The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-27

Much After the Race ~ Bef0re-ln-
genlous Combinations Figured Out by
Bettors-Not OFTEN Profitable, Though.
sNo horse ever yet ran fastor than nature
intended II should because OF the name
some owner selected for registry with the
Jockey Club" said a d~isgruntled mar who
played Dandelion to win the Metropolitan,
and was still sore because the horse ran
second. Look at thar lawn covered with
dandelions, Did any one ever see so many
dandelions at Belmont Park before'
wasn't that a legitimate bunch II ever
there was one2 Can o figure out how
Dandelion could possibly lose? And can
you understand how that grand stand
full OF dope fiends could fail to back Dande-
lion to win?
yet a selling platter named Grapple-a
name which cannot be figured out az any
kind OF hunch o along and cops
the beautiful Dandelion. III never again
play a horse because Of its name-rever,
shelly me, never. I'm through, I don't
care what names the NUTS race under,
they've got TO show me before III back EN-
again"
And the ~disgruntled person settled back
INTO IS COTntT us ll6 ldNC "a up
for Jamiaca. Then, after a long pause, he
continued: j
There's millions lost every year by
these bunch fiends who think only OF names
and not Of past performances. have been
one of the foolish ones, but no more for me
Il nave gone to the track looking for
lunches. | nave sunk wad after a
in the vain pursuit of lunches. And when
/ saw that beautiful lawn at Belmont to-
day fairly reeking with yellow dandelions
Thought sure / had At last COPIED out
the real bunch of my life, at 20 to 1. But
no: the bunch was beaten by a selling
platter.
sThere as Jersey Lady in the third race.
too. Now. what else could Jersey Lady
mean but Mrs. Langtry? And once upon
the mutt wa named. In fact, l had even
done a tidy stroke Of business with her
that netted me a few thousands, 3
Sentiment and loyalty impelled ME to
play fifty on Jersey Lady. 1t seemed like
4 sign post from heaven sent down to in
dictate to me the horse l must play. 1
blush to designate the exact place where
Jersey Lady finished in the ruck.
Then there was Sonoma Belle the other
day. I've Just moved into a new fiat house
called the Sonoma, and the very, day. So
nom Belle was entered. the electrician
called to fix my bell. Hunchp Well, I
fairly few toward the ferry to be sure
and get to Belmont Park in time for that
race.
"All the way l was spending that money.
Then the ponies started, and Sonoma Belle
proved a sure enough ringer, for it didn't
make any noise when it came along seventh
or eighth in the procession.
Talking of Sonoma Belle reminds me
Of another grand bunch that went wro ng
two years ago at Sh~eepshead. Remember
Sheriff Bell, the fine old selling plater that
won so many races hat year? Well,
Sheriff Bell was my choice on form any
how, but on the way down to the track
columns on the first page about the riots
in Colorado.
The dispatches said that the Governor
had just placed Sheriff Bell in charge of all
the National Guard troops on duty at Cripple
Creek. Say, l Just naturally hid that paper
from the crowd on the train for fear some
of the other regulars would read about
Sheriff Bell and force the price down to
odds on.
Some one had been reading about Sheriff.
Bell that day, and every one at the track
seemed certain the old selling platter would
win. ! He was backed down from fours to
4 to g, and l played a hundred of my
hard earned coin on the Sheriff.
But what's the use? Subsequent events
ton between n racehorse named Sheriff
Bell and an individual two thousand miles
away, In the cold light of reason, whatever
made me think hat horse could win just
because a sheriff with the same name figured
in the news?
Spent a month that year up at Lake
Sunapee, New Hampshire. When l came
back for the Brighton meeting there was a
two-year-old named Sunapee about to start