Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-07-25
LONGFELLOW BEATEN BY BAsSETT.

LONGFELLOW BEATEN BY BASSETT.
A second contest this season took place be-
tween these two famous horses at Saratoga
last week, in which Longfellow was this time
beaten. The race is thus described by a cor
respondent:
The preliminaries having been arranged
the horses took their position at the head Of
the stretch, and were started at once and
came flying down. Harry Bassett was a
length in front of Longfellow as they passed
the stand, both horses going we'll within them
selves, but the pace was terrific, and Defend
er soon dropped away to the rear. Going
around the turn, Longfelfow closed up on
Harry, and as they ran by the quarter pole
his head was at his opponents girths. Down
the back stretch they few in the same posi-
tions, Harry Bassett having the inside track,
and as neither horse showed any signs of
quitting, the excitement became fearful. Men
shouted and screamed with excess of delight,
and when the horses came up the stretch side
by side, the stand was simply mass Of crazy
people.
Some of those who had invested on Long
fellow grew white with anxiety, for they
never expected to see Harry Bassett hold his
own so long, while those who were supporting
the latter were correspondingly elated. AT
the stand Longfellow crept up to Bassett's
shoulder, but after going round the turn he
suddenly faltered, and in an instant Harry
Bassett was length ahead. This made the
friends of the latter delirious with joy. Long
fellow then made another grand squirt, and as
they passed the halfmile pole he got his head
up to Bassett's neck, but though apparently
making a gamy race, it was evident that
Harry Bassett had the best of it, He grad
ually drew away again, and came into the
stretch nearly length in front.
But Longfellow was not quite done WITH
and, responding gamely to the call OF his
Jockey, he made last grand effort to catch
his opponent. 1t was like the charge of Ma
poleons Old Guard at Waterloo-a magnif-
cent but futile attempt to change the fortunes
of the day-for Harry Bassett swept along
at undiminished speed and won the best and
fastest race ever won in America by half
length, in 3.59, amid scene of excitement
which your correspondent is powerless to de-
scribe.
Those who had pinned their faith on Long
fellow could hardly believe their eyes; but
when their horse was pulled up it was seen
that he was dead lame. He had twisted the
shoe on his near foot during the race, and it
was hanging to his hoof by a single nail !; and
this was not the worst, for the shoe struck
against his hind leg, cutting it badly. NO
more extraordinary performance by race
horse has ever been witnessed. His jockey
states that he met with the accident just be-
fore reaching the quarter pole on the last
mile, so that he literally raced three quarters
of a mile with one of the best horses in the
world on three legs. This is what caused
him to falter, and the only wonder IS that ne
was not beaten much further.
This race is without a parallel in the annals
of the American turf, and there is only one
instance of any such thing having occurred in
England. This was in the race for the Der
by, in 1861, when the favorite, Dundee,
broke down in one leg half mile from the
winning post, and another twenty yards fur
ther on, finishing the race on two legs, and
only being beaten by length in the fastest
Derby on record. But though there are
many excuses to be made for Longfellow, it
does not dim one iota the lustre Of Harry
Bassett's performance. Not only was the
distance run in 359, two seconds faster than
Kentucky's time, which had long been con-
sidered invincible, but the two miles were
run in $50, or four and quarter seconds
faster than had ever been made before.
The old veteran McDaniels looked as hap
py as king at the success of his horse, but 1t
was sickening to see thronging around him
after the race crowd of sycophants and flat
terers who never went near him at Long
Branch after Harry Bassett was beaten
Poor old John Harper, on the other hand,
looked the picture of misery, and when he
was told that Longfellow was injured, he
actually shed tears. 1t is extremely doubtful
whether Longfellow will ever run again, but
at present it is not possible to guage fully the
extent of his injuries. In any case he can be
set down on the scroll of turf fame as being
one of the gamest and best hores that ever
stripped for a race track.