The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-02-23
THE FIRST DARK HORSE.

Among horsemen and politicians the use of
the the term dark horse has become very
frequent. The expression belonged originally
to the turf, and the following story is related
of its origin: Sam Flynn was well known
in early times among professional racing men in
Tennessee. He was shrewd fellow who watch
ed closely what was known as scrub races, at
one time so popular as well as profitable to
many horse overs in that State. He often
rode or drove himself the horses which he had
entered, and seemed to capture more than his
proportionate share of the rich prizes wont to
be offered in those days. On one occasion,
just prior to the races in the famous racing
town of C., when there remained only a
short time for entering, at the eleventh hour
Sam came riding into town astride a very plain
black horse, begrimed with sweat and dust
Such horse as this appeared to be, and espec-
ally one handled as Sans rough riding into
the village would indicate, was hardly to be
suspected by the t0wn's-people as promising
entry in the great races then announced
Therefore, when Sam did enter his black road
ster it only provoked the derision of those con-
cerned in the betting, who, it seems, soon lost
sight of ''the dark horse in the race until the
issue of the chief event was known.
The wiley Sam circulated freely just before
the race was called, and took every bet he could
secure against his black horse Peter. When
the judges of the race entered the box one of
them, Colonel McMinamee, who happened
to know something of the redOubtable Samuel
Flynn, inquired how the betting stood. On
being told that a certain bay horse was the
favorite with great odds, that another horse
was heavily backed, and that third horse had
many friends in the pools, he then asked =
"But how about Flynn's horse?' The re-
sponse came, "Oh, he is not considered" Nc
Minamee smiled, and remarked, knowingly,
'Well, gentlemen, there's a dark horse in this
race
And truly there was. A little later the
racers went laundering by. The eyes of the
multitude were centered upon the favorite,
hard pressed by the Others that had been hon.
Oned in the pools. The despited Peter was be-
hind at laughable distance. At the three
quarter pole, however Sam Flynn ceased to
pull upon the reins, giving the dark horse his
head, and piled both whip and spur. Where
upon he closed the gap with rush and collar
ed the favorite. Then of course, the attention
of the great concourse was rivited upon the
dark horse, and in one moment more he Sprang
under the wire an easy winner, with plenty of
speed to spare Thus was the cOl0nel's predic-
tions verified that there was dark horse in
the race" and thus did his language become
an enduring proverb. The dark horse had
taken the purse. After the race it was learned
that the horse, Peter, was almost thorough
bred, and that he had a degree of speed and
endurance that far Out-classed that of all his
competitors in the race. This was one of Sam
Flynn's tricks, well known in other parts of
the State. He not only kept dark horse on
hand himself and entered only when he was
sure of outclassing his rivals.