8i 



like a stake horse it was on this occasion, for he passed under 

 the wire an easy winner, and the lads who had wagered 

 their money on him collected at odds of 10 to i. 



Even in the great race between Gray Eagle and Wag- 

 ner it was a trifling incident that brought about the victory 

 of Wagner. Wagner would not do his best unless frightened 

 into doing it, and the attaches of the stable were sent out at 

 the turn at the head of the stretch. When it became neces- 

 sary to close up the gap between Wagner and Gray Eagle at 

 this point the stable boys began yelling in such a manner, 

 that Wagner shook himself up and did what he was capable 

 of doing. He shot to the front and kept the lead until he 

 had won the race. 



An amusing little story is told of Sound Money, a horse 

 owned by Alf Oldham, of Louisville, when he won a race at 

 20 to i at Latonia. I do not vouch for the truthfulness of the 

 story, but it was told me by a gentleman who claims to have 

 heard of it at the time. Oldham had in his employ a little 

 negro exercise boy, who had by dint of the most rigid econo- 

 my accumulated $2 in actual cash, and this lad thought that 

 Sound Money was the greatest race horse that ever set foot 

 on a track. 



In reality Sound Money was windbroken and about on 

 his last legs. He was once a very fair skate, but his useful- 

 ness had been impaired by enlarged glands. Could this 

 defect have been remedied he would have been a first-class 

 plater and might have made his owner rich. 



Mr. Oldham sent the horse to Latonia and thought he 

 might be good enough to win a race. One day he thought 

 he had him fit, but he was mistaken, and he and his friends 

 dropped their coin on him at short odds, for the tip had 

 gone out that he was sure to win. The little black boy, 

 however, held off, and he did not bet his hoard until the 

 next time the horse started. Then he put it all down on 

 Sound Money at 20 to i. Mr. Oldham thought so little of 

 his horse's chances that he bet on another horse in the race. 



The horse got off fairly well and jogged along not far 

 behind the favorite and second choice. He seemed about 

 done for when he reached the head of the stretch, but he 

 was not aware that he had two riders. One was on his back, 

 Silvers, and the other was on the fence at this point The 



