Turf Affairs of California 353 



that he could not, in the short time intervening 

 between his arrival and the day of the race, be 

 " keyed up " sufficiently to beat such horses as he 

 would have to encounter. 



When the horses were in turn brought out, 

 they were the cynosure of fifty thousand eyes, 

 and each underwent a critical examination. Joe 

 Daniels, the game and speedy son of Australian 

 and Dolly Carter, was the first to put in an 

 appearance. He moved along the track with a 

 springy, elastic step, and his action in his pre- 

 liminary canter was greatly admired by the multi- 

 tude present. Many of the good judges thought 

 that he was drawn a trifle too fine for such a long 

 and severe race ; and those who had seen him in 

 his best form at the Eastern tracks, when he was 

 under the watchful eye and control of one of 

 the captains of the " Old Guard," the veteran 

 McDaniel, averred that Joe was not himself, and 

 boldly gave it as their opinion that he would 

 not last the race out. But the gallant manner 

 in which he acquitted himself in the terrific con- 

 test that followed showed that the " prophets " 

 had counted without their host. About a minute 

 afterward, the pride of California, the mighty 

 Thad Stevens, was led past the stand, and in- 



