EVERY MAN IIlS OWN TRAINER. 105 



US there. My mare had improved some by this time. This 

 race was strung out and kept the boys guessing about all the 

 afternoon. Arab won the first heat in 2:18. The race looked 

 a little checkered as the betting lluctuatcJ between Arab and 

 J. O. as favorite — it would be first one and then the other, 

 but J. O. finally pulled it off in 2:1^, 2:17| and 2:1S|. I got 

 third money as I was able this time to beat Charles Hilton. 



The next week, August 19th, at Utica, I began to like my 

 mare a little better and put some money on her at long odds 

 in her favor. We had c]uite a tough race between J. O., 

 Charles Hilton and myself. Phil, Thompson was also in, but 

 was not much good. Charles Hilton won the first heat in 

 2:20|. Some time in the forepart of the race I thought J. O. 

 was giving me the shoe, that means was willing I should win 

 it. I said, " All right, boys, I am willing to take it and I have 

 room in my clothes for the money." \^ut later on I did not 

 think J. O. could beat me if he wanted to for Splan drove 

 him in the deciding heat with that old-fashioned war whoop 

 of his from start to finish, but he never came any nearer than 

 my wheel. 1 won the race, trotting the second heat in 2: 19 J. 

 The third heat was won by J. O. in 2:20. Kitefoot won the 

 fourth heat in 2:2U, and the fifth in 2:1S|. 



There was quite a feeling over the race as some people 

 thought Splan was not trying to win it with J. O. Counselor 

 Crawford and Splan had a hot discussion, the Counselor 

 seemed to think Splan did not treat him just right, and de- 

 clared right there he would get even with Splan the first 

 opportunity, which he did the following week, August 2Tth, 

 at Albany. When we arrived at Island Park we held a coun- 

 cil of war the morning of the race. We decided to go out in 

 the afternoon and try to beat J. O., who was quite a favorite 

 in the betting at the club house in the forenoon. Four of 

 us—General Turner, Knapp, McCarthy, Counselor Crawford 

 and myself — thought we were capable of doing J. O. and his 

 talented driver. The Counselor was appointed master of cere- 

 monies, as he knew J. O. and John Splan better than any one 



