THE TROTTING-HQRSE OF AMERICA. 299 



former could not beat the latter when they were both right ; 

 and what has since been seen of Eoffs management of the 

 California stallion (George M. Patchen, jun.) throws some 

 light upon his doings with Princess. In spite of their 

 experience in the Princess case, he persuaded the people 

 that this stallion could beat Dexter whenever he wanted to 

 let him do it ; and many continufed to believe so after it was 

 palpable to any man of good judgment that the gelding 

 could lose him in any race that they might go. 



In a week after the race of three-mile heats to wagons, 

 Flora and Princess trotted two-mile heats in harness. The 

 betting opened at 100 to 70 on Flora; but, before they 

 started, it was even. Tallman drove Flora again ; and, in 

 scoring, she seemed rank and wild. Princess, on the other 

 hand, was quite steady ; and, from all appearances, her race 

 to wagon had done her good. They went away at a great 

 rate ; and, before Flora had got round the turn, she pulled a 

 shoe off and cut her quarter : this gave Princess the lead. 

 The latter trotted the first mile in 2m. 26s., but there was 

 no daylight between her and Flora. On the turn, Flora 

 broke. When she caught, she trotted very fast; and, 

 making a swift and resolute dart to close with Princess on 

 the back-stretch, she grabbed off her other fore-shoe, ahd cut 

 her quarter badly. Princess won the heat easily in 5m. 2s., 

 and might, no doubt, have trotted it considerably faster if 

 .she had been pressed in the second mile. It was ten to one 

 on the California mare. Flora was a little lame when 

 brought out for the second heat. Princess took the lead, 

 kept it all the way, and won handily in 5m. 05s. 



The general opinion was, that little Flora had her mis- 

 tress, and that Princess could beat her anywhere. But 

 the truth is, that people forgot the wonderful constitution 

 und come-again qualities of Flora. While with all her 

 speed, bottom, and fine way of going. Princess was an 

 uncertain, mare, and nothing like as reliable for a long 

 campaigr as Flora was. The news of this race created a 



