Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-04-20
From the New Orleans Picayune, 9tn instant.
Great -Four Mile Day.
THE FASTEST TIME ON RECORD!
7.26-7.383!

terday's race on the Metaire course, Fashions
| 1921 and 745, on Long Island, in l842, and
George Martins 1888 and TAB here, in l843,
the two best races that have ever been run,
having been signally beaten by the winner of
the day. Where is Eclipse now? exclaimed
Young America, when Fashion beat Boston,
in five seconds less time than was made by the
conqusror Of Henry. Where is Fashion now?
we, in our turn, demand, as we see her beaten,
in six seconds and half less time than her
own.
Truly, we live in progressive age, and what
we are coming to, who can tell?
During the week past, the question has been
repeatedly asked, if any of the contestants in
the late State stake race would run again
during the present season. A feverish excite
ment pervaded the community in view Of such
q possible event, and the conviction was freely
expressed, that if were to come of, Lexington
would be likely to have his wellwon laurels
cropped, if not lose them entirely. A contest
between Lexington and Lecomte was freely
talked of as thing that must be- and when,
on Friday evening, it was announced on the
course that an arrangement to that effect had
been made, and that the next day would see
its contamination, the news spread electrically,
and we found ourselves again in the midst of
an excitement, of course.
Everything was in favor of the prospect for
sport. The track was i'll tp-top order confess
edly The day rose fair and continued so. The
ride to the course was delightful. Everything
seemed to favor the occasion. From an early
hour to q late one, all the roads were filled by
travellers, awaiting themselves of every Kind
and description Of locomotion. Everything
from dray to four-in.hand, was in requis
ton and they who were too late for the wag
lra1
have been present on the stands and in the
field. The sight was truly animating. The
ladies, as upon the former great occasion, made
a goodly show on the stands appropriated to
them by the gallantry of the club, and added
no little to the pleasure of the day. Betting,
which was by no means slow in any part of the
course, ran amusingly high in this department
OF it; and we saw Wany anti Lecomte bets
most cheerfully and smilingly paid by laughing
losers, while many musical reminders that
Lexington had lost, suggested to as many over
taken gentlemen that place ana DANES"
should be their motto in settling their books.
We grieve 10 say that Lexington, by the BY,
proved to be the favorite to a great extent,
among the ladies, who, we will do them the
credit to say, paid up with the most commend
able promptness, so far as they could do so, on
the field. OF the gloves, and handkerchief, and
other pretty trihes which they wagered, we of
course cannot speak with equal confidence.
The race, of which we give below detail
de account, was, indeed, an exciting one.
Since the races we have alluded to as hitherto
among the greatest that have been run, there
has been nothing like it; and in all its Incl
dents, from the start to the victory, it will al
ways be remembered as pre- eminnently the
greatest four-mile race on record.
The netting was ayfran,alv baayy ct;11 -
was less than on the last weeks race, as there
were not SO many strangers in town, and money
had not been sent here from abroad to be in
vested on the side of any fa$orite. Before
leaving the city, Lexington was the favorite, at
even money, against the field; but few min
utes before the race, we witnessed some trans
actions in which Lexington was backed at 100
to so against the field, or 100 to so against
Lecomte. Much money was risked on time,
but the lowest time we could hear Of being
marked was 1872.
So far as we could Judge, the horses all ap-
peared to be in excellent condition, and "eaper
for the fray" as they moved to and fro before
the stands, to the admiration of the thousands.
The drum taps, and the horses dash off with
a rush, for the first heat, and, on passing the
first turn Lecomte led, Lexington being second,
and RUDE trailing behind, but at as fast gait
and as bold stride as he could we'll accom-
plish. Their position did not vary for nearly
three miles, although the pace increased; the
space between the horses at times increasing
and diminishing, Lexington several times max.
ing brush to take the lead, but Lecomte in
creasing his speed to prevent it. On entering
the fourth mile, and on the back stretch of it.
Lexington partly closed the gap that Lecomte
had opened on him, and attempted to outfoot
him. The attempt was immense, and elected
the loudest encomiums of Lexington's friends
and hackers; but it was Intellectual. The spur
was freely used to induce him to do what his |
friends claimed for him. that he was the fastest |
horse in the world at brush; but Lecomte
baffied all his efforts kept the lead, and won
the heat, amid deafening shouts, bysix lengths,
in much the quickest time ever made in the
world-7.26l
If the result of the heat induced great shout.
ing, the announcement Of the time produced
still more clamorous demonstrations of delight.
All knew that the heat was very fast, but each
one OF the hundred persons who held watches
could scarcely believe their own time, until the
judges announced it officially.
During the great excitemeat which was con-
centrated on the two contending horses, Rube
had almost been lost sight of, but he came
home at high rate of speed, making the best
nSae W iui ehat Hc cFcT HHaue IN his ME al
though, as the red flag descended, he barely
escaped being caught behind it.
Lexington soon after the heat appeared much
distressed, as he had evidently been hard driven
nearly the whole distance; but he recovered
well during the recess. RUDE, also, to appear
ances, after the heat, showed evident SYMPTOMS
that he had been running harder race than
be liked. Lecomte, who, to all appearances
had run much more at ease, and with less effort
han his competitors, not having been spurred ,
turing the heat, was but little distressed, con- I
,idering. the great time and the heat Of the {
lay.
The betting was changed about Immediately ,
not less from the results of the previous heat, {
han from the great apparent exertion that :
lexington had made while running and the i
'spect and condition of the horses after the I
leat Rube's chance was considered hopeless !
With two such competitors against him. Most
# tie bets now were made for the purpose Of =
edging, and Lecomte was the favorite at 100 :