THE TROTTINQ-HORSE OF AMERICA. 319 



Half-way up, when she led him only a neck, he broke, aud 

 away she went ahead above a length ; but he soon caught, 

 and rushed at her again with such speed and resolution that 

 he was at the girths when she crossed the score in 2ni. 21|s. 

 Before they trotted the third heat, there was a great storm 

 of rain, and the track became very muddy. Some held that 

 this was favorable to the stallion, but I could never see why. 

 Flora was good in all sorts of going ; and I do not believe 

 that the ability to go fast in mud depends upon size. Yet 

 people said, " He is a big, strong horse, and that helps him 

 to get through mud." Now, her action was better calculated 

 for heavy going than his was ; and the shape and size of 

 her feet were as near perfection for mud or hard road, rain 

 or shine, as any I ever saw. At the first quarter of the 

 third heat, they were together in 37s. Just before they got 

 to the half-mile. Flora broke ; at the half-mile, in Im. 17 Js., 

 he led. When the mare settled, she gradually drew towards 

 him, carried him to a break on the home-stretch, and won 

 ■ji 2m. 37 Js. 



On the 10th of July, Flora and Patchen trotted two-mile 

 heats at Suffolk Park. Previous to the race, the stallion was 

 sold to Mr. Waltermire, of New York, who afterwards was 

 the sole owner of him to the day of his death. The odds 

 were a hundred to seventy on Flora Temple. Before the 

 race there was a dispute, and Tallman refused to start. It 

 caused a delay until six o'clock in the evening, and preju- 

 diced many people against the horse. When they came on 

 the course, the odds on the mare advanced to as much as 

 $100 to $40. The stallion out-scored Flora, and it was 

 some time before they got the word. He had the best of it 

 by a length when the judges gave the start ; and, going fast 

 before Flora got well at work, he led three lengths at the 

 quarter in 35js., and the same distance at the half-mile in 

 Im. 10s. The stallion now made a skip, but was quickly 

 •and neatly caught by Tallman, and lost nothing. On the 

 bome-stretch the mare gained on him ; but he was first ovei 



