Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-11
TROTTIEG TIME.
Goldsmith Maids Recent Achieve
ments-2:I4, the Fastest Mile ON
Record.

aCCOL0s
New York Tribune.
The extraordinary trotting record made
by Goldsmith Maid at Mystic Park, Boston,
ON the 2d inst, is worthy OF more than
passing notice, for it marks an era memOr-
able in the history Ofthe American trotting
turf. Thirty years ago, s'twO-fOrty on tie
plank road" was supposed to denote trOt-
ting horse Of more than ordinary speed, and
when, in lS49, Lady Suffolk trotted mile
heat under saddle. on the Cambridge
Course. Boston, in 2:2G, against Mac and
Gray Eagle, the acme of speed was then
supposed to have been reached. Seven
years later, Flora Temple, in the hands of
the great American hOrseman, Hiram
Woodruff, reduced the recnrd to 2:245s J, made
in a race against TacOn on the Union
Course, Sept. ), 1856, the latter going
under saddle and Flora in harness. For
years this record remained unequaled, bnt
Flora Temple herself subsequently, reduced
it TO 2;233, 2:22, 2:215, and 2:l9s, the latter
time being made at Kalamazoo, on Oct. u,
1859. Dexter, Robert BOnner's famOu,
horse, was the first 10 beat this record,
which he did in ms memorable match
against time, when his then owner, George
Alley, backed him TO beat 2:l9 under sad
ulET hAlA AAilNN tAAaAor ~ lAlI ON4S VI C-sUOu
to $4,000. The contest took place on Oct.
10, 1865, Dexter winning in 2:lS Is, in the
hands of John Murphy, who rode him. In
1865, at Buffalo, Dexter, trotting against
his time of 2:lS I-5, under the saddle.
placed 2:lS on the record, and two yearS
later. over the same course, on August II,
1867, in harness, made his fastest and most
memorable record OF 2:l7t. Immediately
Il.
Mr. BOnner's possession, who Withdrew
him from the turf. At the time of his re-
tirement Dexter was only years old, had
not attained the full development of his
wonderful speed, and if retained in regular
training would undoubtedly have reduced
the trotting record far below anything that
has yet been seen. On his abdicatiOn Gold
smith Maid assumed the vacant throne, and
has clearly shown her undeubted right TO the
position, for on the Cold Spring Course,
Milwaukee, on Sept. q, 1871, four years af-
tel Dexter's record had been made, she trOt-
ted a second heat in 2:l7, or a quarter of 4
second faster than the renowned son Of
HambletOnian. She was then fourteen
wears old, and it is striking proof Of the
fact that trotting horses do not attain tie
full development of their speed and pow
tfS oi tiiullldlCc. lillt siir HIS Slilct COii-
tinued to trOt faster every year. On June
u. 1872, Goldsmith Maid made the record
of 2:I6s, driven by w. III. DOble, (the IA
ther of Budd DOble, the trainer
of the mare) at Mystic Park, BOs-
ton, in 4 second heat. Until the
California horse Occident, at Sacramento,
on Sept. II, 1873, repeated the great feat,
this remained unequaled. This year, how
ever, this famous mare has surpassed her |
self, for at Buffalo, on Aug. Z, in trOtting
against her own best time, in second heat, |
she placed 2:15a on the record; five days |
later, on Aug II, at Rochester, she trotted |
a second heat against Judge Fullerton and |
American Girl in 2:14s; and on Wednes-
day, Sept. ?, at Mystic Park, Boston, for 4 |
special purse of $500, offered for her to |
beat her own record Of 2:l4ss, she tTOtted a |
second trial of one mile in PA, amid the |
cheers Of the assembled thousands. How |
low she is destined to reduce the trotting |
record it is unsafe to predict, for she ac-
cOmpliShes her consecutive tTiumphs so |
easily as to lead to the conviction that she |
has power of speed still in reserve, to be |
exhibited whenever occasion requires.