CHAPTER XL 

 Why They Won. 



It is sometimes very little things that cause horses to win 

 or lose races. For instance, take the case of Belle of the 

 Highlands, who lost to Checkmate at Saratoga in the cup 

 race. John Huggins was training Belle of the Highlands at 

 the time, and he was confident that his mare could win. He 

 instructed his jockey, a little negro called Coley, to trail 

 along closely until he came to a certain point where he would 

 find a handkerchief tied to a fence, letting Checkmate make 

 the running. As soon as he saw the handkerchief he was to 

 urge his horse forward and come on and win. 



The distance was two and a quarter miles, and the boy 

 followed instructions, always keeping not far away. But 

 some one on the outside, it is claimed, removed the handker- 

 chief, having learned of the arrangement and desiring Belle 

 of the Highlands to lose, and when the negro lad rode down 

 the stretch he kept looking for the sign to begin making his 

 run. The longer he waited the worse his chances were. At 

 length he saw there was no handkerchief, but it was then too 

 late for him to win. He did his best and lost. 



Then there is the remarkable case where Kriss Kringle 

 won a race at Latonia. He was old and stiff, a sulker, and it 

 was a difficult matter to make him do his best. But on the 

 day in question the boys in the stable were determined to 

 make him win if it was possible. They put down their scant 

 earnings on his chances and assembled at different parts of 

 the track to watch the race. Kriss Kringle was sent to the 

 post in fairly good shape, but he got off badly and ran in his 

 usual slow manner around to the three-quarter pole. There 

 a stable boy ran out, beating a tin pan to scare him into doing 

 something. At this juncture an L. & N. train passed and 

 the engineer gave the whistle a toot that was loud enough to 

 have at least caused Rip Van Winkle to turn over while in 

 his deepest slumber. Old Kriss Kringle gave a snort, tossed 

 his head and let out a kink in his going. He shot by the 

 others at lightning-like speed, and if ever he was anything 



