The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-21
HORSES NOT IN IT
LITTLE JOE NELSON WON EIGHT
OUT OF TEN MILES.
ON SAVANNAH RACE TRACK
AGAINST TEN OF THE FASTEST
RUNNING HORSES.

1he Little Champion Had No TrOu-
BILE in winning Out. Though
Horses Always started Ahead of
Their ReIays-Tracl< Was Very
Rough and He Was Nearly BOunc-
ed Out of the snddIe-The Fifth
Mile knocked on in / go.
Urged on by the shouts of excited
men and women, who stood in the
grandstand at the race track yesJer-
day afternoon. Joe Nelson Of Newark,
n. j., the Flying School Boy, rode a
remarkable race against ten running
horses and smashed all previous rec
ords for competitions of a similar
kind.
But for the enthusiasm of the spec
tators it is doubtful if Nelson would
have been able to keep up the killing
pace that he was forced to maiatein.
AS it was the plucky little fellow came
near dropping his cork several times
during the sensational race. Almost
whenever he forged ahead of a horse
a fresh animal started from 100 to 200
yards ahead of him, and he was re-
quired to take on new energy and beat
the last pony to the wire. The horses
always started in the lead. and yet
only twice did any of them ever 50
under the wire ahead of the game
youngster. who was following in the
wake of the White Ghost.
Prince was delighted at the perform
ance. So were the spectators and
there is no disputing the fact that the
race was well run and well earned,
little Nelson beating every horse to
the wire but two-the first and ninth
miles-and winning the race with all
ease.
Was Great Race.
For this race a space four feet wide
next to the pole was foated and rolled
with a heavy iron roller drawn by
mules, and though It was made as
smooth as possible it was rough road
for a bicycler and there were many
who thought the little rider would not
be able to hold out the terrible pace
set him. Endurance and speed tri-
umphed, however, and he won a great
race. The yOungster however was ali
in at the finish. The horses were the
best that could be secured and were
ridden by experienced Jockeys Not
only did Nelson beat the horses on an
even footing, but he practically won
by mile or more as no horse pick
ed up" his relay as he should, and but
few of them went beyond the half
mile before they were relayed by an
other animal that always started ahead
of Nelson from 100 yards to an eighth
of mile. Despite all this the Flying
School Boy won out.
Previous to starting the race Nelson
warmed up in hot two-mile ride be-
hind his motor. and had a rub down.
Again after coming out for the race he
went mile at fast clip, and then
began the race. The first horse got
away when Nelson was a sixteenth Of
mile from the wire, thus putting the
midget nearly a quarter of a mile in
the rear Despite this he gained rap
idly and was beaten by only a hun
dred Yards
The second mile was begun by the
horse again getting away before Nell
son had scored and fully an eighth of
mile ahead of the coming horse Nell
son, however, caught and passed him at
the mile and a half and won out by a
good sixteenth.
The third horse also got away well
in advance of Nelson. but the plucky
rider nipped him at the three-eighths
and was leading at the half when an
other horse picked him up. This change
did the horse no good for he was beat
en- out by full eighth of a mile.
Rclayed Every HnIf Mile.
From this on the horses reIaved
every half mile, each and every one of
them starting ahead of the boy at
from a sixteenth to an eighth of a
mile, when they should have waited
and picked up the horse which was
always behind. In only one other mile
did horse score at the tape ahead of
Nelson. and this was in the ninth
mile when he was beaten out by about
Is yards
The tenth and last mile was started
with the horse a good hundred Yards
in the lead. but he was easily passed,
and the last horse relaying at the half
cut but little figure in the race, Nell
son going by him at the three quarters
and winning easily by seventy-five
yards.
Nelson's pacing machine, the White
Ghost worked well. and the little
fellow tackled onto it as If he were fast
ened there. He never swerved from
his course and at no time did he vary
six inches in his position. The machine
was ably handled by Charlie O'Neil OF
TINS city and was kept as close to the
pole as possible.
Fifth Mile in 1 go.
All in all, it was one of the greatest
races the little fellow has ever ridden
which is shown by the rough condition
of the course and the time he made
in each mile, the fastest time, LEO
being made in the fifth mile, and the
slowest, 1852, in the first mile This i.
remarkably fast time for a dirt track
The following is the time made in
each mile and shows at what a clif
Nelson reeled off the distance:
- ,iiAiN 49, - $500 .'.'.. /. o.
SECOND mlle .''''.... ..............1:4i
Third mile ........ 1 .9S
1oul III iulle .'......... .............1. Y
Fifth mile ... ,.,. 1.2t
Sixth mile - .. 1 z.
Seventh mile ..... - IA,
Eis1lth mile .......... ..............1:3 81
.Nihtn hlle go. ..........-.,........1 i: =.
1elth Hllle ............. ............1: 81
ANe@i 'iine -.......''. ............ IA. 4,
Nearly Bounced Ont of snddIe.