The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-15

la Stakes. Thomas w. Lawson, the Bcs-
ton millionaire, had his great trotter Bor-
alma entered for that event and the
horse was favorite. While some CT the
heavy SPECTATORS were purchasing polls
Srnathers- announced in the ring that he
would bet $4,000 on the field at even
money. This declaration caused a com
motion The hackers of Boralma met and
consulted, and finally decided TO accept
the def Several of them contributed the
| amountn AIMED, and the wager was made.
baralma won, but Smathers was appar-
emily concerned by the loss, and talked
and chatted with his friends as if the
| incident was not worth remembering. a
year later ne had his revenge by defeat
/ ing Boralma with his horse Lord Derby
| and winning $4,000 in stakes nd bets.
When this sportsman believes horse
can win there is practically 10 limit TO his
! confidence. on any horse that III owns
and which he believes can defeat his op-
ponent he will bet a fortune. He is
without question the greatest plunger OF
\ the eIa--a turf Spectator without COM
par.son- Such noted bettors as Pitts
burg Phil" John Ryan. John a. Drake.
! NJ. r. Dwyer and "Plunger'' Walton are
! Of minor class. When n. +. Dwyer
! bet $4,000 TO win 5000 on Joe Cotton at
/ Sheepshead Bay the wager was heralded
! broadcast throughout the continent. and
! MP. Dryers marvellous control of his
countenance and feelings when the horse
won by a short head was duly commented
upon But this wager was a piker's bet
when compared to the 900 that Smath-
ers bet on his Lord Derby last summer
against Boralma- He bet this enormous
sum TO win s31, CO., as Lord Derby was a
hot fayorite as the average odds of to TO-
Before the match was started Smathers
called the auctioneer OF the pools aside
and told him that he would take Lord
Derby in every pool made on the match.
There were many hackers of Boralma,
and as fast as they made an offer the
bid was accepted and the Lord Derby end
OF the wager recorded in Smather's name.
The auctioneer's tongue appeared to
swing or swivel so fast were the bets
called off, and the fingers Of the clerks
became numb from recording the bets
At the close Of the transaction when the
total was footed up 1t was found that
Smathers had bet $9S.ooO against $1,000.
1t is a common sight to see him walk
calmly into the betting ring Of a race
track and bet from 5000 to $4,000 a race
On his own horses he frequently places
wages Of $4,000 and 5000. /
It IS a Common sight to see him walk
calmly into the betting hing of race
track and bet from $500 to $1,000 on a |
race. On his own horses he frequently |
places wagers Of $500 and $4,000
Much depends on the odds offered. He |
does not confine himself TO bets on the |
favorites, but accepts readily all kinds /
of prices offered from l to Y and 10 to 1. I
His largest winnings this year were made I
on his thoroughbred McChesney. when /
the great son of MacDuff won the Har-
lem Handicap early this spring. Nc
Chesney's victory netted him $50, go 'Kid"
Weller, the Chicago bookmoi-er handed
over to him after the race check which
called for So 50o-the largest check ever
paid to an individual in settlement of
bet made on a race. The remainder of
the $4,000 was split up among several
other booi1makers. after the judges had
declared McChesney the winner of this
event he celebrated the result by prodigal
tal1er of the horse. To Sam Hildreth he
gave $3.50 and to Charlie Gray, the jock
ey. So 600. To the stable foreman he gave
$500. To David, the man who "rubs" Nc
Chesney. 500. and to the exercise lad who
rode the horse in the gallops, slo9
Mr. Smathers owns nearly fifty horses
Of all descriptions, including thorough
breds. trotters. PAGERS, hackneys. cobs.
driving and carriage horses. lie was as
ISOLATED with the light harness horses
long before his advent among the thor
oughbreds. From the very first. one idea
in his mind about horses-to Sc
cure the best and fastest that money
could buy He has adhered to this view
from the beginning to the end of his
purchases. No horse IS too good for him
and no price too high. He recently paid
S4O. Goo for Major Delmar. the champion
.rotter. who recently turned a mile in
two minutes. During the early months of
asst winter he startled the thoroughbred
world ~ purchasing McChesney while he
was racing at New Orleans for $1,000
The next day he added Dick Bernard,
wo-year-old to his string on payment of
Z 600 dollars These two horses formed
he nucleus OF his thoroughbred racing
stable.
It was with Dick Bernard that he made
lis first attempt for fame On the turf
n his tan colors the colt started at New
orleans and won the Premier tSakes. Mr.
smathers did rot witness his horses sue
ess. but ne sent a Iaree commission into
he ring and more than won the colt out :
irst time j.
Although he has many good horses. :
here Is one dear 10 his memory. This =,
vas sammie. the first good horse that h !,
Yer owned. 4
Simmie had a record Of 2:i4it and 20
DR. srnathers. who drove him on the =
Dads around PiJtsburg. he was a Won
er. This horses memory will live long
n Mr.. Smathers' heart
In Major Delmar he owns the fastest
rotting eclding in the world, and in Billy
Iuck the champion carpsigner OF the
eason The latter is a little four-year-
Ia gelding that sold for So a year ago
ie RAPIDLY came 70 the front as a trotter
nd was recently bought by Smathers
rom Ed Geers for $500.
In a short space Of two months. silly
luck has captured $4,000 n stakes. His
est record in contests is 2,o7. lat viewer
orsemen predict for him that he viii
each the two minute mark in two years. :
Srnathers purchased Major Deimor IN :
rder 20 compete With &. X c. Billings :
ne owner Of Lou Onion. the two minute !.
larc on the Speedway. lie and Billings .
re old rivals for Speedway honorS. When :,
GU Dillon smashed all records by ne :,