The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-25
QUEER BETTING SYSTEMS.
A Man Who Is Guided Entirely BY Names
In Backing Horses.

IN bdSkIng hOIScSs
Many men have funny ways OF trying
to pick the winners OF horse races. As
the Irishman said, "If there 10 anything
harder to pick than the winner of one
horse race, II is the winner of another"
Systems nnumersble have been invented
TO beat the layers OF odd at the races, and
tho inventora have started out with much
enthusiasm and money to put their sys-
TENS to practical tests, and they have In
vsriab bly, emerged from the smoke OF the
battle without either. Many OF them
aftorward have gone into the business OF
selling the right to use tho systems TO
unsophisticated individuals who nave no
systems of their own. II .s distinctly
contrary 10 the theory that human IN
telligence has advanced with the progress
OF civilization that men can sell methods
OF making fortunes without capital 10
other men. One would naturally suppose
that the victims would readily see that
II these sharpers had good way OF MAX
ing fortune they would not sell the idea
for little or nothing to others, but would
lose no time in reaping the benefit OF 1t
for themselves. But, as 4. Barnum
used to say, "the public likes TO be
humbugged. Mr.. Barnum died a rich
man.
James Gallus, young colored man,
has OF late been electrifyng the "Iender-
loin district" with display OF wealth
which he says he made at the races by
playing an origi inal system. James goes
altogether by numbers; this Is due
probably to the fact that he was formerly
a policy flend. He says that he has
noticed that the horses which win tho
majority OF the races are those which are
mum bered on the blackboard from one to
four. He says that no hss made COM
fortaDle living by taking advantage OF
this fact. According to James story, he
takes one OF these numbers and puts
small bet on the horse which carries IL.
III the animal wins, all Is well, and good
II the horse loses James bets on the horse
carrying the same number in the next
race, and should the beast fail to come
under the wire first, he puts still another
bet on the horse with the same number
in the following race, and so be goes on
until the number 10 at the head OF the
row hoisted on the black board at the end
OF race. he always bets enough money
on race TO cover any losses which he
may have suffered in previous races, and
leave him winner OF considerable
sum besides. James thinks his scheme a
fine one. 1t Is not absolutely original,
however, as many men nave studied the
mum bers on the black board before and
tried to follow them and pick winners by
doing so. James admits all this, but in
sists that their failure was due to their
not being persistent enough.
There is another man who visits the
racetracks occasionally who goes alto
gether by the names OF the horses. 1his
man does not pretend TO have any knowl-
edge of the horses or their breeding, nor
to know the difference between horse
owner like August Belmont, and one
like William Callous DAILY, or between
Jockey like Littlefield and one like Taral.
He says he has noticed that the names
of many of the horses are Characteristic
OF some trait which they possess.
Such a name as the Winner, for In
stance, would indicate that the owner
of IL could beat the e-other- colts in the
stable. The Runaway, on the other hand,
would indicate that the animal which
bore II was a hard brute to control,
though having more than the usual
amount Of speed. One Love, according
TO the theory of this philosopher, would
be an animal which anybody should be
proud TO own. The Sirs have always
been favorites with him. He argues that
a colt would never be named Sir this
or Sir that unless IT. possessed some noble
characteristic. For the same reason he
has a liking for such names as Peter the
Great and Henry of Navarro. A name like
Birdcatcher throws this man into an
ecstasy of delight. TO his mind horse
with such a name can run fast enogh TO
catch the biros Of the air. "Uncer-
tainty" would clearly show to his mind
that the horse with that name was not
to be depended on. Rapidan on the other
hand, must necessarily be a runner from
way back This quaint person has also
weakness for funny or odd names.
Buckjumper he would consider an ami
NAL which was given to buckjumpiDg
rather than to running. He would glory
in such a ma ne as Fleetwing. He made
a big winning once by backing the Fly
ing Dutchman.
Bustup might be a good horse, but
this man would not back him because
he could not determine whether the
name signhed that the animal would
"burst up" the pocketbooks of the
"bookies" or those OF the deluded per-
sons who backed him to win. He in
dulges in his proclivity OF trying TO
pick winners largely in the colt races
in the spring of the year, and while he
has not bscome wealthy, he is strongly of
the opinion that he has not lost any
more money through following his sys-
TEN than he would have done by follow
ing somebody elese's. He declares that
at any rate ne has had lots OF fun and
furnished a number Of hesrt-burning
Surprises for his friends. IN. Y. Tribune.