206 THE HORSE. 



He was beaten four times only ; by Lady Suffolk twice, and 

 twice by Grey Yermont, who was a very promising and rising 

 horse. 



Tacony, who made his debut this year, made a good show 

 for a young one ; he beat War Eagle twice, and was beaten 

 once by War Eagle, once by Mac, and once by a horse called 

 John May. 



St. Lawrence, Rhode Island, Grey Vermont, and several 

 others, kept the game moving, and in good style, but it was nc/t, 

 all in all, such a year as many we have seen, both before and 

 since, either for speed or for stoutness. The old were growing 

 the older, and their successors not yet coming up in force. 



I have often regretted that it is too often the case here, that 

 horses are not withdrawn in time. Age must ^ tell on every 

 thing, unless it be the almost eternal adamant, auTl even that 

 can be ground away by endless attrition. Much more must the 

 power, the agility, the capacity to endure, of the animal ma- 

 chine. 



The best horse that ever stood on plates must be beaten in 

 the end, even by a half-bred, if we persist in matching iiim, in 

 the decrepitude of extreme old age, against the fibre and vigor 

 of mature youth. 



I will not say that Boston was so trashed away ; for although 

 he had not fair play — since a horse, taken from serving mares 

 and from the relaxed fibre of a stud sultan, to enter again into 

 training, and that against the ablest rival he ever met, cannot 

 be held, if beaten, beaten fairly — I consider him far greater 

 after, tlian before, his defeat by Fashion. 



But I do say, that the way in which Fashion was run on, 

 year after year, in condition or out of condition — as she was, 

 when she was beaten by the gelding Passenger — was running 

 the thing disgracefully into the ground, and was destroying 

 both the physique and the fame — perhaps the promise of the 

 progeny afterward — of as good a mare as ever run. 



When she had beaten Peytona she had done enough, and 

 won enough of glory ; and should have been allowed to retire 

 and repose upon her honors, hardly won enough, already. 



In all other arenas, tliere is a term for contention and a re- 

 treat for veteran victors. 



