IVben Boston met Fashion 265 



after Fashion made play, and the pace improved. 

 Both made strong running down the back-stretch, 

 over the hill (opposite the half-mile post), and 

 down the slight descent which succeeds, and 

 though this seemed favorable ground for Boston, 

 the mare gained on him at this place, in this 

 mile, and placed herself well up. Boston threw 

 her off on the turn, and led through clear, run- 

 ning this mile in 1.50J. 



" The pace seemed too good to last, and Boston's 

 friends, as he led cleverly down the back-stretch, 

 were ' snatching and eager ' to take anything 

 offered. Again Boston led through, this mile 

 (the third) being run in 1.54, Fashion keeping 

 him up to the top of his rate. The contest was 

 beautiful and exciting beyond description ; there 

 was no clambering, no faltering, no dwelling, on 

 the part of either; each ran with a long, rating 

 stroke, and at a pace that kills. Soon after com- 

 mencing the fourth mile, Joe Laird shook his 

 whip over her head and gave Fashion an eye- 

 opener or two with the spur, and not a hundred 

 yards from that ground where Boston took the 

 track from Charles Carter, she collared and passed 

 him in half a dozen strokes, at a flight of speed 

 we never saw equalled except in the desperate 



