The New York herald., 1868-06-30


One Of the most spirited contests that 1t has been
our fortune to witness this seasop beheld yester-
day afternoon at the Fashion Course In trot be-
tween the bay geding Lew Pettee and the gray mare
Dixie mile heats best three In FIVE, In harness. Tho
match was for $500 only, the owners of the horses
merely wishing to give them friendly trial, as
neither OF them had been IN race pre-
viously this year. Dixie arrived here from
the West, with her stable companions, Tackey and
the PAGER Billy Boyce, about sixty days ago.
About the same time Lew Pettee, whose owner had
been driving him on the road put him into the hands
OF Mace for Improvement. To ascertain what pro-
gress he had made in his training his owner matched
HIM IN the contest we are about to detail, and in
which he proved the victor after FIVE heats all very.
fast, the third one particularly so the mare winning
the two first and Lew the remaining three. Both
horses were apparently in fine condition for fast
work. but the geldng when put to the test appeared
sttutional vigor. Immediately after the race his
owner offered to match him for q race at two mile
heats with the mare he had Just beaten or with her
stable companion, 1ackey, the latter having the
greater reputation. Both offers were declined, how
ever, for the present, at least
THE HORSES.
Lew Pettee is q large, fine looking bay gelding,
with white pastern on the Or hind leg. He Is hf
teen hands three inches and half in height and has
a NICE rangy way OF going. This was not his first
appearance on the track having previously defeated
Bull Run al ~ mile heats IN capital time, besides
beating several others. The last horse that Hiram
Woodruff ever drove in a race was Lew Pettee. This
horse was sired by Norman, his dam being Messen-
ger mare.
Dixie is a beautiful dapple gray mare about fifteen
hands high finely developed throughout. She is not
She was sired by Mr. Alexander's Pilot Jr., her dam
Belfounder mare, and Is possessed OF quite as
much bottom as could be expected from cross Of
that kind.
When the pool seller commenced business Dixie
had the call at one hundred TO sixty which was cur
the start. After the first heat trOtted the
odds more in her favor, and after she had won
the second heat hundred to ten was laid on her
in some instances; but when Lew Pettee won the
third heat in 229 the quickest heat Of the race there
was marked disposition TO hedge and his star rose
rapidly in the ascendant, with offers to bet two to
one on him. Alter he had won two heats fve to one
was offered on him with no takers.
THE TRACK AND ATTENDANCE.
The track was In good condition, owing to the fine
weather and the cOmmendable exerti0nS OF the pro-
prietor but a. very little notice mad been given OF
the event 10 take place the attendance was ex-
treiDeiy limited.
ftra Hedt.-Dixie won the pole, and getting away
WITH the best Of the lead went around the turn two
lrnslhs ahead Of Lew Pettee. This advantage she
"a ne hay geldng broke up. After he settled he
trOttei nnely down the backstretch, closing up
trine ~ the lost ground, the mare passing the half
mile pole two lengths and a half in advance Of him,
IN l:is.. Going around the Flushing end the bay
closed dneIy and reached the head OF Dixie before
she passed the three-Quarter pOle Swinging into
the homestretch the mare gained half length,
which sne held for one hundred yards, when Lew
and broke up. This gave the mare the heat as she
won by about five lengths, In 2:30.
Second HedI-The horses had very even start
this time, but the mare soon afterwards broke up
and Lew went around the turn and to the quarter pole
two lengths In front in thirty nine and half seconds
Here Lew caught his boot, which he tore from his
foot and broke up, falling four lengths behind before
he recovered his trotting action again. The mare
kept on at rapid pace down the backstretch, and
passed the haf-me pole four lengths ahead In 115X.
Going along the Flushing end she kept the gap open
and led into the homestretch about five lengths.
lOmeSIretCl IT.
most and broke up when inside the distance stand,
but catching quickly came in winner by four or
five lengths making the heat in 2:30A.
Third Hedt.-Beore the start for this heat one
hundred to ten was wagered on the mare. Lew
Pettee this time had little the best of the start but
before he reached the turn he broke up and fell OF
four lengths The mare led to the quarter pole five
lengths In thirtyseven seconds and kept up u clip
ping pace down the backstretch her driver seeming
determined to finish the race with this heat. Lew
Pettee in the meantime had settled nicely and was
trottng fast and squaley, and II was perceptible
that he was closing the gap gradually but surely.
The mare reached the half-mie pole In ll3,s, about
thres lengths ahead OF Lew, which she carried into
the Flushing end. The daylight Us they went along
was diminished slowly, but 1t decreased little by
little to the three-quarter pole the coming ON
the homestretch two lengths In front. II was Soon
discovered that she was labOring and that Lew
hard pressing re- her and IN moment or two after,
broke immediately afterwards, when Lew took the
lead and coming up the stretch with strong, steady
stride the heat by five lengths making the heat
In 29 to the great astonshment Of the layers Of the
long odds on the mare.
but not at long Odds the hackers OF the
unwilling to believe that she could be beaten, and
they attributed her defeat to accident and substituted
Budd DOble for Mr.. Rutherford to drive, the latter
having handled her previously. Lew had about
half length the best of the start but he clearly
outfooted the mare from the score and was length
and half away from her when she broke up. Lew
led two and half lengths TO the quarter pole in
thirty-eght seconds and the mare breaking twice
more on the back stretch, he six lengths ahead
at the half mile pole in 1:14h From that point the
mare never gained an inch on the bay. He trOtted
steadily and safely along the Flushing end, coming
the hOmestretch seven or eight lengths In 'front.'
and with such q commanding lead that his driver
times on her way home. Lew Pettee won the heat
by eight lengths in 1882. The mare seemed greatly
distressed at the finish, and DOble acknowledged
that she was very tired.
Fyth Hedt.-Five to one was offered on Lew Pet
tee without takers. The horses, after q number OF
failures had a very good start, but the mare soon
broke and gave the geldng an advantage OF couple
Of lengths which he carried to the quarter pole In
thirty-nine seconds. The mare closed trne on the
backstretch but then broke again and fell OF, Lew
leading to the half-mile pole two lengths in i16s.
The mare closed again on the Flushing end, as Dan
Mace seemed to nurse the horse and avoid break II
possible. He did not urge HIM any more than was
necessary The mare, however, broke up again,
In front OF her. Up the homestretch the
mare closed gradually the geldng, and at
the score was side and side with him, when just at
that moment Mace shook him up and he crossed the
score neck and shoulders ahead making the heat
irf2:34. The following is
SUMMARY.
FASHION COURSE, MONDAY, June 20, match $780,
mile heats best three In five, In harness.
ID. Mace named b. z. Lew Petiee......2 2 /
Mr. Carr named &. III. Dixie ...........I l 2
TIME.
quarter. HdlI 1ne.
First heat. circumference. 81 1I34 2:30