STEADINESS. 297 



far better to anticipate the break, and by steadying 

 him prevent it, than to let him breal^ and then catch 

 him. But I have known drivers of long experience 

 that never seemed to have learned this. 



There are hardly ever two heats trotted alike, and it 

 is vain to endeavor to direct how to meet the thousand 

 different positions and contingencies that will confront 

 you. Your native "generalship" and intuition, your 

 natural quickness to perceive how to take advantage 

 of your position, and how to work into a good position, 

 must be your guide. I have often found that a man in 

 second position can hold his place without much loss of 

 ground, but there is no place quite so comfortable as 

 showing the way and rating to suit yourself. I need 

 not say that the way to "get there" is to go straight 

 and steady, and that* seesawing in and out is the best 

 way of getting very little good out of a great deal of 

 hard work. However, just how to act and manage in 

 the exigencies of a heat can only be learned by actual 

 experience. In short, in starting keep your proper 

 position, and try and get away well ; in the heat attend 

 to "getting there" with a little to spare for the finish : 

 between heats attend the horse right, and at all times 

 Iceep cool. 



I make it a rule when out racing to stay always at 

 the track with my horses, and am the last man to see 

 them at night and the first to see tliem in the morning. 

 It has, besides being a proper precaution and an assur- 

 ance that nothing is neglected, a good effect on the 

 stable-men. The driver who goes out on a campaign 

 ^ not on a pleasure excursion, if he attends i)roperly to 

 business, and I recommend to all young trainers the rule 

 I have followed with regard to staying with the horses. 



