VOL. XXX. No. 12, 
WHOLE No. 1286. 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y, SEPT 
l»K ICE XiXX. CENTS, 
82.50 I’Elt YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress 
in tlio year 1871, by the Hu m! Publishing Company, in the office of 
3S to wagon, 4 minutes, 56% 
gooi.l in all ways of going— 
leavy weight, good track, 
It is certain that no other 
horse ever enjoyed so wide a reputation 
unless it was Flying Childers or English 
Ellipse. It is probable th;it the 
the Librarian of Congress at Washington 
®Iu{ Horseman 
Goldsmith Maid (of whom we present a 
fine portrait, drawn and engraved expressly 
for the Rural New-Yorker,) has recently 
eclipsed Dexter’s be3t time and excelled all 
of her own former exploits on the track. 
The story of her greatest feat, and the fast¬ 
est trotting on record, is thus briefly told : 
THE GREAT TROTTERS: 
DEXTER AND COLDSMITH MAID 
Although the horse that wull(8 the fastest 
is, as a rule, the best one for the farmer, the 
fast trotters attract the most attention and 
arc popular in both town and country. This 
is notably true the present season, when al¬ 
most every town of consequence has its 
“driving park,” with regular “meetings” 
for trotting, racing, etc., which are so largely 
patronized as to render them profitable Insti¬ 
tutions. Whatever may be said as to its 
influence, demoralizing or otherwise, the fast 
horse mania prevails and, like the hen fever 
of yearn ago, must have its run, or trot, until 
human, if not equine, blood cools or circu¬ 
lates in another direction. Meantime we 
must take things as they exist and illustrate 
(if we cannot vindicate) horse history truth¬ 
fully. 
Taking it for granted that our readers are 
like imat people—though we trust they are 
a shade better—we think those of them who 
admire “style and speed” iu the equine race 
will be gratified with the excellent portraits 
herewith given of the two greatest trotters 
of the age —Dexter and Goldsmith Maid. 
These horses have become great celobrities 
wherever trotting is in vogue, and it is proper 
that their “ counterfeit presentments” should 
be portrayed, and their feats placed upon 
record. VVe therefore subjoin a brief descrip¬ 
tion, pedigree, etc., of each of these equine 
celebrities. Though the facts we give will 
probably prove of interest to most readers, 
we regret our inability—for lack of reliable 
information, as well us space — to furnish 
more full and detailed particulars. 
Perhaps we cannot better describe Dexter 
and his performances than by quoting from 
an article wo gave in the Rural of Oct. 1, 
1870, which spoke of him as he was then, and 
of course before Goldsmith Maid had beaten 
his time. Wo then said :—“ Of 
all the trotters ever bred and 
trained, Dexter is, beyond all 
question, the best and the 
most famous. He is a brown 
horse, with four white legs 
and a blaze in the face. He . 
stands fifteen hands and one A 
inch, on short legs. He has a flfji 
fine, resolute head and pierc- fgj 
ing eye, and combines great 
power and substance with the 
clean cut, wiry organization 
of the tlioroughbred. His 
quarters and stifles are im¬ 
mense, his shoulders very fine, 
and he is uncommonly deep . , 
through the heard. He was ’ 7-J ~ 
got by Hamblntonian, out of =gg • 
a black mare by American m ~ - 
Star. The latter was a very IgY 
high-bred trotter and a horse fgggSEggy^ Jz 
of extraordinary game and ^8 
bottom. Dexter never had a ^ Z __ . 
feed of oats until after he was —^ 
four years old. His action was si- 
always of the boldest and - g——_ 
finest character, and he is the 
fastest and stoutest trotter _I1_ 
that ever was produced. Upon 
the turf ho made the fastest 
mile in harness, 2m. 17%s.— 
the fastest mile under the sad¬ 
dle, 2m. 18s.—the fastest mile 
to wagon, 2m. 24s.—and the 
“ At the races at Mystic Park, Boston, on 
Sept. 2, a special purse of 82,500 was offered 
to her to beat her own record of 2:14% she 
t o have three trials. The Maid appeared and 
made the first heat iu 2:10%, going easily all 
the way round, accompanied by a runner 
attached to buggy. The second trial was 
made under the most favorable auspices. 
The track had been scraped close iu to the 
pole. There was absolutely no wind. The 
Maid trotted the first quarter In 33% seconds 
and the half mile in 1:06%, lifting her head 
ing been driven from Mr. Bonner’s stable in 
New York, he trotted a mile to road wagon 
in 2m. 21%s., pulling 310 lbs. of weight. His 
speed this year exceeds that, however, for to 
another road wagon Mr. Bonner has driven 
him half a mile at Fleetwood Park in 1m. 
6%s., with S05 lbs. behind him. The best 
judges think that he has never yet shown all 
that he is capable of doing ; and he is right¬ 
fully pronounced a King among horses.” 
