The herald., 1896-06-28

some inconvenience when he makes
wager. His idea of hoodoo Is to talk
to any one after the horses have faced
the starter at the post. He usually
picks secluded spot in front of the
members stand and watches the race in
silence. II the horses and Jockeys are
not fractions and the start is made in
short time, it is an easy thing for Mr..
Vanderbilt to ward off the hoodoo. But
in race that takes twenty or thirty
minutes to make the start it is quite
difficult matter for him to ward off the
enemy. Some one is sure to stroll his
way and engage him in conversation.
1t is contrary to human nature to be on
speaking terms with Vanderbilt and
not let him know you are living when
you see him. For this reason Mr.. Van
derbilt is certain to be overtaken by
many gossipers. or course, he is never
impolite enough to avoid an acquaint-
ance. He takes his medicine in good hu-
NOR and tries again on the next race
His secret leaked out on the first day
of the Morris Park meeting. After the
second race he walked toward a group
of friends on the clubhouse steps, and
one of them said:
Did you win, Vanderbilt"
mo; that chap who talked to me dur
ing the race cost me $500. 1 had $100 on
that 4 to 1 horse. but l never can win
when any one talks to me-
1t was a great blunder for the mil
lionaire to confess his weakness. His
friends have taken advantage of 1t,
and whenever a race is on one of them
will say: Watch me make Vanderbilt
lose his hundred" Then he goes over
and insists upon talking to the victim.
AN EMERALD HIS MASCOT.
George e. Smith better known as
Pittsburg Phil. the immediate predeces-
sor OF Grammar In the premier plunging
business, has very mild superstitions for
a man who makes such big bets. He is
hard-headed and practical in every
thing, and believes that success in the
betting ring does not depend upon luck,
but upon knowledge, industry and a mi
mute acquaintanceship with all the con-
ditions governing a race. Smith for
many years was the leader of the rail
birds. "The latter are the men who hug
the rail and watch the horses at work
early in the morning, and in the limber-
ing up gallops in the afternoon. Smith
makes his bets on the form shown by
the racers, and relies absolutely on his
own Judgment as to whether horse is
in winning form.
His favorite position during a race is
just to the left of the judges stand.
Standing close to the rail, he has almost
as good view Of the race as the judges.
Long experience has given him the fac
ulty of watching and noting the work of
each horse in the race. He has a fine
memory, and although forty fifty and
sometimes sixty horses may compete
during the afternoon, nothing escapes
him about their individual work.
Horses that finish in the ruck and which
are ignored by the average bettor are
remembered by Smith, and generally be-
fore the season closes he makes a big
haul on them. He knows when they are
ripe and when the conditions of the
race should suit them. Smith always
wears an emerald pin in his scarf, and
his friends say that he invariably rubs
1t with his hand before a race. Whether
n does 1t for mascot purposes is a ques-
ton.
SHEEDY'S ALL OR NOTHING.
Pat Sheedy, the biggest gambler of
them all, has only one popularity on the
race tracks, and that is to bet every cent
he has in the world at one time. Pat has
the greatest contempt for what he calls
door mat" gamblers-that is the little
bettors who dribble out their money in
many bets. Sheedy glories in the rep
utation Of being broke oftener than any
other professional gambler living. Heis
in debt nine days out Of ten, but long ex-