38 TRAINING THE TROTTING HORSE. 



was jogged easily during March, 1873, and in April we 

 began working him again. On May 1st he was good 

 enough to trot a mile in 2:27, and do it in a Avay that 

 was full of promise of improvement. The second week 

 in May he trotted a mile in 2:25, and three days after- 

 ward in 2:23. Then Mr. Benjamin Akers offered 

 $10,000 for him, but we declined the offer. He kept 

 right on gathering speed and improving in form every 

 day, and a week after Akers offered $10,000 for him 

 he went a mile in 2:22 ; the next week he trotted three 

 miles in 2:26, 2:21^, 2:20, and the following week I 

 worked him two miles in 2:19| and 2:20^. He was 

 then sold to Capt. "W. S. Tough, of Leavenworth, Kan- 

 sas, and shipped to N^ew York, in my charge. The 

 object of this visit was the projected sale of the horse 

 to Mr. Robert Bonner, and, as I understood it, Mr. 

 Bonner was to buy the horse for a certain sum if he 

 could show three fast heats, one of which should be 

 better than 2:20. The journe}^ from Kansas to E"ew 

 York was not an easy one, but after being on his feet 

 five daj^s in the car, I drove Smuggler over Prospect 

 Park for Mr. Bonner three heats in 2:19|^, 2:21|^, 

 2:21. He was timed by Mr. Bonner, Sim Hoagland, 

 and George C. Hopkins. The last half of the last mile 

 was made in 1:09. The next day Mr. Bonner sent a 

 veterinary surgeon to examine the horse. This scien- 

 tist reported to Mr. Bonner that he found the horse to 

 have " a jack " which as a matter of fact never existed. 

 When Mr. Bonner saw Captain Tough what he said to 

 him was in substance: "This horse is in great form, 

 up to concert pitch, but I would rather pay a little 

 more money to see a little more speed. If the horse 



