Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
T0UTED THE WINNERS


"a few horsemen with whom am ac-
quainted out at Benning subjected me to
considerable raillery over an experience I
had at that track on Saturday last, but 1
really can't see why the laugh isn't coming
my way" said a former representative in
Congress from Kentucky, a wealthy man
who is becoming wealthier all the time In
private business enterprises.
"On Friday night. pretty late-near clos
ing time. in fact-I returned to my hotel
from the theater. and dropped into the bar
to have a nightcap. There was only one
other man in the cafe at the time. swell
looking chap in dinner clothes. He was
about the last man in the world whom I
should have taken for racing man. He
was seated at table. enjoying long nip
In front of him was the framed card Of
entries for the Benning races Of Saturday.
the next day. picked up the card and be-
gan to look it over. hadn't been to the
races. and determined, as looked at the
card. to go on the following day. I haven't
been devOtee Of the horse game for a
number of years, so that most Of the names
OF the horses entered were unfamiliar to
me. The bartender. with whom I am on
pretty chummy terms. pointed out what
looked to him to be number of good
things in the card, and then the fine
looking chap at the table Joined in, and
presently we were all three taking morse.
The language used by the fellow in dinner
toys was of the best-nOthing slangy or
horsey about 1t. Yet he seemed to know a
marvellous lot about the thoroughbreds. I
asked him If he was interested in racing.
He replied that he had been for a number
OF years more's the pity. and that his in
terest had cost him pretty penny. He
seemed such a clever, entertaining. yet not
talkatfve, chap, that when he asked me IL
l Intended visiting Benning the next after
M fN1d kI,-A
ton, and that I should be glad to meet
him out there and benefit by his seemingly
expert knowledge of the condition of the
horses. He replied that he would be ex-
ceedingly glad to help me along in making
my picks, and we parted
II went out to the track on a New York
avenue car. and on the way out my swell
friend of the night before whizzed by the
car In handsome automobile, with three
other fellows. I met him in the paddock
as soon as / arrived at the track. and we
exchanged greetings. I asked him for his
judgment as to the first race.
There's only one horse in IT, he replied
In a winning, off-hand way that impressed
me vastly. That horse is sails. He should
really win all by himself
Well. said I, I'm nightly obliged to
you for that suggestion. I'll go into the
betting ring and get a wager down on
Sais. Snail meet you here after the race
tom?
I'll be delighted to give you the best l
have in stock, SIR he replied cleverly, and
/ went into the ring and placed $500 on
Sais at to 1. The horse won very easily.
l was pleased at winning the nice wager
and | began to have a mighty high opinion
OF the good-lookng and well-groomed
chaps horse acumen. l found him in the
paddock directly after the race, talking
with number of STRENGTHENING stable
men.
You are good said to him. 4 dare
say you cleaned up pretty nobly on that
horses victory?
''Welt he looked somewhat downcast.
oh. no. he replied, in a frank way
that made hit with me. had not a
cent on the horse. I am on the ground
merely as spectator. was in poor form
at New Orleans. you see, and 1 lost close
to $4,000. So l am not betting and he
looked pretty blue over 1t.
well, l was puzzled. He didn't seem
the kind of a man to whom I, a compare
tive stranger, could offer financial aid with
out taking chance of being sat down
upon. Nevertheless. I determined to try
as automatically as I could.
My friend said I, drawing him away,
I earnestly hope that you will not con-
slider me presumptuous. But know what
miserable thing 1t is to be on a race
track without having wager down. Now,
your suggestion as to the horse Sais was
quite profitable to me, and, therefore. If
you would be good enough: to avail your
self of little loan, just temporary, you
i n.
u.s. I rather stammered toward the finish
of that speech. felt so cheap over the
idea OF suggesting a loan to SO swagger-
looking man. was pleased, consequent
ly, when he very reluctantly. as 1t seemed
to me, accepted the 500 bill which I
slipped into his grasp.
That is very thoughtful and consider
ate Of you. my friend he replied. a little
mortified, as 1t seemed to me, and
'' Tut, tut, interrupted. Now, what's
good in the next race?
oh, there's nothing to this race ex-
cept that Walden horse, Ffligree,' he re-
piled. It's spot for man to unload to
almost any amount
That's good enough for me- said to
him. and rushed into the ring and placed
$500 on Fil!gree at to B. Filigree won his
race with the most ridiculous ease.
well, sir, that clever acquaintance of
mine seemed almost to avoid me when
found him in the paddock. he looked SO
sheeoish.
"'Did you get even money against Fill
greer I asked him. Because l got to 8.
and the best saw at post time was to 5.
Sir he said to me. I am a dolt. I
knew that Filigree was simply bound to
win, but I couldn't accept the short price.
and played one of the other colts to finish
third. He ran last. I don't deserve a par
ticle of sympathy
'Tush.' said I, we all permit ourselves
to be touted on of things that we really
like at race track. l am going to insist
upon your accepting another small loan.
and slipped him another 500 bill, which
he accepted even more gingerly than he
had taken the other one. Put that on the
horse that you really like this time. By
the way. what do you likeT
oh, Days mare Torchlight ought to
win by the length of the stretch he re-
Piled and I went into the ring and bet
500 on Torchlight. getting the high price Of
500 to my 500. Torchlight walked in as
the horsemen say.
Il was on my way back to the paddock
to see my chance acquaintance with the
clever picking habit. when a couple of
horsemen, owners of strings quartered at
Benning and both Kentucky men whom I
have known for years, got around me and
began to guy me.
You're the first Kentuckian I've seen
for years. one of them said to me. who
didn't know tout when he saw him three
miles through fog
Il was mystified until they both told me
that the chance acquaintance with whom
they had seen me in earnest conversation
before each race was one of the most noted
race touts in America chap who only
went after the big game and who made it
point to put four or five sizeable betters
on the four or five likely horses In each
race that struck him as having a chance
to win, and then coyly accepting loan
from the client whose horse had been vic
torfous. l had just happened, then, 1t
seems, to be the client to be put on the
right horse three times In