LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 436 



They are ready to speed very soon after- getting to the 

 track. 



July is now close at hand and great reports of speed 

 coming in from all sides — and as we have had no repeats 

 yet, except those made on the track without unhitching 

 (that is, speeding a quarter and then a little walk and back 

 again), we will set apart the last week in June for a regular 

 repeat, in company with two or three others if jDossible. 

 The day comes ;^nd is favorable, the track good, weather 

 waim, and there are a few friends in the stand, which enliv- 

 ens the occasion. Out of the three or four colts entered, or 

 perhaps more, it is necessary to get a line on which are the 

 best ones to keep u}) the payments. It is of no use to pay 

 out more entrance than the stake is worth. Of course you 

 know which is the fastest by three or four seconds, and out 

 you come with him. After a little warming up he steps off 

 his first quarter in fifty-three seconds and repeats back in 

 fifty. Take him into the stable, give him good care, and in 

 thirty minutes bring him out again and he shows you a 

 quarter in forty -nine seconds, and no better. You then get 

 out the others which you think can not do quite as well, and 

 to your surprise one of them goes a quarter in forty-eight and 

 a half seconds. 



You were quite sure he could not go as fast as the other 

 one into two or three seconds. Now you conclude there is 

 something wrong. You have been holding the watch on 

 them and have timed all of them faster than this fellow 

 when the track and conditions were less favorable. Now 

 this goes to show you that it is best to have a little leeway 

 or margin of a few seconds when you go into races. Horses 

 are not always up to their best form. You are probably 

 Avorried about the Breeders' Meeting in August and at a loss 

 to know which colt to keej) in the stakes, as the slowest one 

 did the best and acted the most like a race-horse. You dis- 

 like to throw him overboard, so without any more ado will 

 keep two of them in anyway. If you had analyzed the trial 

 carefully, perhaps you would have done differently. Had 



