Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-10-13
From the Kanhawa Banner

EFNa
dyentered for the sweepstakes. Grca
sport and high betting are expected.
First on the list is the bob.tailed CT
~ bred pony, Undertook. He is il
first rate keeping, and has run wei
over tile provincial courses. The sou
thern bloods are rather doubtful as I,
his keeping the track, having on some
former occasion boltcd. He is, how,
ever, rode by a jockey from Tennesses
Old Hickory, which inspires great
confidence among northern sportsman.
The knowing n of that region are
backing him al great odds against the
field.
Next comes tho Tennessee Grey, q
thorough bred nag of great spirit and
supposed bottom. He was formerly
under the training of the celebrated
jockey before named, Old Hickory,
but having kicked him on several oc.
casions as he was currying him down,
his care was thenceforward transferred
TO Undertook. These two already
mentioned, wore trained on the same
course, and are said to be very spiteful
towards each other. There will be
some hard passes between these two
towards the southwestern point Of the
course during the first heat. Old Hick.
DRY pretends TO say he will be distanced.
We shall see.
Last, but not least, comes Old Tip
pecanoe, an old charger Of fine metal
and bottom. He has been turned out
some years until his name and tail arc
matted with burrs. He is to be rode
by an awkward countryman, (fresh
from the people.) These two latter
circumstances have been the cause Of
great merriment with the silk stocking
gentry, but many good judges do not
hesitate to say, thnt he will make the
bob tail foot it handsomely to beat him.
He m upon the turf in the finest
style imaginable--head and tail right
up, and move off, at the tap of the
drum, like an army with banners
He is built like a CASTLE" and of the
the very best Virginia stock. He has
had little or no training, but his hackers
look to his wind and his bottom to
make up any deficiency on that score.
One thing is certain Of old Tip, he will
never bolt, he goes right ahead to the
end Of the heat, let who will he before
or behind. II will doubtless be n mat
ter ofinfinite sport should the northern
knowing ones be "bit" by this raw un-
trained old field tackcy-such things
have been done before, and will be done
again. All we can say at present, is,
that whoever beats old Tippccanoe,
must foot it handsomely. The other
jockies are evidently alarmed since he
appeared on the course. He walks it
in first rate style, and all acknowledge
that the bone and muscle arc there
The favorite groom of the bob tail,
Tom Richie, is said to have lost his
appetite and his accustomed confidence
together, both unusal things for him.
His judgment was never known to fail
but once, and that was in a precisely
similar case when an old charger of
unpromising appearance beat the ia
vorite nag Of his W training.
What a singular sight it would be TO
see these three nags move off. The
bob tail with his rider in all the pomp
and paraphernalla Of thorough bred
official, riding as if by authority"
having at the same time the inside /;
whilst old Grey and old Tip have to
foot it on their own legs. We rather
suspicion that old Tip will make the
burs fly as they approach the western
part Of the course rs it is understood
by the knowing ones, that he will make
a pass at the bob tail Whereabouts. Old
Hickory swears by the eternal, that
he will distance the old Grey, at least,
and it is supposed by many that he will
to ride him down. The old
looks rather queer with his long
logs dangling 10 the ground as he turns
TO the right and left, staggering and
Boosting of the proves of his little
DulCU pOltys tiC SWtdlo tliuL II ihii-
derhook don't foot it he'll get down and
beat the old Grey on foot. The back
ers of the poney confess as the time
draws near, that they depend 0 on
the rider than on the horse, while the
southern bloods taunt him by saying
that no ridercan keep ahead ofhis sad
die. The rider Of old Tip wears a
hunting shirt and moccasins, has a
and butcherknife in his belt,
and does not look unlike a hoosier or
a buckeye. He rides barebacked, sits
on his horse as straight as an Indian,
and says little. He has, however, a
knowing leer, as he casts his eye and
his quid every To- and then TO.
wards the immense crowd Of country
men who cheer HIM on rs he walks
around the course. The northern kno-
wing ones pretend to ridicule old lip
they tell him he is "spavined-Paces
and trots before-blind III one