60 THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



half-mile post — 53 seconds — both were exactly 

 side by side. On they went at the same flying 

 pace, Lexington again drawing gradually for- 

 ward, first his neck, then his shoulder, and in- 

 creasing up the straight side amid a wild roar of 

 cheers, flew by the standard at the end of the first 

 mile three-quarters of a length in the lead. One 

 hundred to seventy-five on Lexington! Time, 

 1.49J. 



" Onward they plunge; onward without pause ! 

 What makes this throbbing at my heart.? What 

 are these brilliant brutes to me ? Why do I lean 

 forward and insensibly unite my voice with the 

 roar of this mad multitude .'' Alas, I but share the 

 infatuation of the horses, and the leveling spirit 

 common to all strife has seized on all alike. 

 Where are they now ? Ah, here they fly around 

 the first turn! By Heaven! Lecompte is over- 

 hauling him! 



"And so he was, for on entering the back 

 stretch of the second mile the hero of 7.26 made 

 his most desperate effort, reaching first the girth, 

 then the shoulder, then the neck of Lexington, 

 and finally, when he reached the half-mile post. 



