The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-06-14

How Dixie Was Made to Trot On Level
Grsund-The Use OF Weights.

lou KNOW tuey say tucre u heap
of bad luck in the number 10, /" was the
way Bill McGuigan started in his con-
versation, "bpt don't believe in any
thing of the Kind. The stable occupy
is No. 10; there are 13 horses in my
string; 10 men in my employ; my lit
tie girl is - years Of age, and won
81, 300 on Lulie b. last Saturday"
The man who sat in the livery stable
was genuine specimen of Kentuck-
ian; not of the type of the lordly own
er of blue grass farm, who is fat and
sleek us a Chicago clubman, but rath-
er of the kind that, living on u farm
and working hard, is raw boned and
thin of flesh. lie wore q SLOUGH hat,
a blue suit of clothes, and a. cheap
light colored tie. His mustache was
scanty and red of color, his eye deep
set and piercing his forehead low,
nose strong and voice nasal, with that
peculiar method Of delivery gained by
association with the negro. Nobody
had taken him for trotting horse
man, but such he was.
Good many years ago, my boy"
said he, rs if he wished to talk TO
somebody entertainingly and didn't
exactly know whether to start his
long suit on not, II used TO go round
quite a bit with these here critters my
sself, but you know mine wasn't these
jumpin' fellers, or if they were on the
start we he'd ways to bring 'em whore
they'd put their feet down Jest about
as perfect at the trotting gait as ef
they'd come right down from old Rys-
dyk himself.
Eyes, / was in the game when a
2:20 trotter was dirt cheap at $40, 900,
and l sold Pate ono-half interest in
Lucille for 81, 600 after shc had grab
bed her quarter and it was long
chances she'd never be good agin.
B'Geve that mare is up at MIR. Emery's
at Cleveland now, but never heern
that she got anything good You see,
there's mighty few good trotters ever
cum from the cross OF d Thoroughbred
horse on to q, trottin' or pacing bred
mare, whereas the great performers
are produced from the Other system
of breeding q thoroughbred marc to q
trottin' bred horse, and guess Lucille
was about the only one bred like her
that over beat 2:20
Father went up to Cincinnati one
day and bought an old Tac1in' mare
for sos, and just as on experiment we
bred her to Exchequer, who was Of
the Planet family. Lucille was the
result, and at and 3 years OF age we
didn't think much Of her, and sold her
to a sucker for $3.50, afterwards buyin'
her back for $175. The next year |
got her to goin' some, and took her up
to Cincinnati and won race in 2:35,
then went to Columbus and won
again. George Fuller, who now
drives Patron, told me to put five
ounces moro on forrard. and doing SO
she grabbed her quarter. Then / sold
her to Pate and he won whole lot Of
money with her.
How did | know anything about
toe weights and ways to get her go
ing? Oh, I'll tell you l was kinder
putterin' around with horses some
years before, and one day friend of
mine says to me; Say, Ike, | wish
yerd take me six miles out the road
of mine up there keeps q livery stable
and he owes me $l30 and little in
terest. Now he's gone financially
and is goin' to'take tho bankrupt act,
and he sent me word to como over
and pick out the best of his horses for
the debt. I'd like to have you take a
look at 'em and pick out suthin' worth
tho money SO over we went.
wanted George to take great big 4
year old, but the livery man said,
George, taho this Teller, and he
brought out saddle horse. . I've he'd
him this seven years and he can rack
like the ID and fox trct some, SO
take him along
1--WE took him along and nothin'
moro was thought of it. One day |
was standin' in front of the tavern
when up came George, ridin' horse
back, and he seemed III u great hurry
to liquor up, for he was sendin' the
animal for all he was worth. One
hundred yards from the house was q
stiff up grade, and when Dixie Chat
was the horses name) struck the rise
he broke into as pretty trot as ever
I see. Well, we had q couple, with
just little sugar, you know-for us
fellers don't drink ours raw like you
northern chaps-and got to talzin'
horse. Dixie can trOt some says L;
let me take him out to the track and
sec what kin do with him; may be
he'll go fast and We kin make some
money
George laughed and called me q
fool, but the next day he sent Dixie
over. / couldn't do anything with
him when he was goin on level
ground, but when he struck the rise
at the quarter pole hoy he would trot
Why, you could roll a barrel between
his legs But just as quick as he start
ed down hill into rack he'd go. /
was almost discouraged, but finally
thought I'd write to Bruce, tell him
what I'd got, and get his advice. The
gentleman sent back word that in In
dianapolis I could get some toe
weights and they might do the bust
ness of convertin' Dixie, and / sent
and got 'em, they costin' me $12.
How old Dixie houndered after got
'em on--a job which took me whole
day after arguing with the owner all
night, for he claimed they went on
| behind instead of forward-and no