Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1894-01-27
LATTER-DAY BRONCO RACE.
Sunday Afternoon at the Old
Baker Track.
Without the Features of the Early
day Racing-No More Puestos-
The Wrong Man Said Go"

The Mexican horse race of the good oil,
days is gone in Tucson. They no longe
ran three mics OF five as a race;the ting
of romance has been lost by the abolish
ment of the "puesto," the man who's
fuuc ton is to ride behind his racer anC
and wear out crossword switches OI
| the TANKS of the maddened racer. o.
that other old feature. of 'puestos,
afoot who make the race for the animals
a sort of running the gauntlet. Thirty
or forty of those puestOS, IN the palmy
days of racing, would be stationed al
re- ular intervals along the track. The
painting horses, eyes wide III terror, would
rush madly by the puestos, each ready
with a big switch. Three or four good
strokes would be gotten in before The
horse was out of reach. Then on To the
next, more switches and more speed.
All The speed there was In horse, that
they got from hun, IN those good old
days.
Alas fer those palmy days of racing
today they bubble on technlcalities and
if they do not happen 10 get the go
from the right man they declare In
race off. A race is 4 mile instead of
three or Fl e, and they take round tracks
inst, ad of a good straight stretch on the
mesa. Gone Is the dtstinctivenesso OF the
Mexican horse race. Contact with tn5
Americana has b Ell t o much. Next
they sill keep time, bet cash in
stead of ranches, cattle and horses, and
will change to trYttinS racing instead o;
the glorious. breathIess. maddening run
ming race.
Not quite that stage has been reached
as yet. Yesterday they had Il race
They bat COWS, eigut of taem, and five
calves. They came from near and far.
hundreds of Mexicans, ranchers, va
queros and TucsoDite,, Oh horseback
Every COW p ny or livery horse ID an
area of twenty square miles was there
yesterday, bestraddled by enthusiastic
riders and bette.s. Not a few of the
AmerIcanos were there, anxious TO see
the race between Esirellg and Saino
each the pets of one or the other half Of
the throng on horseback. Both were
to be ridden by boys of as light weigh
as was consistent with skill IN urging,
without saddles--a surciugle being left
for the daring youngsters to hang on
with.
Such jolly crowd as was there! And
80 ANXIOUS! They shouted and wagered
aud disputed And when the race wa
over they still more ferceiy disputes.
In a few cases heads were broken, one
at least with the butt OF a revolver.
after which the man of the revolver had
his own cranium uEceremonlously
bruised by the butt of whip.
1t is said that the horse which lost
WAS going the fastest when called back
by his owner. 1t is also said that ne
was losing, and that he would not
otherwise have been called back. Alas
FOR these degenerate days in racing.
The fact the wrong man gave the signal, |
apd that the ''santiagero" whose official
position as starter gave him that
prerOg tive never gave the word wac
enough to trek up the race.
The boys were ca their mounts ready
ior Toe word. / came and they were
off. They used cir own switches, and
URGED tbs bay ard the sorrel without |
mercy TIL san tiaRero had not given |
he go" though, out mischievous boy
near.
Santiago L1roha, the owner Of the
little bay. called in vain TO hi boy to stop |
lnd come back. Then it was that Same, |
re insisted o. the proprieties of tina OF
,asion and fastened across the track Gt |
vas 1T the old Baker track and yell d |
It the boy to pull up. The boy did so,
sHd SO lost the race. So claim the |
riends OF his horse But the spirit of |
he occasion was SO strong in the young |
ockey that he could not withstand the |
emptation to GO in and win anyway
But he didn't. He came in bad second,
TX yards behind.
NotIme was kept.
Then followed q babel. Bets were
claimed and declared of and renewed IN
| breath. Frank Avila, owner of Els
rella, the big sorrel which won the
ace, claimed his cows End calves forth
With. LorCna declined 10 haad them
,ver. He wanted an official starter and |
proper. Then he would
louble 'h7 bet! So they fell TO disput-
ng. Friends OF the winner declared he
lad gone lame, and could not race again,
While in view of fair play the opposition
held the race should come off again.
Last night it's said, a new race was
nsda, for next Sunday.