540 THE HORSE. 



races, and won thousands of dollars. Ifwould seem that she had 

 fairly earned a release. But such was not the fate in store for her. 

 Another great horse had made his appearance, with whom she was 

 destined to fight her old battles over again. This was George M. 

 Patcheri. He was bred in New Jersey, and was of Bashaw, Mes- 

 senger, and Trustee lineage. He had been beaten once by Ethan 

 Allen, but had beaten Brown Dick and Lancet, and trotted under 

 the saddle in 2 m. 25 J s. He was a large, powerful horse, and 

 every way worthy of 'his reputation as a trotter. His first race 

 with Flora took place on the *21st of November, 1859, Flora won 

 the first heat in 2 m. 23 s., the second in 2 m. 24 s., and the third 

 in 2 m. 24 s. ; but this heat, because of some irregularity, was 

 given to Patchen by the judges. The race was then postponed, 

 on account of darkness, until the following day, but was never 

 finished. 



The second race between them took place on the 6th of June, 

 1860, and was won by Flora in 2 m. 21 s., 2 m. 24 s.,'and 2 m. 

 21 5 s. Hiram Woodruff pronounces this the best of Flora's races, 

 and the horse that pushed her in it could not be other than very 

 nearly as good as herself. They afterwards trotted a number of 

 races at different places, in which Flora maintained her place at 

 the head of the trotting horses of the country. 



In 1861 a new rival came from the West, to put the undecayed 

 powers of this wonderful mare to one more trial. This horse had 

 been known as Medoc, but was now called John Morgan. He was 

 by Pilot, Jr., deriving Messenger blood from his dam. He was a 

 very strong horse, and of great courage and endurance as well as 

 speed. He was matched to trot three races with Flora ; the first 

 of one mile, the second of two miles, and the third of three miles. 

 In all he was beaten ; but in the second race he proved himself 

 worthy to rank with the very best horses that had ever been pitted 

 against Flora. In this race he pushed her at every step, and the 

 two heats were the best ever trotted in one race j the time being 

 4 m. 55 s. and 4 m. 52 s. 



Flora's races with Ethan Allen and running mate remain to be 

 mentioned. In these she was beaten, but they are not to be con- 

 sidered in any fair estimate of the powers of the two horses. A 

 horse trotting with a running mate is not only relieved of the whole 

 weight of wagon and driver, but is absolutely helped along. In 

 these races Flora showed undiminished speed and endurance, and 

 in the last heat of the last race was only beaten by the team by a 

 length, in her own best time, 2 m. 19f s. She was now withdrawn 

 from the turf, and has never since made her appearance in a public 

 race. 



In this sketch of the career of Flora Temple, in which the 

 interesting " Reminiscences of the Trotting Horse, by Hiram 



