LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 365 



have watched this matter at every oi^portunity wliich pre- 

 sented itself to me, have tried tix)s on a number of horses, 

 and am satisfied that for a horse to go well in them the 

 track must be especially prepared. I presume the gray 

 gelding Jack is the most celebrated horse that ever trotted 

 a race in tij)s. Fortunately for me I was in a position to 

 observe this horse closely while he was being shod in this 

 manner, as he was in the stable of Mr. Doble. In fact, if I 

 remember rightly, Budd talked the matter over with me 

 before he changed the shoes. 



Jack is an instance of from what a humble beginning 

 a great horse sometimes springs. While he has in his pedi- 

 gree grand strains of blood that have proven themselves in 

 breeding and on the turf first class, his dam being by 

 Magna Charta, the family that gave us the dam of Belle F., 

 2:15^, and several others that went in 2:20 or better, she 

 was never considered of any great value, having been sold 

 at one time for $60. Coming into the world from such a 

 cheap parent. Jack was not looked upon as a coming world- 

 beater, and his early education, etc., was not above the 

 ordinary, and while a colt was offered for sale at very 

 moderate prices. In his early training he did not show any 

 very remarkable sjjeed, but always made a better showing 

 in his races than he did in his work, which I consider a first- 

 class symj)tom of a race-horse. As a five-year-old, he was 

 sold with his mate to Mr. George Middleton of Chicago for 

 a road-team, Mr. Middleton giving for them $6,000. I 

 hardly think he realized when he bought the team that the 

 following year he would have the pleasure of seeing one of 

 them win more money than any other trotting horse in 

 America would, which he did, as Jack in capturing a 

 majority of the big stakes last year put to his credit that 

 feat. 



There are some things about Jack which remind me of 

 Rarus. In gait he is very easy and smooth, goes without a 

 particle of friction, and when at his top speed does not seem 

 to be making any effort. I have noticed, as with Rarus, that 



