Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-08-03
oMENs OF BETTING MEN
The Queer conceits of the Baokers of
Race-Horses


All gamblers, all spectators and all
men who indulge in games of skill. into
which also enters an element of chance.
are superstitiouS. This is true of base
ball players. billiard PLAYERS, policy play
ers and the men who bet ON horse races.
indeed the latter are perhaps more SUI
persttiOus than any of the others. with
the exception of those who play poke. g
An example of this was given ON Thurs
day last by big Billy" Burke. of Harlem.
who j. as well known ON the race tracks
OF this country as is Davy johnson. Billy
has followed horse racing for many years
and j. known To be one of the best Judges
OF the condition of horse, aud he is able
70 rattle of a Thoroughbred pedigree as
gllhly a. an Annapolis graduate can box
me compass AT examination time He
IA the performances Of all the equine
racers al h.s command and he can com
pare the relative merits of the animal. SO
wei mat he seldom makes a mistake IN
pleeug out winners
But occasionally be- finds what are
known a. hard races" In which several
ol the contestants. by their condition. pre-
Nlhu~ performances. their preliminary
canlrrs aud the abilities of their several
Jockeys. all appear to have equal chances
gu victory. ana where the element of luck
finiir,rs largely into the result. Then
blllY vein of superstition shows itself
ami comes to the aid of his Judgment aud
know edge
This was the condition of things Thurs
ud4 morning previous To lSurke'S starting
Tor the track. lie had scanned lie
entries IN the World closely. aud was m
gonot whether 10 play Ambulance or
Saille Mctleiland in the first race of he
ddS. When entering Billy NOrke's cigar
store ne saw a sign smoke our Onondaga
fohchuS. lie was about to buy cigar
When the sharp elang of bell attracted
us attention. and he saw n Harlem Hos
pltal ambulance dash up Third avenue to
rescue some poor injured person. While
ne stu gazed into the street the prison
van. driven by Jim Cass. rolled past and
WIN yell of delight Burke said:
wen. ! never. If 1t ain II all out. AM
nnhlahce Is by Onondaga. out of Black
Maria. aud she'll win today TO a moral
certainty. III 20 nay pile on her." And
Ambulance did win.
burke's subsequent experience is hest
told IN MS own words. He said: Bob
Ntiltzeh aud myself started for the track
lugether and after leaving Yorkes place
We walked up TO the One Hundred and
unMenty-iifth street statian and bought a
hoIld 50 as TO cut ont the guide. While
we were waiting for our change tramp
J T along aud tackled Bob. lie said:
1uuee please help poor old vagabOnd 50
can get a lied tonight. | slept i'm The
PARK last night and my only covering was
lhe moonlight. Bob gave him dime
ana when we got upstairs on the station
II tod Bob ! was going TO play Judge
MoiI0W because he was by Naga bond
oul OF Moonlight, and Bob laughed be-
y I he had a tip on Admiral. But
Iuuge MORROW won. On the train we met
louis Berte. who works at the telegraph
VWpafd and who lives up near Fordham, !
" W got TO Stringing one another and ter |
ih an asked Louis II lac remembered when /
s",, ,uhg The County Jail in his rich fall /
selto voice. | jumped at that 100 he- |
e ei sam Emery had Fordham In race
S Sa fordham is by Fasetto aud Fordham
""h at that. OH no. 1t wasn't that | /
Id s9perstitious. probably would I
IN. dd.9 played the horses any way, bat /
s 'i',ln II was curious that the circum-
\ "W',e'' Sv were as they were, don't your