APPENDIX. 453 



had business with the owner of the horse, J. J. Bradley, and in 

 the fall of 1867 two matches were made between him and the 

 young mare who afterwards received the name of American Girl. 

 In one of these she was to pull a wagon while he went in harness. 

 In the other they were both to go in harness. In pursuance of 

 this arrangement the young mare was brought from her romantic 

 home on the Hudson to the far-famed Fashion Course, which was 

 then managed by Mr. John Simmons^; he having succeeded the 

 fat, famous and facetious Joseph Crooheron. They trotted the first 

 race on the 15th of November. The track was heavy, as it com- 

 monly was at that time of year, and the young mare with a 

 spavined leg had to pull a wagon. Nevertheless it was a desperate 

 race of five heats, and the horse had hard work to win. The 

 mare won the first heat, and made the best time — 2m. 32Js. — to 

 her wagon. Bradley won the second in 2m. 33Js. The third was 

 a dead heat — 2m. 36s. The fourth and fifth were won by the 

 gelding in 2m. STJs., 2m. 36|s. Every heat was closely contested ; 

 and it was considered that in regard to the other affair, in which 

 they were to go on even terms, " the mare couldn't lose it." But 

 the gelding was in the hands of an astute man, William Borst, as 

 trainer and driver, and when the day came, our country friends 

 from the brickyards on the Hudson were amazed and mortified by 

 the intelligence that " Billy" had elected to pay forfeit. No doubt 

 Travis & Mason thought the matches were dependent, and that 

 after one had been trotted the other became play or pay, but this 

 was not in the articles. 



The mare was now sold to Mr. William Lovell, and was placed 

 in the hands of John Lovett. On the 4th of June 1868, she beat 

 Goldsmith Maid at Poughkeepsie. It was a desperate race of 

 six heats, the first of a long series in which these capital mares 

 have been engaged. The little mare won the first and second, and 

 the fourth was dead. American Girl won the other three, and in 

 this race she trotted in 2m. 28s. She also showed her irveteratij 



