AMEKICAN ECLIPSE. 181 



second time, Mr. Badger's liorse, Sir Walter ; Mr. Sleeper's bay- 

 mare, Duchess of Marlborough, by Sir Archy ; and Mr. Jack- 

 sou's mare. Slow and Easy, by Duroc. The first heat was run 

 in seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds, when the two mares 

 were withdrawn, and Sir Walter stopping short in the second 

 heat, Eclipse came in at his leisure. A day or two previous to 

 this race, a challenge appeared in the New York papers by 

 Mr. James J. Harrison, of Brunswick, Ya., in which he offered 

 to " run Sir Charles against the American Eclipse, over the 

 Washington course, four-mile heats, agreeably to the rules of the 

 course, for five or ten thousand dollars." This challenge was 

 promptly accepted bj Mr. Yan Ranst, who, as two sums were 

 named by Mr. Harrison, chose the greatest, that the object of 

 the contest might correspond with the fame of the horses. 



The forfeit money, $5000 each, having been deposited, the 

 time for running was fixed for the 20th of November. At the 

 hour of starting, both horses were brought out and the riders 

 mounted ; but instead of running agreeably to the challenge, 

 Mr. Harrison gave notice that as his horse had met with an 

 accident, he would pay the forfeit. He at the same time pro- 

 posed to run a single four-mile heat, for $1500 each, which being 

 instantly agreed to, the horses started. Eclipse taking the lead. 

 On tlie last round. Sir Charles broke down. The two first 

 rounds were run in one minute and fifty-five seconds each, and 

 the heat in eight minutes and four seconds. In this race. Sir 

 Charles carried 120 lbs.. Eclipse 126 lbs. 



In the evening of the same day, William R. Johnson, Esq., 

 of Petersburg, Ya., offered to produce a horse, on the last Tues- 

 day in May, 1823, to run the four-mile heats against Eclipse, 

 over the Union course on Long Island, agreeably to the rules 

 of that course, for $20,000 a side, $3000 forfeit. 



This challenge was immediately accepted by Mr. John C. 

 Stephens ; in consequence of which Col. Johnson, on the day 

 mentioned, appeared on the race mth a four-year-old chestnut 

 colt, called Henry — John Richards, intended for the race, hav- 

 ing been lamed — about fifteen hands one inch high, which had 

 been bred by Mr. Lemuel Long, near Halifax, North Carolina. 

 Henry was sired by Sir Archy ; his dam by Diomed ; her dam 

 by Bell Air ; hers by Pilgrim ; hers by Yaliant ; hers by Janus ; 



