222 Making the American Thoroughbred 



interest whether his great eye was full and bright or covered with 

 dark clouds. Their horse was a red, bright sorrel; the other was a 

 dark brown. The coming of the sun was without a cloud, resembling 

 the beauty and brightness of the Old King, and indicating success. 

 This gave Guild arid Peyton double assurance that victory would 

 perch upon their standard. 



Their object was to get odds in the betting, at any rate even 

 bets, as their capital was not very large. In this there was some 

 finessing which is deemed fair on the turf. 



They gave out that they had no rider. They weighed one awk- 

 ward boy and then another. All the time they had their agents out- 

 betting their money and horses, and the hour having arrived to go 

 upon the field, Guild announced to Peyton that there was no chance 

 for them to procure a rider of the right weight. Then Peyton re- 

 marked that rather than there should be a failure he would mount 

 the Old King and ride himself. So the contestants were led upon 

 the field, and Peyton was stripped for the battle. 



The Judges were selected for the start and outcome. Guild was 

 not less distinguished as a turner than Peyton as a rider. Guild 

 seized hold of the bit, and many were the false starts, yet he was 

 determined never to let go until the start was a fair one. Young 

 Peyton, with spurs and whip in hand, I saw 



"rise from the ground like feather'd Mercury. 



"And vaulted with such ease into his seat. 



"As if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds, 



"To turn and wind a fiery Pegassus, 



"And witch the world with noble horsemanship." 



[The owner and rider of the Kentucky horse was a famous jockey; 

 possessing so much skill and tactics in quarter racing it was gen- 

 erally conceded that if once ahead the race was his, as he would 

 suffer no horse to pass him. This fame greatly encouraged his 

 backers and was the main consideration which determined Peyton 

 to ride against him. 



The race came off over a mile track no fence on either side 

 starting in a cornfield at the lower turn, passing out of the field 

 through a wide gateway into a dense forest and up a considerable 

 ascent around the upper turn, to the finish. 



Peyton drew the inside track no small advantage, as for two 

 or three feet out it was the firmest ground. 



The Kentucky horse had a little the most speed just enough 

 to enable his rider to exercise his strategy. 



