180 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



swered. Very soon after we rounded the turn in the second 

 mile, E/ipton got levelled, and began to trot in his fine, com- 

 manding style. He gained fast on the mare, kept on going te 

 her, and, about a hundred yards after they passed the half- 

 mile pole gave her the go-by, and won the heat handily in 

 5m. 18s. The excitement, as the little horse shut up the 

 great gap, was intense ; and, at the end of the heat and 

 race, Bryant was much disappointed. He declared that he 

 would not trot Lady Suffolk against Ripton any more, 

 unless it was under saddle. Early that fall, Kipton met 

 Confidence, two-mile heats in harness, over the CentrevUle 

 Course. We won it in two heats ; the time of them being 

 5m. IS^s., and 6m. lA\s. 



The following week, they went over the same course 

 again, two-mile heats to wagons, each weighing a hundred 

 and eighty-one pounds. Ripton won the first heat in 5m. 

 15s., and that was the fastest ; but Confidence got the 

 second and third heats. The weight was a trifle too much 

 for the little horse, but we soon had our revenge. The next 

 trot in which Ripton was engaged was a sweepstakes and 

 purse to the amount of $1,150, on the Beacon Course; and 

 Confidence was also in it, together with Lady Suffolk. It 

 was three-mile heats in harness. Ripton won the first heat 

 handily, in 7m. 56^s. The second heat he also took, and 

 the time of that was 7m. 69s. It was, however, a closer 

 thing for two miles between the three ; and the finish for 

 second money, between Confidence and Lady Suffolk, was a 

 very fine and near race. I recollect that I got home 

 handily enough to turn round in the sulky and see the 

 struggle, as they came out, for the second money. William 

 Whelan was driving Confidence, and a very little way from 

 home Lady Suffolk appeared to have the best of it ; but 

 Whelan shook his horse up, and came with such a rush that 

 he beat her on the post by a neck. 



The next race we went with Ripton was over the same 

 course. It was against Americus, two-mile heats to 



