THE BAY DISTRICT TRACK 



work for the trainer Johnny Campbell, whom many may 



have met in Europe. Campbell had a sort of idea that 



I was going to be a success. At all events he expected 



a great deal more from me that I did from myself. 



He had what he thought a promising colt named 



Viking. I fear I may have ruined the animal, for 



directly I got on his back he cleared out with me and 



ran three miles and a half before he stopped. Well, 



I ask you— he was only a two-year-old, and a gallop 



like that was liable to spoil any young animal's career. 



Johnny Campbell was furious, in fact the maddest man 



I ever saw in my life. They advised me to keep out 



of his way, and I was wise to the fact that he'd choke 



me if he caught me. But I owe a good deal to him, 



and he was really a kindly soul. Once more I had to 



have little words with myself and wonder whether it 



was all worth going on with. 



I suppose I screwed up a little more courage gradu- 

 ally. At all events, I wasn't thrown quite so often in 

 the next few gallops I had. At last I actually got a 

 mount in a race— at New Orleans, on Lovelace, for the 

 Beverwyck stable, and I finished third. I rode in 

 four other races at the same meeting, but didn't win 

 any. I hated myself, for I didn't seem to improve at 

 all. I may as well be frank about it : the truth is that 

 I was so bad until 1893 that I was a byword among 

 trainers. They used to say that if a man didn't want 

 his horse to win he needn't have him pulled. AH 

 that he had to do was to send for Sloan. His riding 

 would be handicap enough. Of course, I heard about 

 It all, and it didn't upset me as much as it might have 

 done, for I knew I couldn't ride. 



One little sentence however kept mysteriously ring- 

 ing in my ears : " You may be able to ride some day:' 

 Still, this was poor consolation, and as I was a thinking 



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