Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26

look pretty nearly as exhausted as the
jocks themselves by the time the horses
flash past the stand. and they never give
up riding their picks until the last jump
past the WIRE
Then there's the bunch of quiet and timid
rooters, who, lacking the courage to watch
around the bookmakers' stools, placed out
side the betting shed, for the purpose of
listening to the experienced bookies' COM
mentss while the races are In progress. The
layers stand on their stools with their field
glasses glued to their eyes, and they are so
seasoned at the game that most Of them
can tell which horse Is going to cop by the
time the field reaches the top of the stretch.
Ihere'S one bOOkmaper In particular whom
have never heard fail to call the winner
by the time the horses reached the stretch,
no matter how far behind the horse named
by him might be at that stage of the jour-
ney. This bookmaker has a genius for tell
ing by the way the leaders and the horses
in the second division are going which Of
them has got the most left for the final
sprint to the wire. and there is always
mob OF the nerveless ones huddled around
the legs Of his stool when the races are
being run. AS say. I've never yet seen the
time when the horse named by this keen
eyed pookie, no matter how far in the rear
ne might be, nor how much ground he had
to make UP, didn't leap out of the bunch
and make good the bookmaker's prophecy
so that the afraid ones gather around his
stool to learn their fate at the earliest nos
sible moment. Thus, they're content TO
watch the races by proxy, so to speak, like
the blind men who occasionally visit race
tracks with their attendants 1 often won
der why people of this sort go to the bother
and expense Of visiting race tracks at ali.
what's the use of visiting race tracks IL
you don't take peek at the races?
Most Curious Of All.
But the most curious people to watch on
race track are the pessimistic rooters-
those who by word or manner seem to root
against the horses they've picked and
played. They're all from Missouri. that
Klnd-you've got to show 'en. If the pessi-
mlst1c rooters horse Is ten lengths In the
ieao entering the stretch the rooter who
roots against himself remains dIsconsolate.
On, they'll get him. he says gloomilv
10 those around him. He'll chuck IL, ALI
right. Oh. yes. he's a block I'm front 7
know. but he'll come back so fast that hem
look like he's tied to q lamp-post. Sure 7
played him-thats just the reason he can't
win.'
Inc other afternoon I studied one NJ
these pessimistic chaps, and it was oueer m
see how perfectly miserable he succeeded In
making himself. He had a good bet down
INA ~, ~ 20 l shot In the last race. the Han->
uurs mare Alster that was played SO heav-
Hy, ana. turning into the stretch AIsfer
came bounding along, five lengths in front
dl never-stop clip that would have fold
cniid That she had no chance whatever to
lose unless she fell down. Everybody on
the stand and out In front was bawline
the mares name. but this man with the
money right In his mitt just couldn't and
Now. watch the skate curl I'D and ex-
plode ne croaked dfsmalIy. She's Just a
four-husher and a morning glory, that's ali
she is-one o. these four-iegged shines
Uh-huh. ye-eh, she's keeping her lead ali
right. but she'll be looking for a hole In
the fence in few seconds. She can't stay.
Um-ye-eh-it looks as If she ought to con
now, with five lengths the best of 1t at the
eighth pole. but wouldn't be s'prised to
see the mutt fall down. 1t ,ud be just like
her. Can't tell me that I'm in for any
such luck as lighting on a 10 to 1 shot-not
much. I'd be falling out o. bed If / en-
tertained any such pipe notion as that
When Alster bounced past the judges
stand. after making an exhibition of her
field and winning, pulled up by eight
lengths, the gloomy rooter against himself
was still shaking his head.
oh She'll be disqualified, all right, for
some reason or other-for being short of
weight. or something: you can't tell me
that they won't take her number down.
Too Good to Be True.
''Of course, there was no complaint on
the part Of any Jockey in the race. which
had been most truly won- The boys all
weighed out without any hitch. and the red
board OF confirmation went up.
:" sUm-weil, It's about 8 to / that that
boolrfe made the bet with has already