"I have a good many young trotters by him," said Rensslaer quietly to Carlton; "he is so exceptionally well-shaped, and has a very low record."
The third heat was won easily by a pony with a long start, under saddle, in 3 minutes 42 seconds. (This pony got beaten in his semi-final.)
Between the third and fourth heats there was much excitement when Rensslaer drove Hettie C., the pacer (to establish a record for pacing mares for England on a half-mile track), in a Faber speed wagon. She was a thoroughbred-looking mare, but with rather a big head, dark chestnut, and he had two men out with galloping thorough-breds in jogging carts, one of whom stood his horse close to the outside of the track near the judge's stand, whilst the other cantered behind Hettie C. as she had a few preliminary brushes the wrong way of the track to open her pipes. She came out on a trot, and only got into her pace when she got beyond a 2.50 gait.
Hettie C. did not wear hobbles, or any of the rigging usually seen on the third-rate pacers usually imported into England, but only quarter and shin boots to protect her in case she stepped into an uneven bit of footing. She carried the lightest of racing plates, and a rubber bit and side check, and paced almost as upright as a trotter, with just a flip to her fetlocks, and knees and hocks stiff.
When she was ready, she came down for her flying start towards "Uncle," the galloper some four lengths behind her, but Rensslaer shook his head, and "Uncle" did not drop the flag (for this start was by flag, as the trial was on American lines), and Rensslaer gradually stopped the mare, and jogged back on a trot.
The second time the mare was going to his satisfaction, and he nodded for "Uncle" to drop the flag, and the trial had begun. The people had been asked to keep quiet, so as not to upset the mare, and nothing was heard but the "tapa, tapa" of the pacer's feet, and the "tip-a-tip, tip-a-tip" of the galloper.
They got to the quarter mile in 32 seconds, the galloper stretching out faster than a hunting gallop, but losing ground. Round the turn his driver hit him, and he did all he knew, closing up the gap, and getting to the mare's girths, the half being done in 1 minute 3 seconds. Here the second galloper joined in, and as they came to the third quarter, the first galloper was done, and dropped back, the second galloper taking his place alongside the mare. This quarter was done rather slower, in 32½ seconds, the time for the three quarters being 1 minute 35½ seconds, the mare beginning to tire on the heavy, sandy track.
Both drivers of the gallopers beginning to shout, the mare made a desperate spurt, and Rensslaer drove her out with the reins, not the whip, and she finished (with the second galloper head and head with her) in 31 seconds for the last quarter, making 2 minutes 6 seconds, far and away the best record for England. The first galloper cantered in behind, quite done.
There was great applause at this, the most sensational feature (so far) of the day, and then came the fourth heat—the heat where Gay's horse was in at scratch.
Her driver, a very good English one, manœuvred very well for a start, and got off well, the horse in front of him starting badly, so that he got clear of him at once, and sailed after the leaders, one of which, a very small pony with a very long lead, went zigzagging all over the track, so that every time he tried to pass it, the pony got in his way. Finally, however, when the pair of them were in the lead, it got into a bad break, and galloped under the wire, neck and neck with Gay's horse (of course being disqualified), the latter winning the heat in 3 minutes 40 seconds.