Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-18
HOODOOs OF THE RACE COURSE.
Superstitions Of Persons Who Bet
OmeDs of Good or Bad Luck.
From Horse and Stable.

Il
| Omens of Good or Bad Luck.
From Horse and Stable.
That ID. ID. Withers has won 80 few races at
| Monmouth this season may be attributed to the
scarcity of crows in New Jersey. A year ago
| the corn fields and oat stubbles along the New
York and Long Branch railroad we're alive with
these highly civilized and sagacious friends Of
the farmer, and whenever a race train sped
| past there was a vast chorus Of caws and such
| a futtering OF wings as drew heads out of win
dows from one end of the train to the other.
And then the old stagers were wont to remark
one to another: The all black wins today"
No better or safer tip could have been
desired by those old-time followers Of
the turf. When all black rose ON the wing
| nothing could have induced them to invest
their money on anything but Brookdale horses.
Ii person on the way to the race track hap
| pens to run across United States flag in such
place rs to have his attention strongly di-
rected toward 1t, his first thought is: HAS
Cassatt anything in today" He then goes
over the program looking for q Chesterbrook
entry. MIR. Cassatt's colors are spoken of as
the national colors, but in reality they are
more French than American, and more Dutch
than either.
When betting man loses nerve, after a
series Of heavy losses, lac viii accept tip from
doesn't know one horse from another was ap-
preached IN the paddock by a New Yorker who
bets from $500 to : 900 ON a race and is re-
garded as a successful plunger.
Give me winner!" he implored. 81 haven't
had place horse in two weeks"
He was completely unstrung and should have
been In bed. AS he spoke u crimson veil, such
as pale women wear over their hats and faces
to heighten their color, foated down from the
bridge of signs, as that part of the grand stand
between the club house and secretary's Office is
called, and fell at his feet He picked it up
and noticed that it had a narrow white border.
At that instant Heckler's bugle sounded the
horses to the post, and Tenny passed him,
Hamilton up, wearing the red and-white OF the
Pulsifer establishment He sought no better
TIP, but hurried to the ring and put up 81, 800
Oh the winner of the Choice stakes, getting even
money. He held on to the veil until the race
was run, then called a messenger boy and sent
1t to the young woman who had lost it.
A Spectator in doubt resorts to innumerable
devices i'll his search for tips. III only two
horses go to the post he probably hips dime,
heads for one, tails for the other, to decide
which Is the winner. If there are ten starters
he writes their respective numbers on small
bits of paper. shakes them in his two hands,
presses the palms close together, opens them
and blows the numbers away. The last one to
leave his hand is the winner.
Women who bet have their favorite messen-
ger boys and will allow no others to place their
commissions. "Oh. whore il my lucky boy?"
Is the anxious inquiry that is heard over and
over again. If tine lucky boy fails to turn up
there Is no bet.
Sticking pin through the program from
back to front Is a popular method of picking
winners, and 1t Is about as good "a way as any
in these degenerate times. OF all tips, that
which is known at the track as the Niger tip
Is the best. When an accident occurs at the
starting post and the jockey hnds 1t necessary
TO dismount, there is great scramble among
the superstitiou5 to bet on his horse. Many
times this season this tip has been successful.
1t Is very remarkable-very mysterious. 1t
may be possible that readjustment of the
saddle, or tightening of the glrth, lnfuses
fresh spirit in the horse. AT the last Cedar
hurst meeting Donald, an outsider in the
betting. spread-eagled field of fast horses.
There a long delay at the post and much
breaking away In the course of which Donalds
saddle slipped back till the girth became loose.
The hackers of the horse saw 1t, and in their
hearts, blamed the jockey, who seemed wholly
unconscious of the situation. Finally an at
tendant called the starters attention to Donald,
and the jockey was ordered to dlsmount. while
the trainer moved the saddle forward to its
proper place and frightened the clinch. Donald
got off last. went through his horses, and won
hands down.
Many persons are playing the black horse
this year because of a superstitious notion that
it is time for the blacks to have an inning.
They have Jared moderately with Britannia,
Burlington, Onaway, Pontiac, Reclare and
Ralph Bayard.
Few betting men have the courage to wager
their money after having seen cross-eyed
person. Such an occurrence Is a hoodoo of the
worst sort. Personal contact with hunch-
back brings good luck. Women have been seen
to leave their seats in the grand stand and rush
down to the lawn for the purpose of touching
hump on a dwarfs back. Even August Bel
mont is believed to be superstitious, because
he a q tn rla
his commissions in the betting ring. This
reverence for the deformed Is not confined to
the turf. When Sarah Bernhardt first visited
the United States she was met down the bay
by a score of well-known disciples Of Thespis
In the small company was a hunchback,
whom L shall call Mr.. X, a modest, retiring
little man, who would have liked to remain
somewhat in the background during the recep-
ton which took place on board the steamer
But this privilege was denied him, for the di-
vine Sarah singled him out at a glance, and,
casting etiquette 10 the winds, rushed through
the ranks OF his companions, took his hand in
hers and shook it effusiyely, at the same time
gently stroking the hump between his shout
ders. Having done this, she turned her back
on him and condescended to smile graciously
on the group of Mortified stars, confident that
her appearance in America would be attended
by the best of luck.
The man who, having bet, detects himself
singing before the race, is doomed to lose. His
only safeguard is hedging.
The appearance of gray horse never fails to
cause anxious search for the red-haired girl.
The combination will always be regarded as in
vincible.
One man often comes to look on another as
his evil genius, who, met in the betting ring or
paddock, is sure to bring i'll luck And, on the
other hand there are men whom it is consid-
cred lucky to follow.
Money carried for three days in mans shoe
or womans stocking Is invested with absolute
confidence i'll its winning powers.
Some men never back horse except at odds
of TO or to 5. They assert that they always
win at those prices and lose at others. or course
most race goers have lucky days. Some win on
Tuesday, some on Thursday, some ON Satur-
day and some lose every day.
Miss Cayvau Was Tired.