68 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 
many thoroughbreds, conspicuous for their staying 
powers, have had the same general conformation. 
Flora Temple soon came into the hands of Hiram 
Woodruff, and under his tuition she became a famous 
race horse. She reduced the mile record, as we have 
seen, from 2.254 to 2.197, being equally good at two 
and three mile heats. There were several contemporary 
trotters, between whom and Flora Temple very little 
difference in speed existed when they first encoun- 
tered her; but she outlasted the others. Some of 
these horses actually beat her once or twice; but the 
longer they kept at it, the wider became the distance 
between them and the little bay mare, of whom it 
had been said that she might prove valuable if she 
were only big enough to stand hard work. Highland 
Maid, a well-bred, long-stepping bay mare; Tacony, 
the first horse to make a record of 2.253; Lancet; 
Ethan Allen; Rose of Washington ; Princess, a very 
handsome, high-bred mare, who came on from Cali- 
fornia expressly to beat Flora Temple; John Mor- 
gan, a big, fine-looking golden-chestnut horse of good 
breeding, brought from the West for the same pur- 
pose; George M. Patchen, a famous brown stallion 
of Morgan and Clay blood, —all these horses and 
many others engaged with Flora Temple, sometimes 
“turn and turn about,” but all were badly beaten in 
the end. “Flora Temple,” said Hiram Woodruff, 
“would train on and get better, when thoroughly 
hardened, towards the middle and close of the season. 
This is one of the most valuable qualities that a trot- 
ting horse can have. The greatest excellence in trot- 
ting is only to be reached through much labor and 
cultivation. Now, if strong work at a few sharp 
