152 TRAINING THE TROTTING HORSE. 



seems to me evidence of the lack of judgment to which 

 I refer. A good horse on the turf, and grandly bred, 

 he will be sure to gain further honor as a su^e of 

 trotters. 



I have referred to what has often seemed to me one 

 of Georo^e Fuller's occasional errors as a trainer — over- 

 confidence — and it is not fair that I should not tell the 

 rest of my opinion of him. To put it short I know 

 George Fuller to be not only an able and very superior 

 trainer, and a great driver, but, as a man, I have found 

 him upright, honorable and manly — one whose word 

 is as good as his bond, and for no driver have I more 

 esteem, and in none have I greater confidence. 



The victory at St. Louis was Manzanita's last race — 

 a fitting close to a very brilliant career. We trained 

 her the following year with the intention of driving 

 her against St. Julien's California record, 2:12^. She 

 took the preparation very well, and all was ready for 

 the attempt at Los Angeles that fall. But I gave her 

 a last trial and it proved one trial too much. I drove 

 her a quarter in 0:30J, and she shortly after broke 

 down in a pastern suddenly and beyond repair. I have 

 not the least doubt tlmt not only would the 2:12|^ of 

 St. Julien been beaten, but that she would most cer- 

 tainly have taken a record of from 2:10 to 2:11|^. This 

 is no wild estimate, without foundation, but a con- 

 servative and safe conclusion based on wdiat she 

 actually did in her work. 



Her retirement at the early age of five was unfortu- 

 nate, in so far as her own record goes, for had she 

 trained on to the age when the average horse is in his 

 prime Manzanita would have surprised all but those 



