> THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 309 



oftered $13,000. Mr. Pettee advanced $500 on that, and 

 then I jogged Dexter around again ; then Saunders offered 

 $13,750 : but Mr. Alley did not want to sell him for that ; 

 BO Mr. Pettee went on and bid $14,000, at which price he 

 was bought in for his owner. 



Soon after that, Mr. Isaac Anderson of Chicago offered 

 to give $15,000 for the horse, provided I would go to 

 Chicago to drive him ; but it did not suit me to go so far 

 away. At the same time, Saunders wanted him very much ; 

 and I challenged with him for three races, three-mile heats, 

 under saddle, in harness, and to wagon. Meantime, Dexter 

 got a little sore ; and when Saunders came over to my stable 

 intending to buy him, to keep the Chicago man from getting 

 him, he was so lame that William lost his resolution. 



Eoff's California stallion made a brilliant opening, and 

 defeated Vanderbilt in such style that many people protested 

 that Dexter's time was come, and that the big horse could 

 beat 2m. 20s. Eoff kept this humbug alive by his artful 

 way of talk and action. Mr. Crocheron, in the month of 

 May, advertised a purse of $2,000, mile heats, three in five, 

 in harness ; the winner to have $1,200, the second $500, and 

 the third $300, if there was a third. This purse closed at 

 the Fashion Course on the 1st of June, after the race 

 between Commodore Vanderbilt and Stonewall Jackson, 

 which was won by the Commodore in three heats. The 

 entries to the $2,000 purse were Dexter, Qeo. M. Patchen, 

 jun.. Commodore Vanderbilt, and Gen. Butler. The race 

 was to be trotted on the 28th of June. As soon as the 

 entries were announced from the stand, Eoff coolly chal- 

 lenged any horse in the world to trot mile heats, three in 

 five, and two-mile heats in harness. Mr. Eelf was not 

 there, and Dan Pfifer said nothing for Lady Thorn; so, 

 with my consent, Oliver Marshall took it up for Dexter, as 

 to the mile-heat race. The days named by Eoff were the 

 15th and 22d of June. I thought it best to trot Dexter 

 but one race prior to the great purse. On the 15th, this 

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