CHAPTER VIIL 

 Hairy Gilmore^s Victory, 



Up at Long Branch active preparations were going on 

 for the great race. The favorite w^as Wyoming, by Pat 

 Maloy, a horse owned by George Lorillard, but Tom Plun- 

 ket and a horse owned by D. D. Withers were all thought 

 more favorably of than my horse. In fact, it was generally 

 conceded that Wyoming was the best three-year-old of the 

 season and the best animal Mr. Lorillard had ever owned. 



I had so concealed the running qualities of my horse 

 that no one knew what he could do. Trainers were betting 

 suits of clothes that I would not even start, and that I was 

 simply taking him to the track to get a badge for the meet- 

 ing. 



Mr. Bell did not even know I was going to take his 

 horse to Long Branch and he was suprised when I tele- 

 graphed him that I was going to start Harry Gilmore in the 

 great stake. I further told him I believed I could win and 

 advised him to get down all the money he could on his 

 horse. He took my advice, and it was not long until people 

 began to wonder what I meant by starting such a horse and 

 what Mr. Bell meant by betting his money. This did not, 

 however, lessen the odds on the horse's chances. 



Billy Donahue was on Gilmore, and the horse walked 

 out in front of the stand looking as fresh as a daisy. My 

 instructions to the rider were for him to keep out of the 

 new-made ground on the track and never be out of the race 

 at any time. I said I would stand at the half-mile pole until 

 after he passed me, and to keep forcing the running as long 

 as my hat was in the air. He had the best horse under him, 

 I said, and there was nothing in it that could touch him if he 

 followed my instructions. 



Donohue did just as I told him, and when he passed me, 

 forty yards in the lead, I yelled to him to sit steady and 

 keep going, as he had the race as good as won. The other 

 horses were never able to get within speaking distance of the 



