XXXIX. 



Flora Temple and Patchen, Two-mile Heats. — Flora and Patchcn ti Phila. 

 delphia. — Outside Interference. 



ON the 12tli of June, Flora Temple and George M. 

 Patchen trotted two-mile heats in harness, at the 

 Union Course. The capital race made by the stallion at 

 mile heats emboldened some to back him ; but the general 

 public considered the little mare as invincible. She was the 

 favorite at long odds : two to one was current, and in many 

 instances a hundred to forty was laid ; but there was nothing 

 to justify such odds as this. Flora had only beaten the stal- 

 lion in the mile-race by the most desperate of efforts, and in 

 unparalleled time. It was true that she was known to be a 

 good stayer ; but his reputation for sticking close and com- 

 ing again was also great. He was a horse that would blow 

 so hard after an arduous heat, that one would think he was 

 distressed: but he relieved himself quickly in that matter; 

 and I have no doubt his heart was large, and his lungs 

 sound and strong. He was now controlled by Mr. Joseph 

 Hall of Rochester ; but Tallman still trained and drove him 

 well. The expectation of the people was, that amazing time 

 would be made in this race. They had become so used to 

 the cutting-down of old Time by Flora, just as he cuts down 

 all things with his swinging scythe, that they looked for 

 what was extremely improbable, — a heat better than that in 

 which the little mare beat Pjincess in 4m. 50^3. Many bets 

 were laid that a heat would be made in 4m. 50s. A consid- 

 erable number of men went as low as 4m. 48s., and some 

 put the time down to 4m. 46s. 



316 



