Boston the King 245 



which still stands alone in turf annals. It was, 

 in brief, to match Boston for $45,000 to run four- 

 mile heats against any two horses in the world, 

 taking them singly in heats. Some estimate of 

 the altitude of opinion entertained about Boston 

 may be gleaned from the significant fact that 

 there were no takers to this peculiar and far- 

 reaching challenge. 



But at that moment defeat was awaiting him 

 behind the heels of one of the sweetest, fleetest, 

 gamest misses of the turf that had been seen 

 since the time of Black Maria. He was to meet 

 the one animal in this world worthy the bending 

 of his bow, the one which should give him the 

 first defeat which he had ever suffered when fit. 



He did not start in 1841 until the last day 

 of September, and — think for a moment ! — be- 

 tween that and the 28th of October, less than a 

 month, Boston ran five races of four-mile heats 

 each. Four of these he won in succession, and 

 then, on the 28th day of October, at Camden, 

 New Jersey, came the Waterloo. He started in 

 an ordinary purse against John Blount and 

 Fashion. 



No satisfactory explanation has ever been made 

 of Boston's showing in that race, because only 



