408 THE HORSE. 



Nina, and by Eclipse and Henry. It will be discovered, espe- 

 cially at the most northern course, " The Union," near the city 

 of New York, that more weight was carried for age, and for 

 colts, too, nearly of the same age, and that there was a shorter 

 interval between the heats in those races than in Lecomte's — con 

 siderations that may fully compensate for the difference in the 

 time as made at the Union and the Metairie Course. We will 

 now pass by those — until now the fastest on record — to the ear- 

 lier acliievement of Henry, son of Sir Archy, as compared with 

 that of Lecomte. At the time of each race, there was scarcely 

 a month's difference in their ages, if as much. Henry, as a 

 four-year-ojd, in May, carried 108 lbs. Lecomte, as a three- 

 year-old, in April, 86 lbs. Had Henry's been in April, as a 

 three-year-old, instead of May, as a four-year-old, with the dif- 

 ference of weight, who can doubt that he would have beat 

 Eclipse ? Non ego. Let Lecomte take up 108 lbs. Who can 

 doubt that he cannot come within ten seconds of his late race ? 

 Non ego. Keube, of the age, but not with quite the weight of 

 Eclipse, ran in as good time as Eclipse, in his great race. 

 " Eeube's time, the first heat, Y.37," and, in the second heat, 

 was about equal to Eclipse's 7.49, although the red flag was 

 shaken in the face of Keube. But, in four-mile heats, at the 

 Union, the interval between the heats is thirty minutes, whereas, 

 at the Metairie, it is 45 minutes. 



Let the rules of the Union Course be applied, at the Me- 

 tairie, to Lecomte, and it is very questionable, at least such is 

 the opinion of some, whether Lecomte will do better than 

 Henry, with the weight he carried when of the same age ; and 

 it is hardly to be expected from Lecomte, that, at nine years 

 old, he can take up Boston's weight — 126 lbs. — as carried in his 

 match race with Fashion, and that the son should then surpass 

 the achievement of the sire. Until these things are done, the 

 writer questions the justice of the claim for Lecomte, brilliant as 

 his achievement is — first heat of four miles in T.26 ; second 

 heat, 7.38| ; the third mile of the last heat in 1.46, and the last 

 two miles in 3.38| ! — that he is " the hest race-horse ever pro- 

 duced " in America, to say nothing about England. Boston's 

 name must still stand " foremost on the file." 



Your correspondent, Mr. " Spirit," is neither " a prophet nor 



