R A C E A L N Cx 361 



BRUSIE'S FIRST TRIP 



For over thirty years Harry Brusie has been a 

 conspicuous figure on the race tracks of New Eng- 

 land and New York state. At times he fluttered out 

 of this territory but he always came back to earn his 

 share of turf honors in all sorts of company and with 

 all kinds of horses. 



A few years ago at one of the dinners of the Hart- 

 ford Road Drivers' Club, Harry took the floor and 

 told of his first trip to make a bid for the money 

 with a race horse. The date was 1897 when he was 

 located at Charter Oak Park with an outfit that he 

 could carry under his arm. While it is not possible 

 to put the zip that Harry gave to the story in print 

 it will make racey reading for those who did not 

 hear it. 



''At that time," said Harry, "I had a one horse 

 stable. The owner of the horse was a tobacco farm- 

 er in South Windsor. How he ever got a race horse 

 was more than I could ever find out as he would not 

 spend a cent on him or even buy, a ticket to go to 

 the races. 



'*At all events, I had the horse and made a con- 

 tract to train and race him. The name of the horse 

 was John Mitchell. Like many a good one he was 

 double gaited and raced at both of them. Under the 

 contract I was to train and feed the horse, supply all 

 of the paraphernalia, including sulky, -harness, boots 

 and blankets, pay all of the bills including shoeing. 



