THE TROTTING-HORSE OP AMERICA. 381 



clean away from the stallion, and trotted the first round in 

 Im. 9s. He came home in 2m. 21s. ; but, as it was after- 

 wards found that the course was a little short, " The Spirit 

 of the Times "^ wisely decided that it should not make a 

 record. 



It is of great importance that short tracks should be dis- 

 couraged. Very often they are short by accident, as this 

 at Avon Springs was ; but I fear they have been sometimes 

 purposely constructed short, with a view to deceive and 

 swindle purchasers of horses. Hence, Mr. Bonner and 

 some other gentlemen, when going to see horses on some 

 tracks, have prudently carried surveyors' chains in their 

 carpet-hags. 



From Avon Springs, Doble passed on with Dexter to Buf- 

 falo, and there trotted him on the third day of the great 

 meeting for the large purse. The race was mile heats, three 

 in five, in harness. The whole value of the*purse was $5,- 

 750. Of this sum the winner was to have $4,000 ; the 

 second, $1,000 ; the third, $500 ; and the fourth, if there was 

 a fourth, $250. But there were but three starters, Dexter, 

 George M. Patchen, jun., and Eolla Golddust. The latter 

 was a fine, rangy gelding, bred by Mr. Dorsey, near Louis- 

 ville, got by his stallion Golddust, put of a high-bred mare. 

 He was the best of a lot of young trotters brought here by Mr. 

 Dorsey and my brother William Woodrufij who then trained 

 for him, and I think him a horse of a good deal of promise. 

 But, in this race at Buffalo, he* was last in all the heats. 

 Dexter won with great ease in 2m. 27Js., 2m. 29s., 2m. 25s. 



This was no great things to see for $5,500, and the 

 twenty thousand people who were present went away rather 

 discontented. On the fifth day, Dexter trotted again, and 

 this time it was under saddle. It was against Gen. Butler, 

 mile heats, three in five, for an extra purse of $1,500. 

 In the first heat. Dexter forced the pace, and won by twenty 

 lengths in 2m. 21^8. Dan Mace was now put on Butler; 

 but the horse was not as he had been when he beat George 



