 

 George has been rather an active young man, and while he 

 has never had a real star performer, the horses he has 

 handled have always been used to the very best advantage. 



Col. George Washington Dickey, a gentleman whose 

 connection with the turf dates back to the time that Dan 

 Mace was a boy, Mace being a great admirer and friend of 

 Dickey's, is one of the heavy weights of the turf, he being 

 without doubt the best driver of his weight known. In re- 

 gard to his name, his j)arents christened him George Dickey, 

 but in later years, as his character was fully developed, his 

 friends made the additions. The title of colonel was given 

 to Mr. Dickey on account of his bravery, and the Washing- 

 ton part of his name was added to indicate his truthful- 

 ness. He was the son of a minister, and was educated with 

 the idea of his following in his father' s footsteps, but the 

 Colonel had other views, and struck boldly out for him- 

 self on the turf. He made his greatest reputation as a 

 trainer and driver of trotting teams and was the first man 

 to drive a team in 2:30 which he did with Jessie Wales and 

 Darkness. He has traveled in every country in the kno\^ n 

 world where the trotting horse is mentioned, counts his 

 friends by the thousand, and is the man that, Jack Phil- 

 lips offered to bet, could borrow $25 from a lamp post in 

 any country in the world. 



George Starr, although connected with the turf for a 

 number of years, has not yet made his bow as a public 

 trainer, having filled the position of second trainer to Budd 

 Doble for a number of years with the idea of fitting himself 

 thoroughly for the position of a public trainer and driver. 

 In doing this I think he has showed commendable wisdom, 



