Fashion vs. Peytona 211 



to 30,000; the ferries were slow; the roads were dusty; 

 yet notwithstanding these unfavorable conditions more 

 people, it is believed, went to Union Course that day than 

 ever assembled on any other occasion in the United States, 

 before or since. 



"Having been present at most of the large gatherings 

 in this country," wrote Col. Webb, of The Courier and 

 Enquirer, "we do not hesitate to say that this exceeded 

 in number any previous assemblage of the People. We 

 were at the Ascot races in England last year when London 

 poured forth its tens of thousands to get a view of Queen 

 Victoria and Prince Albert, the Emperor Nicholas and 

 the King of Saxony. How many people were present on 

 that occasion we do not pretend to say; but we have no 

 hesitation in saying that there was a larger number at 

 the Union Course yesterday." 



The "sport of kings" drew a larger crowd than the 

 kings themselves and a queen thrown in. 



Some people were wicked enough to insinuate that the 

 annual religious anniversaries in New York City had 

 been prolonged through dilatory tactics so that members 

 of the different societies could attend the race. And the 

 crowd would have been larger still, if the official request 

 of the New York legislature, Whigs and Democrats both 

 joining in, had been granted, postponing the race three 

 days until after the adjournment of the legislature. As 

 it was, Mr. Greeley's Tribune estimated the attendance 

 at 70,000; Col. Webb said there were between 70,000 

 and 100,000 and others still put it 120,000. One thing 

 certain is that the density of the throng prevented all 

 except those perched on high places from seeing the race. 



The German turf was represented by one of the barons; 

 Canada sent its leading turfmen and newspaper men; 

 and so did Louisiana, and all points between. All the 



