256 LIFE TTITH THE TEOTTEES. 



always conceded to be tlie best amateur rider in the country, 

 and not averse to taking a shy at the professionals, as is shown 

 by his having ridden the bay gelding McLeod to Ms best rec- 

 ord, 2:19|, in public, there being only two horses in the world, 

 Dexter and Great Eastern, with faster records under saddle. 



Mr. gingerly thinks every horse ought to stand on his 

 own merits, in which opinion I fully concur. I have noticed 

 that such men are the ones who, as a rule, make a success of 

 what they undertake. Mr. Siagerly, or "George" as all his 

 friends call him, was admired by Dan Mace as much as any 

 man that I ever knew. Mace once bought a stable of run- 

 ners and the first good horse he owned he called George 

 Singerly. He told me that if he was as good a race-horse 

 as his namesake was a man he would get the money, and 

 seemed more delighted on account of this when the horse 

 commenced to win than on account of the pecuniary bene- 

 fit derived from the animal' s success. 



Besides Prince Wilkes, Mr. Davis drove Repetition, an- 

 other son of Red Wilkes, three years old, a mile in 2:21 in 

 public race. He also won with him a race against a field of 

 aged horses in the 2:30 class, and showed that not only was 

 ■ he a youngster of plenty of speed, but more determination 

 and the other qualities that it takes to make a race-horse 

 than are ordinarily found in a colt of that age. He also gave 

 Phil Thompson a record, while a colt, of 2:21 and after- 

 ward drove him to bis record of 2:16J, and performed a feat 

 that day that I never have seen any other man do, and that , 

 was to win two races in one day and drive each horse to his 

 best record of 2:16f , the other performer on this occasion 

 being Maud Messenger. In disposition, Davis always seemed 

 to me what I called a brave man. No excitement bothers 

 him, he is kind to his horses and everything about him, 

 always seems to have them well harnessed and booted and 

 properly shod; always aims to be a fair driver, never want- 

 ing to take undue advantage of other people, and in driving 

 in a race I have always noticed that he is what I call a rating- 

 driver; he seems to know about how well his horses can go 



