EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. 69 



his stallion and had not got much at that time. By this time 

 things had got to fever heat and I guess the boys thought 

 something had got to be done to save their money, and as we 

 went up the stretch to score Stevanus turned fully three rods 

 ahead of me. I came down easy, not thinking we would get 

 the word, but the boys thought now or never, and they gave 

 us the w^ord go. It was the first time I had ever seen that 

 horse show any pluck or determination to try to beat a horse. 

 When they said go he seemed to fly. Before we had gone 

 forty rods I had caught Stevanus and when we got to the 

 quarter pole I had him beat a length. I won the heat as I 

 pleased in about 2:30. There was many a long face as I 

 turned and came back to the stand. I felt a good deal hap- 

 pier than I many times have when I have won more money, 

 as there are times in life when satisfaction is worth more than 

 money. I had that in finding out that I had a good horse or 

 would have before snow flew. 



I then entered him at Island Park, Albany, in tjie 2:30 

 class. He started against General Ewing, ahorse Alex. Lewis 

 had brought from Salt Lake City, that had won at Chicago 

 and Cleveland, making a record of 2:21|, and the boys thought 

 him about invincible in the class ; Valley Boy, St. Cloud and 

 several other real good ones started. Judging from the way 

 pools sold the talent thought General Ewing had a walk over, 

 as he was a favorite of three or four to one over the whole 

 field. I thought well of the big stallion, and put a little 

 money on him ; if I remember right, the amount was $50. 

 When the bell rang we went out and the war began, and in 

 scoring I found I had a pretty good horse. When we got the 

 word Ewing shot to the front, I went a piece of the route 

 with him and satisfied myself that I was as good as he if not 

 a little better. I then took my horse back and laid up the 

 heat. Ewing won the heat apparently in a jog ; time, 2:19i^ ; 

 and then he was a booming favorite. I told the boys to put 

 on a little more money, that I thought I could do him. One 

 of the talent on Ewing's staff overheard some of the conver- 



