Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-02

contend in race Of two-mils heats, and
before the people went homo they saw the
fastest two-mile-heat race that had ever
been trotted. In the first heat Princess
had the best of the start and went away at
tremendous gait for two-mile heat.
Flora gained inch by inch. and at the
quarter in IS seconds was At Princess's
neck. AT the score in the first milo they
were head and bead in 2;23. Thus they
went TO the half.mile pole in the second
mile. At the three-quarter pole Flora
bad half head the best OF il, and thus
they crossed the score, and Flora won in
{;50sf--tne fastest two-mile heat ever
trotted at that time.
la the second heat the mares went head
and head. In the first mile IL was a neck
and-neck struggle in 2;2l. In the second
mile Flora led Princess a short head to the
halt-mile. Here Princess made an uufor
tunate broak. and Flora beat her home In
505.
These mares had shown the two fastest
trots and better contested than had ever
been witnessed, And let the reader re-
member that these trots occurred thirty
three years ago. The sulkies that the mares
pulled weighed as pounds, while we have
the improved sulky nowadays weighing
orly 50 pounds, with improved tracks and
appliances.
HIPPoDRoMING TRIP
After these races Flora Temple and
Princess bad a worldwide reputation.
They went of on a kind of hjppodromng
trip. They were trotted together all over
the country until they reached Kala-
mazoo. Mich. When in IA race for purse
of $4,000 at that place October 10. 1859.
Flora Temple. Princess, aud chestnut
gelding called Honest Anse started. The
race was mile heats best three IN five.
The FIRST heat was won by Flora Temple
in 224. The second heat Flora won in
222ss. In the third heat Flora went TO
the half-miie in 100. and McMaun her
driver. then cut her loose and she crossed
the score Ia 2:195{. the fastest heat ever
trotted AMI beating her own best previous
time log two and halt seconds.
II was the writer's good fortune 10 wit
ness that race and race that | never shall
forget. More wonder and amazement was
caused By that race than would be ex-
pressed in these days if Nancy Hanks or
any other horse should now step OF mile
IN two minutes.
FOR EIGHT YEARS.
Flora Temples record of 219N renamed
al tho head of trotting records for eight
years. When in August. 1867 the brown
gelding Dexter trOtted Mt Buffalo, n. y.
IN 2:l7l and was sold to Robert Bonner
for S35. 900. IL was predicted by the
" horse world" that that was the limit of
speed at the trotting gait, but how badly
they were mistaken. Since then, and es-
pecIally within the past few years the
horses have gone at odd Father" Time
and have been clipping the silvery locks
from his brow until II would seem as
though his whole scalp was IN danger.
- There's feeling within Us that loves TO revert
To tho merry old times that are gone"
The question of superiority between
those beautiful mares had now been fairly
tested III the minds of many people, al
though hundreds were Of the opinion that
the California mare could have beaten
Flora in some of the races, especially IN
the two and three-mile races.
The last race that Princess trotted was
IN Nav, 1861. over the Fashion Course,
Long Island. and her opponent was Flora
Temple. Princess went wrong a short
time before the race and was retired from
the turf, and was sold 10 II. +. Galloway.
Sudern. \. y, who bred her to HANDLE
tonian 1J) and the spring of 1853 she
fOaled bav colt, which was called Happy
Medium. who WAS the sire Of Nancy Hanks,
the reigninG queen of the trotting turf.
ALWAYS WON.
Happy Medium made but three appear
ances on the turf, winning IN each IN
stance. As 4-year-old ne started once
and took a record OF 2:5lls and the next
wear IN his solitary start reduced 1t TO 2:5l.
His third and last race was two years later.
at Paterson, \. D., whore he started and
with eight days training beat Guy Miller
aud Honesty and made record OF 1872.
The impression that he made was SO deep
that be was sold to Robert Steel of
Philadelphia, for $4,000, who retained
him for eight years. finally selling
him IN 1879 to General W. L. NIthers. Of
Lexington, kv.. whose property he died
in February, 1883. at the age OF %. AS a
sire Happy Medium was undoubtedly
among the very greatest ever toaled IN
America. As "a class his foals came to Their
speed very quickly and were pure gated
AZ was the case with his daughter Nancy
Hanks. Besides Nancy Hanks he was the
sire of eighty-hve Others that have made
themselves standard by performance. He
was the sire Of Pilot Medium, who IN turn
is the sire of thirty-s9yen who have
trotted in 2:3O or better, amongst them
the gray gelding Jack. with record OF
2IlH. Happy Medium stands third IN
the list as a sire of trotters.
ORIGIN or THE NAME.
Nancy Hanks was foaled 1885 and was
bred bv ii. Boswell, near Lexington,
Nv. Mr.. Boswell named the foal Nancy
Hanks in honor of Abraham Lincoln's
mother. whose maiden name was Nancy
Hanks. The dam OF Nancy Hanks was
Nancy Lee and her sire was Dictator, who
was sired bv HambletOnan J0). Nancy
] .ee's dam was Sophie, who was sired by
Edwin Forrest. Dictator's dam was Clara
dam of Dexter, 217lQ. she 10y Amerl-
can Starr. Mr.. Boswell had small
farm near Lexington, where Nancy was
foaled. and for some time dld not pay
much attention 10 the FLY until Ben. hen-
new. young trainer, took hold OF her,
4. ~
the wonder" She was entered In no
races until 4 years old. when she was en-
tered in countv-falr race. and won IN
slow time. From that she commenced to
rapidlv improve. She came TO her speed
very quick. and has always showed a level
tread and gentle disposition.
HER RACES.
At Nicholasyille. KY, August s. 1890, she
beat a field of four other horses IN 2:22$4,
Maysville. Ky. August goth, she beat a
field of FIVE IN 2:21Sl, 2.2ls4, and 2l9%.
Cincinnati, o., October 18th, against
time. she made 2:l7s4.
Lexington, KY. October 18th, she beat
field of five horses in 2:22, 2;2l1s, and
She trotted other races that year that we
cannot now recall. :,
August IL, 1891. at Rochester, N, Y.
against time, she made 2;l213.
At Chicago, August 18th, against time
she made 2l24.
AT Independence, a., August 9th; tor
purse of $1,000. she beat Allerton and Mar
earet S. in ZIP. 2:l259, and PIP, which was
the fastest beat race that had ever been
trotted. a.,
At Richmond, Ind. September Sth, she
reduced her time 10 2:09l(.
At Cambridge City, Ind, September
18th, she still reduced 1t to 2:09.
Nancy changed owners. think, after her
race at Terre Haute Ind. In 1890 }. Nal
colin Forbes. of Boston, purchased her OF
Mr.. Boswell. paying $4,000 for the queen;
aud since then she has been trained and
driven by that master driver Budd Doble
Last season 1892 Nancy commenced at
Terre Haute, Ind. and trotted in slow
4,,nn aa ~ ,rns snrinr and she was not sea-