82 MEMOIR. 



"At a quarter- past five Bair came on the track behind 

 Maud S. He wore a Derby hat, and it was announced 

 that the queen would be driven a warming-up mile. 

 Cheer after cheer greeted the chestnut mare as she 

 walked slowly past the crowded stands. She went 

 the reverse way of the track, then turned and broke into a 

 vigorous jog. The watches were started on her, and the 

 circuit was timed in 2 128^4. She was taken to the stable 

 and rubbed down, and at six o'clock, when the flags were 

 hanging motionless, the shout went up, "Bring out Maud 

 S. We want to go home." The scraper was run around 

 the track, and the footing looked better next the rail, 

 although it was conceded by critics not to be the best. 

 The first turn, especially, was damp and cuppy. Bair 

 now appeared behind the mare in full jockey suit, and 

 his face was pale and anxious. The queen stepped reso- 

 lutely, and each outburst of applause caused her to merely 

 prick up her ears. Having reigned so long, the cheers 

 of the multitude did not excite her. She had grown used 

 to them. No pools were sold, but the private offers that 

 the record would not be lowered found no takers. Fred 

 Bonner himself had telegraphed his father that he did 

 not believe there was one chance in ten of beating 2 109^4. 

 After a slow jog the reverse way of the track, Bair went 

 to the head of the stretch, where Splan, with Mr. Gor- 

 don's running horse Dart, harnessed to sulky, was wait- 

 ing for him, and, starting up the mare, came strongly to 

 the stand. He nodded for the word, Mr. Thomas Ax- 

 worthy shouted "Go!" and hundreds of watches began 

 to register the flying feet. The pace was fast, and Splan 

 drew a little too close around the turn. The rush of the 

 running horse and the cuppy condition of the soil made 

 the queen forget herself, and she sprawled into the air. 



