The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-01
Fast Time Ola the California Turf-Oc-
cident.s Wonderful Performance.

For the following exceedingly interesting
report of the great trial heats of the Won
deriul California horse Occdents we are in.
dcbted to the San Francisco Chronicles Sa.
cramcnto correspondent:
| 1t was announced some time ago that en-
| Governor Stanford's horse Occident would
be entered for the 3, 900 plate offered by the
Society for any horse that would beat the
best trotting time ever made in the State
2:17l-by Goldsmith Maid. A general hope
has existed that he would succeed in accom-.
plishing the great feat, mingled with great
| deal of doubt as to the result.
Yesterday morning it was reported that
| the horse would not go for the plate, but
| merely be speeded over the track so as to
satisfy in some measure the desires of those
| who had gathered to see his pace. Happily,
| however, the report proved unfounded, and
everybody was on the qui Uiue when it was
announced from the judges stand that Occi-
| dent was entered for the plate, and would
make an effort to mark down the time re-
corded for the best trotting over California
track. At $3.50 o'clock Occident appeared on
| the track, and was greeted by q welcoming
shout. He looked well, and murmurs Of
| admiration were heard from nearly all of the
seven or eight thousand people who had been
| drawn together by the magic of his name.
| The ladies all smiled sweetly on him, and
men who had been filled with doubt regard
| ing the issue of the great effort of his life
now took note Of his fine appearance, and
| began to hope that, after all, he might give
| warranty in public of the splendid promise
of his private trials. His young driver,
| George Tenant, held the reins quietly, and
| no sign of lack Of confidence was to be found
| in look or act of his.
Governor Stanford was in the reporters
stand, little anxious, of course, but hope
full of the horses success. He said that Oc-
cident could certainly beat Eli, but it was
possible that he would not be in condi-
tion to do it in this trial. AS Occident, with
cock-ike motion, trotted down the track in
front of the grand stand, he was loudly
cbecred by thousands of voices. Immune
rable stop-watches were produced; there
was jostling and skirmishing for the posi-
lions from which the best view of the track
could be obtained; the cheers died away into
silence, and then all waited nervouslv for
the event. The running horse, Brown
Dick, was brought out to keep him COM
Dany, end after a little preliminary scoring
the bell was tapped, and Occident shot past
the score, Brown Dick some distance be-
hind. Tenant handled the horse in splen-
did style, and the eager crowd breathessly
watched the little bay beauty as he went
stridiDg onward" to the quarter-pole.
With honest, faultless trotting he passed the
pole in 36a seconds, without apparent exer-
ton, and went on without effort, increasing
his speed in the second quarter p seconds,
passing the halfmile pole in 1:l0l-Tennant
holding hard, and Brown Dick gallantly fol-
| lowing on.
| On the third quarter Tenant put him down
| to his work, and the pace was increased, the
| far-turn being rounded in rapid fashion, and
| the noble horse swung into the home-stretch
at a terrific gait. AS he came down the long
stretch not an exclamation was heard; but
when be passed under the line without hay
ing made skip or break, in the wonderful
time of 2:l6l, the suppressed excitement OF
the concourse found vent in loud and ring
Ling shouts in honor of the great triumph of
the gallant little favorite Of California. For
some time wild and almost ludicrous enthusi-
asm held possession of the crowd, manifested
by repeated cheers, waving of handkerchiefs
and hats, and all manner of exhibitions Of
delight.
The throng crowded the quaEter.stretch,
waiting the authoritative announcement Of
the time made by the little flyer; and when
the figures were hung out on the blackboard,
and it was announced from the judges
stand that Occident had made the best time
on record in the annals of the California
turf, and won the plate, the enthusiasm broke
out again, and the vast throng, not forget
ting Stanford 10 their admiration of Occi-
dent, cheered the Governor heartily, till the
well.pleased gentleman advanced to the
front of the stand and bowed his acknow-
ledgment of the compliment. Nor was the
driver forgotten, for crowd gathered around
him and Congratulated him on the careful
and successful manner in which he had held
the reins behind the turf monarch.
Governor Stanford, whose qualification at
the triumph Of his horse was exhibited with
out attempt at conceament, at once came to
the Judges stand and presented the valuable
plate to the Society, with the understanding
that it should be put up each succeeding
year for competition until the time just made
by Occident should be beaten. This gene
rous act was announced from the stund, and
was greeted with much applause.
After while, ut the solicitation of many
persons on the course, Occideut was again
speeded around the track. He vent hand.
solney TO the quarter-pole in thTty.fYe and
one-fourth seconds; land reached the half
mile!pole in s1:09l lone second less than his
time in the Hrst trial mud it was believed.
that he was going TO exhibit even more re.