The Daily Crescent

The Race between Fashion and Bostona.

We find in the New York Herald of the 7th inst. the following account of the great race between Fashion and Bostona over the Union Course, L.I.:

A few minutes before 2 o'clock the sound of the bugle was heard summoning the racers to the Course, and in a short time afterwards they were brought on the track. The appearance of Fashion gave universal satisfaction, which inspired her backers with a new stimulus, and they posted their money, apparently forgetful of its value, at 100 to 70 on her against the field. Thousands of dollars were staked. Bostona was beautiful, and her walk, so gracefully buoyant and elastic, seemed to bespeak mischief. "Free Trade" was third in the string—a noble-looking horse, with the marks of speed prominently developed at every point. He was known to be a very rapid runner, but his lasting qualities were yet to be tested. The Judges then took their places on the stand—the jockeys were weighed and given the usual instructions—a roll of the drum was heard, and the process of saddling and mounting quickly attended to—Joe Laird on Fashion: Mr. Hare's favorite piece of ebony, Isaac, on Bostona; and on Free Trade was Mr. Green's boy, a shade darker than the horse itself. Every thing was now ready, and a breathless suspense took possession of the crowd as the horses were led up for the race.

First Heat.—The first attempt to start proved a failure, and the horses were called back. As they came up the second time a tap was given on the drum, and away they bounded, Fashion at the pole, Bostona in the middle, and Free Trade outside. Bostona took the lead round the turn. Fashion and Free Trade side by side, and well up. At the quarter pole the last named shot away from Fashion, leaving her a couple of lengths in his rear. Down the back stretch they all ran prettily, and with much style, ease and action—Free Trade particularly so—and at the half-mile pole he went up and passed Bostona—time 57 seconds—and round the lower turn opened a gap between himself and the grey mare of some three lengths or more, which he held up the home stretch, passing the stand at a tremendous rate of speed in 1:51. Bostona about a length in front of Fashion, Isaac keeping an eye on her, regardless of the speed of Free Trade. He seemed to know that there was nothing to fear from him, that he could not long hold out at the rate he was then going, and that the danger lay in his rear. Round the upper turn and down the back stretch the black horse maintained the same (to him) killing pace, leading four or five lengths; while Bostona was kept well in hand, and Fashion, although she seemed to labor much, lay close up to Bostona. They ran thus until within a few yards of the stand, when Fashion made a dash for the second place in the line, which seemed to agitate Bostona, and she broke off at a more rapid rate. Seeing this, Mr. Hare shouted to Isaac to "hold her hard and steady," but it was little use, however; the grey mare would not allow Fashion to reach her quarter. The time of the second mile was 1:55, making the two miles 3:47. Round the upper turn of the third mile the black horse began to fall off, and on the back stretch Isaac, seeing that he began to tire, made a sudden dash at him, passing him in an instant, leaving Fashion four or five lengths behind. Fashion then made a run to recover the place she had previously held with the grey mare; but it was some time before she succeeded. The black horse was then taken up and allowed a "breathing spell"—his run being over, and his chances of winning evidently gone. The struggle now commenced for the heat between Fashion and Bostona, and the conqueror of the great Boston certainly performed wonders. She pressed the grey mare very hard and exerted herself to the utmost to reach her, but without success. Bostona passed the stand a length in front, making the third mile in 1:56, and the three miles in 5:43. On the next mile Bostona, in ascending the rising ground on the upper turn, drew away a length more from Fashion, which the old mare was unable to make up again, and it is now evident that she was doomed to defeat. She continued laboring down the back stretch, neither gaining nor losing, young Laird nursing her in the most masterly manner, saving her for a final struggle on the last quarter. He touched her, however, with the spur, after passing the half-mile pole, and she made a rapid burst for a moment, but the grey was wary, and, hearing her coming, dashed off, and made a gap on the lower turn of four lengths or more. At the three-quarter pole Laird took the last chance, gave Fashion her head, and commenced using whip and spur, which he plied unsparingly until within a hundred yards of the stand, and never did race-horse struggle harder to obey the wishes of a rider than did Fashion on this occasion; but her energies were not equal to the task before her, and she had to yield the palm. Bostona came to the score under a hard pull two lengths in front, making the heat in 7:39. Free Trade was about thirty yards in the rear.

Second Heat—Free Trade was drawn from the contest, and Bostona was the favorite at two to one. They started well together, at a very brisk rate, Bostona taking the lead a length, which she held, with but trifling deviation, throughout the race. Fashion ran in most splendid style, and proved most conclusively that she still retains a great portion of the power and speed with which she was so bountifully gifted in her younger days; but she had an opponent with a greater share of these requisites, besides the natural elasticity of youth; and, although compelled to snake her flag on this occasion to the Virginia mare, her defeat does not detract an iota from her fame as a racer—the best at four miles that this country, or perhaps any other, ever produced. They ran the first mile this heat in 1:57, the second in 1:54, the third in 1:55, and the last mile in 1:58, making the heat in 7:44. The following is the summary:

O. P. Hare's g. m. Bostona, by Boston, dam Andrewetta, by imp. Priam, 4 yrs old; 101 lbs.
Samuel Laird's ch. m. Fashion, by Trustee, dam Bonnets Blue, aged; 123 lbs.
Green's b. h. Free Trade, by Grover, dam by John Richards, 4 yrs old; 101 lbs.
Time, 7:39 1/2