RACE DAY. 2S9 



race the clanging of the judges^ bell will probablv 

 strike you with a thrill. But keep cool, and go about 

 it just as if YOU were going to work out your horse. 

 Take him out and jog him until warm, score or brush 

 sharp once or twice, and go to the stand, weigh in and 

 get your position. Xow the field goes down to score, 

 and it is always well to co-operate with the starter and 

 endeaYor to prcYent delay. There is no other thing 

 connected with the trotting-turf, barring the ''jobs,^' 

 that does so much to render it unpopular as the tedious 

 delay and repeated scoring that is so common. So do 

 not be an obstructionist on the score. 



Xow we are ready, and as we are not working the 

 pool-box, but haYe our hearts set on winning the race, 

 we will attend to that business from the word " go.'' 

 I haYe had horses (and among them Palo Alto in his 

 four-year old form) that required a heat in company 

 before they were ready to go after the moncY, but 

 they are the exception. In the heat do the best you 

 can to get to the front, and if the horse can win it 

 within himself don't pump him ovt any more than is 

 necessary to safely win, and lea«^e the artistic but 

 somewhat deceptiYe pastime of drlYing head and head 

 finishes, when you can as well win by a length or so, 

 to other smart gentlemen. After the heat "take Your 

 horse to the stall, or better yet, if the air is balmv and 

 dry, under the shade of a tree ; take off his harness 

 and boots, scrape him easily and quickly, lightly rub a 

 little of the water off him, and then throw on'^a light 

 blanket and walk him. GiYe him a swallow of waler 

 occasionally, but not much or not too often, ^nd after 

 lie has walked a while if he will scrape, scrape him out 



