102 EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. 



to be any worse for the race. We had of course given her 

 extra good care during the night, as I felt as though she had 

 paid for it with her own money. 



The next week, June 24th, I started her at Island Park, 

 Albany, in the 2:19 class, in which was Billy Button and Elec- 

 tric, 2:20. This race was not of much interest as Billy But- 

 ton or Electric did not seem to be right that day. Button 

 won the first heat in 2:25J, and Kitefoot won the next three 

 heats and race in 2:23, 2:22^ and 2:24|, which were just nice 

 repeats for the mare and put her in good form for her race the 

 next week, June 29th, at Poughkeepsie. 



This looked as though it would be a grand race and a 

 great betting race. Kenilworth was in and reported to be 

 going fast. J.' B. Thomas, report said, had went a mile 

 over Fleetwood in 2:19 the week before. The race at Hart- 

 ford had seemed to have conditioned and done him good. He 

 certainly seemed to be in the pink essence of form. There 

 also started Electric, 2:20 ; Spofford, 2:19|-, and Lady Bare- 

 foot. 



In the betting Kenilworth would bring as much and some- 

 times more than all the rest. There was considerable money 

 played in that way. When the bell rang they all appeared on 

 the track and warmed up, but Murphy seemed to think that 

 Kenilworth was not just right and concluded the race would 

 do him more harm than good, so he drew him. That made a 

 difference with me financially. Kenilworth being drawn the 

 pools on him were declared off ; that made the pools very 

 light, as the largest end of the money was on Kenilworth. I 

 had played my mare some before Kenilworth was drawn, as I 

 had great confidence in her ability to do that party, though 

 she had not shown a mile better that 2:22|- that spring. The 

 betting now came to a stand still. People did not seem to 

 know just what to do. They seemed to be waiting to see the 

 horses go a heat. We went off and I laid up the first heat to 

 see who could and who could not go. Was in hopes the bet- 

 ting would improve after the first heat, providing it was won 



