CHAPTER XVI. 



Budd Doble writes in a chatty and interesting manner of Goldsmith Maid and 

 Dexter — How the famous brown gelding was placed in his stable by Hiram 

 "Woodruff — -The young man's doubts and fears over the responsibility he 

 had assumed^Lowering Dexter's record in the first race he drove him, and 

 becoming more confident — The season ends with a mile in 3:18 under 

 saddle — Trotting in 3:17i at Buffalo the following year and beating the 

 world's record — How the young reinsman felt on that momentous occa- 

 sion — Dexter is purchased by Mr. Bobert Bonner and retired from the 

 turf — The story of Goldsmith Maid, the champion trotter of her day, and 

 that for many years was Queen of the Turf — She was rough-gaited when 

 Mr. Doble got her, and could not beat 3:30 — Her first race a disappointment 

 to him — A new system of training adopted the following spring with good 

 results — The wonderful intelligence displayed by the Maid both in the 

 stable and on the track — She knew when a race was coming off and 

 became terribly excited — Figuring to get the best of her opponents — Her 

 wonderful affection for Old Charlie — A happy family of three that was 

 finally broken up. 



In fuUlilment of a promise made some time ago to the 

 editor and publisher of this book I have consented to give, 

 in a sketchy and desultory manner, some facts concerning 

 two horses that in their day had the fastest records of any 

 animals on the trotting turf, both of them having been 

 •driven to those records by me. 



I refer of course to Dexter and Goldsmith Maid, two 

 trotters vs^hose names to-day are as well known as those of 

 ■other animals that have come upon the scene later and 

 trotted even faster than they did, and whose performances 

 are looked back to by horsemen with unabated interest. 



It was in July, 1866, that Dexter went into my stable, 

 the circumstances of my taking charge of the brown gelding, 

 that even then was the most famous horse in the country, 



(403) 



