RACEALONG 125 



That fall when the fairs started the new trotter 

 was turned loose and before the close of 1873 every- 

 one in the western world, or at least that portion of 

 it between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, knew 

 that John Curtin had a trotter which could win in 

 almost any company in that locality. As the news 

 spread it landed among the white tops of the Bailey, 

 Cooper and Hutchinson circus which was making a 

 trip across the state. Both Bailey, who afterwards 

 owned and raced J. B. Thomas, Tony Newell, and the 

 beautiful mare Florence, and Cooper decided to pur- 

 chase the Iowa trotter. Cooper secured the prize the 

 deal being closed after banking hours and as in those 

 days it was customary for a circus to pay for every- 

 thing in cash. Cooper went to the ticket wagon, drew 

 $5,000 and exchanged it for the black trotter. John 

 Curtin went home to supper with the bundle of bills 

 under his arm and throwing it on the table said: 

 'That is a pretty fair price for one horse to bring." 



Cooper took Billy Barefoot to Philadelphia, where 

 he was raced for the next ten years and closed his 

 career with a record of 2:281/2 made over Belmont 

 Park in 1878 in a race that Mike Goodin won with 

 Lady Crossin. In his day Billy Barefoot was started 

 in forty-seven reported races of which he won 

 eighteen, was second in fourteen, third in seven and 

 fourth in two. He defeated such old timers as Modoc, 

 George A. Ayers, Sorrel Tom, Snow Flake, Gray 

 Chief, Lew Ives and Clothesline, a trotter that broke 

 Frank Hedric and Lem Ulman three or four times. 



