THE bay filly American Belle was a very success- 

 ful three-year-old campaigner. I first started her 

 at Readville in the 2.30 class for three-year-olds, 

 and she finished third in a great field. A few days later 

 I started her at New York in the 2.40 class, where she 

 finished ahead of a large field, but was beaten for first 

 place by Cresceus, the present champion stallion. These 

 two races did her much good, and she kept improving 

 very rapidly. Her first winning race was at Hartford 

 in the 2.40 class for three-year-olds, which she won, in 

 straight heats, in 2.17)^, 2.14^, and 2.19^. She also 

 won in straight heats at Portland, Louisville, Lexing- 

 ton, and in the fall meeting at Readville. At Port- 

 land she won the second, third and fourth heats in 

 2.i2j^, 2.14^, and 2.16. Cresceus winning the first 

 heat in 2.12. Thus in the only eight races I ever started 

 her she was first in six, second in one, and third in 

 one, and took a record of 2.12^ in the third heat of 

 a race, a record that few three-year-olds have ever 

 equaled. 



95 



