The Dickinson press., 1889-08-24
TRACK %SUPERSTITIONS.
QUEER BELIEFS HELD BY THOSE
WHO BET ON HORSE RACES.

W. WV hNNst Nbe ShSS "
Signs Never Fail.
"How is it that gamblers, and especial,
gamblers on the turf, are so supcrstitiousl"
This question was asked of an old race goer
recently, but he denied altogether that they
were superstitious. He said: Backing horses
h a race is all a game of chance. You may
AVE the very best horse in the race and may
back him heavily, but through some mishap,
uch as the horse being pocketed, or slipping
Ids bride, lie may be beaten. Now these mis-
haps make the chance in the game, and there
are certain signs that all race goers believe
IA that tell when to back a certain horse and
when to let him alone. Why, ! would no
more think of backing n horse that these
E&Hns and omens said would not win than !
would attempt to fy."
"How is it, then, that you don't always
VIM Are the signs sometimes wrong."
"Never. The signs are always right, but
We don't always read them correctly, and
even when we do we sometimes think we
know best. Then We have to suffer for our
c%onceit."
SAW THE WINNER IN A DREAM.
Just tell me of some of the signs that YOU
go by"
First of all, | never make n bet unless |
have my mascot with me. 1t is a So gold
piece. If | should happen I" leave it mt home
l just watch the race, Sometimes | nave
tried to win when | have not that gold piece
with me but l always lost, and so now |
ave given it up. 1 found that gold piece
several years ago when coming through the
gates at jerome park. | only had n five
dollar bill with me that day, and in the first
race | placed it on a horse that won and paid
$50. u for 81. concluded that the s. gold
piece was meant to bring me good luck, and
l determined to keep it. That day | won
out money:
"Monday is a bad day to lose on. If one
starts the week badly then you may be sure
it will end badly If | lose on Monday
rarely make another bet until tile next Mon
this rule and tried to win, but it is of no use.
I'm lncing my shoe this morning | laced
it wrong. If | had left it laced wrong all
would have been well and | should have won,
but instead | mfastened it and relaced it.
That is q sure sign of ill luck"
Some bettors believe in dreams. They will
sometimes dream that a certain horse will
win n race, and then back that horse when he
next runs. An old turfman told this story
about a dream recently:
ut was two days before the Great Ameri-
can stakes was run at Gravesend l dreamed
of the race. | saw quite distinctly a number
of horses start, and one, n big chestnut, win.
Who he was ! could not make out. l tried
all day long to find out the name of this horse,
but it was of no use. had his picture stamped
on my mind, and when l got to the track tried
again to find out the name of this youngster,
but it was no use. lust as the horses were
going to the post l recognized my winner
In the dream. 1t was August Belmont's st.
Carlo, ridden by Garrison. l rushed to the
ring and managed to put on some money.
Well. you know st. Carlo won. and l Won
5000. That's ono reason why | believe in
dreams"
Many believe that a hunchback is q sure
sign of luck. In this superstition turfmen do
not agree with actors. Many ali actor has
refused to play because he has seen a bunch.
back in the audience, and he believes it a sure
sign Of i'll luck. Turfmen think differently.
They say il you are in search of good luck
never let a hunchback pass without touching
the hump, no matter how lightly-the tips of
the fingers will do. Some say that you must
wish for luck at the same time that you touch
the hunchback. and in order to work the
charm the hunchback must be aware of your
action.
Cross eyed persons bring good and bad luck
with them. faman sees a cross eyed woman
he will have good luck, but this cross eyed
woman will bring bad luck to another woman.
In the same way a cross eyed man will bring
good luck to a woman and bad luck to u
man
ALL A GAME OF CHANG
All patrons of the race course are firm be-
levers in the old superstition about seeing
the new moon first. 1t is good luck to see it
first over the right shoulder, bad luck to look
at it over the left shoulder, but best luck of
all to look at it full in the face with money in
your pocket. The money must DO turned
over while looking at the moon and it will
double itself during the next twenty-four
hours.
Every one, of course, is familiar with the
fatality sad to surround tho number Is. II
there are Ii horses starting in a race, the one
numbered l3 has to be an extraordinarily
good one before the bettors will back it, and
then they claim that nine times out of ten
something will happen that will prevent his
winning. Many believe that luck surrounds
certain numbers. More favor the number. {
than any other.
Some persons who play the races never like
to win the first race. They will make q small
bet on some horses and expect to lose. After
that they will play heavily and are most COIL
fident of winning. If they should win i'll the
first race by any chance they will not bet any
more, as they are certain they will lose.
Bettors on horse races are always on thu
lookout for some sign that will point to II
certain horse in the race. Going down to tie
Monmouth park races on the Sandy Hook
boat they are always on the lookout for a
pilot boat, and then when they see the big
number on the sail they regard it as q good
omen and plan according to what the num-
Der points to on the programme. Others
watch signs and listen for names. If they
see a sign that bears the name of a horse or
hear any one mention the name of Il horse i'll
some odd way they take it US II sure tip that
the horse will win the next time he starts.
Some men have SO little faith in their own
Judgment Of the merits of the horses engaged
to run, and believe SO firmly thae wilmington
a horse race is all a game OF cls;,lcp. that
they will place the names of the horses writ
ten on separate pieces of paper in lat and
play the first one they draw out. Others
will throw an open knife Mt IL carl-of course
u lucky knife-and the name in which the
blade sticks is the horse the" select to carry
their lnonev.-New Yorl, News
A BASS Slaps q Mans Face.
Since a salmon trout leaped from Conesus