TRAINING ON THE SLY. 245 



galloped her on the sandy road leading across the mouth of 

 Spring Creek, never venturing to bring her out on the private 

 training track. Daring one of these nocturnal gallopings, some 

 wag in the secret, frightened Bill half to death, one evening, 

 with the information that J//". Stevens was coming down the road^ 

 so what does he do but whip down to the mill, and getting a 

 grist, actually carried it home on the mare's back ! This oc- 

 curred within less than a fortnight of the day of her race. To 

 prevent a walk-over at Poughkeepsie, Mr. Stevens finally al- 

 lowed his trainer to put her in condition ; she had only a week's 

 galloping exercise, however, and was then brought to the post, 

 without having had any quick or long work, much less a trial. 

 She ran under so strong a pull throughout the heat, that those 

 who saw the race, including her owner and trainer, are firmly 

 of the opinion that on that day she could have made a better 

 race at four-mile heats, than she has ever done before or since. 

 The time of the third mile in the second heat was 1.50. Three 

 miles at that rate would have surpassed any performance we 

 know of ; and we can scarce doubt from this and various other 

 proofs of Black Maria's powers of endurance, that she might, 

 on this occasion, have kept up the rate of her first heat — 1.54 — 

 one other mile, making the four in 7.36. 



Henry Archy, her competitor in this race, has been " making 

 himself generally useful" for the last few years, in Illinois, 

 standing for mares in the spring, and running in the fall ; he 

 never had a great turn of speed, or he would have been distin- 

 guished, for a horse of more undoubted stamina and thorough 

 game was never brought to the post. 



1883. Union Course, L. I., Friday, Oct. 5— Jockey Club Purse, $500, conditions as before. Fonr- 

 mile heats. 



Thos. Pearsall's gr. f. Alice Gray, by Henry, out of Sport's-mistress, 4 yrs 11 



John C. Stevens' bl. m. Black Maria, by Eclipse, out of Lady Lightfoot, 7 yrs. ... 22 



Jos. H. Van Mater's b. b. Jackson, by John Richards, out of Honesty, 6 yrs dlst. 



Time, 7.56—7.50. 



In this fine race the " gray mare proved herself the better 

 horse," though Black Maria beat her before, and twice after- 

 wards. It was " turn about and turn about " with the two, for 

 in four races they were quits, each having twice proved the 

 winner. Mr. Van Mater, some time after this race, S' jld Jack- 



