19 



four-mile heats, in a match for $20,000 a side, over the Union 

 Course, Long- Island, New York. While on this subject it 

 may prove interesting to modern readers of turf matters of 

 the past that I should recur to the origin of the conflicts of 

 the turf between the North and South, which were more 

 protracted than the Trojan War, though they were con- 

 ducted in a manner highly honorable to all parties emulous 

 not only to excel on the turf, but in the promotion of that 

 good feeling best calculated to cement more strongly the 

 bonds of our Union, as follows : 



During the autumn campaign of 1823 Sir Charles, then 

 six years old, having beaten all competitors in several races, 

 a challenge was injudiciously made in the public press to run 

 him against Eclipse, four-mile heats, the following May, on 

 the Union Course, Long Island, or any Southern course^ 

 four-mile heats, for $5,000 or $10,000 a side, as might be pre- 

 ferred by Eclipse. 



Eclipse was eight years old and had run but one race that 

 season. The challenge was accepted and the larger sum 

 named as most consonant with the fame of the two champions. 

 Sir Charles proving amiss, half forfeit was paid, though in his 

 unpromising situation a match on the spot was made to run 

 them forthwith a dash of four miles for $15,000 a side. At 

 the end of two miles Sir Charles broke down and Eclipse 

 won almost without a contest. 



Confidence now to the fullest extent being reposed in 

 him, a match was made by John Stevens, of New York, with 

 Col. Wm. R. Johnson, of Virginia, to run Eclipse four-mile 

 heats the following May on the same Union Course against 

 any competitor to be produced at the starting post for 

 $20,000 a side, the rules of the Union Course to govern, 

 which, from the relative weights, were known to be more 

 unfavorable to young horses over the Northern tracks than 

 the regular tracks of the South. 



All others had then trained off in Virginia, partly from 

 the severe mode of running three-year-olds, but in some 

 measure as characteristic of her fashionable stock, at which 

 time all horses dated their age from the first of May. 



Thus, a horse foaled any time in the year 18 19 would be 

 considered four years old on the first day of May, 1823. 



Eclipse was foaled at Dosoris, Queens County, Long 



