Boston the King 241 



not a parallel in American turf tales. After that 

 race in which he was beaten by Portsmouth, he 

 won in succession eight races, seven of which 

 were at four-mile heats, and he defeated e very- 

 good horse racing north of the Potomac. 



When he had concluded the season of 1839 he 

 had established for himself a reputation of such 

 character for maintaining high speed at great 

 distances that, in 1840, there were virtually no 

 horses on the turf conceded to have any chance 

 whatever with him. So barren was the field 

 offered to him that in the whole year of 1840 

 this animal, that was scarcely ever out of condi- 

 tion or in such training frame that his owners 

 were not willing to start him, went to the post 

 but six times, winning each time. 



And in order to find competitors he was com- 

 pelled to change his route, which had formerly 

 been from Virginia northward through Maryland 

 into New Jersey, and to take a southerly course, 

 carrying him away as far as Augusta, Georgia. 

 He went there for the purpose, primarily, of 

 meeting Gano in a match race. He remained 

 to start again within ten days against Santa 

 Anna and Omega, and to run one of the smash- 

 ing races of his career. 



