The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-06-16

rur cRRArrsr saer7INo RACE On
RUcoRD-FLORA TEMPLE AND
PArCHkN.
Prom Tie 1siSune Of the NIL
At IN early hoar every avenue to the
course vas alive with . throng OF carriages
and pedestrians, and every train OF car
oyerdovine with passengers. By three
O'Clock full fifteen thousand people were On
the course, eager for the contest.
Fer some DAYS before Monday last, the
betting had been in favor of Flora, ct loU
to 80: but on that day it became known that
she had cut the heel of her near fore-foot,
and some fears were entertained that che
might prove lame, and by Tuesday the bet
ting had become even. This % rallied the
coniidencs Of the hackers OF Patchen that
Tuesday evening the odds changed to biz
favor. and 100 10 30 was laid on him. By
Wednesday morning the odds had increased
to 100 to SO, and up to the hour of starting
be bad the call in the betting at that rate,
and even as low - 100 to IS.
At three O'Clock, amid the greatest inter
est and impotence Of the crowd, the horses
showed on the track. Flora came with both
fore feet bandaged up, and seemed short In
her step; otherwise she looked IN tp-top
order her eyes bright and her coat blooming,
her spirits elastic. Should her feet give no
trouble, she showed promise of trot equal
to any ever made BY her. Patchen also
showed the best Of condition-ths only
thing noticeable being little too much ca
gerness and excitability. When stripped, be
looked 6t to force out Of Flora greater
race than she had ever made, or to beat her.
The hackers Of each were assured as they
took their preliminary trots. 1t was noted
that the step of Flora had lost none Of its
elasticity, and that with all the show Of
bandages, her feet were all right.
First Heat.-Patchen drew the pole, and
had the inside. After seven attempts, the
horses got away on the eighth, with an even
20 Of, but with q slight lead by Pstchen.
This he retained round the turn, to the quar-
ter pole. As they swept of from the turn,
Flora moved up, caught Patehen, and out
footing him, soon showed in front length.
A shout rent the air, bursting from the lungs
of her thousands Of partisans and hackers.
Down the straight stretch they sped, Patch
en- seeming to wake up to the task before him.
Bv the time they reached the middle of the
stretch he was going at q wonderful rate,
and, few yards further on, caught her.
A rally set in, and he headed. On they
went with the Same rafting pace, and he
soon drew in front, and at the half mile pole
showed length clear.
The half mile had been done in one min
ute and ten seconds, and now the race SEEM
ed Patchen's-it was dollars to dimes. The
half mile had never been done BY Flora be-
fore in less time, and who could say the race
was not Patchen's. After passing the half
mile pole, Talman seemed to ease Patchen
away, and at the center of the turn Flora
moved up, and the two went even head and
head to the home straight stretch. The
struggle then began, but Patchen kept the
lead, and maintained it some distance, when
McMann eased of the mare, and both kept
their positions until within twenty rods Of
home, where Flora was called on, and dash
ed into one Of her bursts of speed, for which
she is so famous, and which ever give her the
contest. With rush she headed the horse
insix or eight rods, in few strides she
drew out length in front.
Talman seemed caught by surprise, and
was headed ere he recovered himself. A
blow reused Patchen, and he burst away
with gait that astonished every one, but in
vain; though be caught the mare-though
every stride brought him nearer to her head,
it was in vain; she passed the score winner
by head in the wonderful time of min
utes and q seconds. A wild shout of ad-
miratiou rent the air as Flora was proclaimed
the winner of the best heat ever trotted. If
she had added an additional laurel to her
chaplet, so grand already, the horse had lost
no honor-he had forced her to her noblest
feat and was beaten by a throatlateh only.
The heat over, the horses SO r. cooled off
we'll and seemed as fresh as before the start.
The betting now changed to 100 to 60, and
even so on Flora. This did not seem JUST.
fed BY the heat, which had been Q close
and doubtful ono, and was only won by the
least distance at which judges can decide.
Second Heat.-At length the bell SCUM
ded, and the rivals came up for the second
heat. After three false starts, they got off,
No trotter ever had such speed at the 90 of
as Flora, and with the inner track hers she
show ed in front at once, and maintained and
increased her lead to the qunrter-poie, and
when they swung into straight work was two
lengths in advance. Here Talman called on
Patchen, and with terrific pace he few nf-
ter the mare. Along the stretch it was a
fight indeed, but, speedy as she is, he drew
to her, and at the middle he caught her.
As he placed his head on her quarter the
pace became killing, and carried him of
his feet. A shout went forth, "Hs's up
he's up" Away few tho nonpareil, and
FIVE or six lengths were opened between her
and the horse before he was brought back
to bis pace and got to work. The heat
seemed all over-for could anything catch
! Flora with but little more than half q mile
and she so far in front? With ready tact
Talman not only gathered his horse to bis
pace and set him to work, but forced him
to an unsurpassed burst Of speed. While
this was passing, McMann eased Flora off,
and had her in hand seeming to wait for
| Patchen.
The slackened pace Of the one, and the
increased pace Of the other, soon brought
Patchen up to within two lengths of her at
the half-mile pole. And now began brush.
At the head OF the turn be ught, with his
head covering her quarter they swept
around the turn, and entered the home
stretch, she having lead Of three fourths
of length. A fourth Of mile is vet to
be done; every inch is to be contested, and
| Il was contested. A more beautiful tros
va, never seen; inch by inch he drew on
her, inSh by inch he gained, but all in vain.
She came home the winner Of the beat by a
neck, in 2 minutes "a seconds. The time
had fallen off 3 seconds from the lass heat,
but this was owing to the bad break maae
! by Patchen in the second quarter. From
the half mile pole they went to the stand in
| minute and seconds the best half mile
ever trotted!
| After this heat the mare seemed distressed
and did not cool off well. The horse, though
apparently not so much distressed, likewise
did not cool we'll. Betting now went beg
ging at any fair rate, and the best odds tina.
Flora's hackers could get were Eve to one,
| and but little at that.