Wagner vs. Gray Eagle 215 



Stephen gave up his pull, and unconsciously- 

 yawed his horse across the track, which broke 

 him off his stride, while Cato, holding Wagner 

 well together, and mercilessly dashing in his 

 spurs, at length brought him through a gallant 

 winner by a neck, having run the last mile in 

 1.48, and the heat in 7.43 ! 



" This was without exception the most game 

 and spirited race we ever witnessed. The heat 

 was Wagner's, and while we accord to him all 

 the reputation so brilliantly won after a bloody 

 struggle of near three miles, we feel bound to ex- 

 press the belief, that for an untried four-year-old. 

 Gray Eagle's performance is without a parallel in 

 the annals of the American turf! The last three 

 miles of a second heat, in a second four-mile race 

 the same week, were run in 5.35, and the eighth 

 mile in 1.48! 



" The enthusiasm of the spectators was now 

 excited to the highest pitch. There was not on 

 the ground, probably, an individual who would 

 not have been pleased to see the horses with- 

 drawn, and the purse divided between them, 

 rather than farther task the indomitable game 

 and courage of these noble animals ; but no such 

 proposition was made, and after the usual respite 



