The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
NOTIONS OF RACE HORSES
HIGH-CLAss THORoUGHBREDs HAVE
PECULIAR TRAITS.
Equines Have Their Likes and Dis
likes-Advance Guard, Blues ana
Afrfcander I'm the List.

Nearly every race horse OF any preten-
sions to class has traits and characterize
tics just the same as a man. They have
their own likes and dislikes. just like per-
sons
I'm a race they will most likely show
some sign that to the initiated Will indi-
cate joy or chagrin. or augur of defeat
or victory
The speaker was a man who has been
connected with the racing game for twenty
years, says the New York Telegraph. and
who probably has known more race horses
In that time than any other. He IL close
observer OF them. In fact. he has 10 be
in his business.
Take old Advance Guard. for instance"
he said. There is one Of the gamest old
horses in the country. Did you ever notice
his ears during a racer Probably not, and
there are few who have done so. I have
seen him work them in a number Of races.
and after 1 once got on to the trick I
looked out for it. When he has some other
horse in front OF him he moves one ear
backward and the other forward. alterna-
lively. The moment he nails his horse at
that instant the ears remained fixed. one
pointing forward and the other laid back.
can verify 1T. Just ask Billy Shields.
FIGHT COMPETITORS.
There are horses which seem to realize
that they are In real battle when they
are racing. Why. old Juggler used 70 fight
the others coming down the stretch. He
would put his head around with his mouth
open and nip anything that came in his
way. He didn't care whether Il was q
~ -
He pulled Fred Taral of his mount at the
post one day when that jockey had posi-
ton on another horse near him He be-
lieved in trying to lessen the chances OF the
others against him. Elkwood was another
thoroughbred that did the same thing. II
1 remember right. jockey had sensa-
tional experience with Juggler In race.
The horse tried to bite him and the rider
was the story they told at the time. any
way. There are plenty Of horses which try
to kick the others at the post.
Sir Walter was a horse possessed OF
many peculiarities. He di dnot want a boy
who had ridden him once to do the trick
again. Sam Doggett broke him as a year
ling and rode him as a two-year-old and
after. Doggett got the idea at one time
that perhaps Sir Walter was not doing the
best he could for him and suggested that
another boy be tried on him-an excellent
plan.
OLD HERBERT HAS PET.
"Old Herbert has a number Of funny
| traits. One of them is his fondness for
| a little cob pony, which is ridden by Mr..
| Rollinss son, Herbert. after whom the
horse was named. Herbert is fonder OF
that pony than a young father is Of his
| first infant and If the pony is not taken
| to the paddock with the thoroughbred
| there's nothing doing. Herbert would prob
ably have flor might do something des-
perate. Well anyway, they don't run any
| chances as to what he might do. and when
| a race is to be run. with Herbert In ii, the
pony has to be around close somewhere.
comforter-like the woman who takes her
| female friend with her when she has to
appear at court trial. It's funny thing
| when the latter is warming up, trying to
keep up with his ieet-footed friend. II
looks like race between a river tug and
an ocean greyhound. Herbert, however, 10
not the only one that has to have an
equine friend TO lean on near race time.
BLUES is SOUR HORSE.
Miss Woodford knew perfectly well when
she was going to race. She learned 1T from
the fact that a muzzle was placed on her
the morning Of the day she was going to
race. so she would eat nothing IL the chance
should be given her. If she was feeling
well and apparently considered herself In
| fit condition for a race she would hold
out her head and allow the muzsls to be
placed on her without the slightest resist
ance. II she was out Of sorts II was
| hard to place the muzze on her, and the
| chances are she would be scratched or her
| owner would bet little on her. In the other
instance they would 60 down the line and
tip that she was all right and when she
was it was like being left fat legacy.
GOOD %es a aet oId Euru raes sr remind mn, me
the horse had habit OF quitting when an
other horse challenged him-in other words.
he has been quite cured OF this sulkinr
| habit or not did see him In one race al
Morris Park when he made game .
| finish under unfavorable conditions az q
horse ever did.
"Mr. vosburgh has stated that perhaps
| Blues disposition has been soureo by h:s
| defeats. And that may he the case. Eurus
| had a habit Of quitting I'm the stretch. and
| in the case OF Blues, IL was attributed
to temper. When the horse died, however.
it was found that the horse had been car
rying a tumor weighing something IKE
eighty pounds SO there was some excuse
| for his bad behavior.
PREFERENCE FOR JOCKEYS.
MANY Of the horses have a liking for
certain Jockeys. They Just seem to take
| to their riders naturally-a case OF love
at first sight. Hermis does not care for
any jockey much except Rice. OF course
the horse has known him more than any of
the others. Advance Guard is not regarded
as a particularly badly behaved horse, but
| he likes Odom to ride him. I suppose the
| horses and jockeys grow accustomed TO
each other and do not feel satisfied unless
| they are in one combination.
ION Suburban day i happened 20 stop at
the stall OF Africander. just before the
| big race was run. / had seen the horse
before on several occasions, but had not
| noticed anything particularly affectionate
about him. His rubber, or some stable boy,
was In the stall with the horse. He was
| saying Africander: Don't you care.
Don't you mind, old boy. You'll be all
right / didn't know what IL was all about
| Probably it just intended TO quiet the
horse, which appeared nervous, as most OF
them do under the circumstances. Any
| way Africander seemed TO appreciate IL.
for he would rub his nose against tie boys
face seeming TO recognize that an attempt
was being made show that he had one
good friend anyway, The horse appeared
unusually affectionate with that particular
boy"
| Laiofe Won the Game.