XLV. 



Dexter and Butler to Wagons, MUe Heats. — Two Mile-Heats to Wagons. — 

 The Best ever made. — Bemarks upon the Bace. — Dexter at Astoria. — 

 Eoff and George M. Patchen, Jun. — Dexter offered for Sale. — Dextei 

 and George M. Patchen. Jun. — Eoflf's Strategy. 



* 



IN a week after the time-race, Dexter trotted his first 

 wagon-match with Gen. Butler. It was mile heats, 

 three in five, for $1,000 a side. Gen. Butler had always 

 been a remarkably good wagon-horse : his wagon-time was, 

 in fact, as good as any he had made in harness ; and one 

 of the best races ever witnessed was that in which he beat 

 the gray horse Rockingham in five heats on the Fashion 

 Course. The third heat in that race, which was the first 

 heat that Butler won. was very fast ; but the fourth was 

 still faster, — 2m. 27s. if my memory serves me. This 

 race with Gen. Butler was the first appearance of Dexter 

 to wagon since the race in which he hit himself the previous 

 year. The public did not know that he was a good wagon- 

 horse ; but my idea was, that his excellence was as great to 

 wagon as in harness and under the saddle. Dexter was a 

 little thin and tucked up when we took him over to the 

 Fashion to trot this race. He had done a great deal of 

 work during the season, and some thought him stale ; but 

 he was not stale. He was, though, thoroughly seasoned 

 and hardened ; and every bit of flesh and muscle about his 

 frame was nearly as solid as so much brass. In the first 

 heat, Butler had the pole ; and, as I did not want to spend 

 about half an hour in scoring with him, I took the word a 

 length arid a half, behind. I gained on him a little in the 



