RACEALONG 277 



made breaks on the turns of the half-mile track. 

 Once or twice he tried to run off with me when he 

 hit the cart but I always managed to stop him and 

 get him to the stable without an accident. 



'Trom the start I w^as satisfied that this colt would 

 make a fast trotter so I decided to go easy with him 

 until I returned to the mile track at Lexington in 

 April. Everything went along as I planned until 

 about the first of June. By that time a big curb 

 popped out on one of the Widow Maggie colt's hocks. 

 He did not go lame on it but I went rather slow on 

 account of it. 



'Tinally Mr. McCourtie dropped into town one 

 day and came over to the track. I told him that he 

 had what looked like a fast colt trotter, that he was 

 very growthy and had a curb but was not lame on 

 it. After seeing him work he asked what I would 

 suggest in regard to his two-year-old engagements. 

 I told him that the best thing to do so far as I 

 could determine was to geld him, get the curb bet- 

 ter and if he came out all right to prepare him for 

 the stakes late in the fall or hold him over until the 

 following year. 



''Before leaving Mr. McCourtie told me to do what- 

 ever I thought best but that he would be pleased to 

 race him if I thought he could make a favorable 

 showing. As he did not go lame on the curb I kept 

 on with him and before shipping to Cleveland it 

 disappeared leaving the colt's hock as smooth as 

 the day he was foaled. 



'When I shipped to Cleveland Mr. McElwyn was 



(i^ 



