186 RACEALONG 



could name the winner. There was no whipping or 

 slashing in any of these miles. Hodson and McGrath 

 had their mounts on their toes all the way and flying 

 at the finish. As the pair of blacks flashed by the 

 stand Hodson sat erect while McGrath tipped for- 

 ward a trifle as he drives with a crouch. 



McGrath also exhibited a number of samples of 

 clever driving in 1928 behind Shirley Harvester. In 

 heat after heat he laid away letting Plucky and the 

 others make the pace to the head of the stretch. 

 Then he turned the black filly loose at a two minute 

 gait and won by a narrow margin. 



This is something that can be done only with 

 a free going horse that has perfect manners. It 

 is only play for them to trim those which go up 

 against the bit for three-quarters of a mile and ask 

 for a ride home. 



The most dangerous drivers in a race are rated 

 among those who let their horses go guideless with 

 the reins flopping. State Post was an extreme sam- 

 ple of this kind when he had Trumpet. Usually a 

 horse under such conditions will take care of him- 

 self unless someone makes a misstep or swerves. 

 Then there is usually a wreck. 



In his day Scott Hudson set the style of being 

 a pacemaker. With him each post in the fence was 

 a winning post. As he had stout horses, Scott usually 

 won. Monroe Salisbury also handed front runner 

 orders to George Star, John Kelley, Andy McDowell, 

 and Charley De Ryder when they were driving for 

 him. If they were beaten there were no complaints 



