Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02
By Clarence L. Cullen.

Let's see
fiat bet of $50 on each of Milers
mounts since the beginning of the Benning
meeting would have-er-
Um-ye-eh. The computation means
work, and we haven't much of a head for
figures, anyway
Moreover, what's the use?
out of the thousands of folks who went
out TO Bennng every day, how many &C
tualy did place fiat or graduated or any
old kind of bet on each and every one OF
Millers mounts throughout the entire meet
ing?
Oh there may have been one or two We
haven't cut the trail of anybody who &C
tually did it, but we're willing to concede
that there may have been one or two
If the one or two. or the few who actual
ly did it could be sprung we'd be willing
to wager that they didn't know the horses
that they We're not experienced pony bet
tors.
1t sounds powerful easy to talk about
your firm and immovable determination to
stick to the mounts of the swell jockey of
the season.
But If you're a sophisticated horse player
you'll find that the job of your life.
Speaking conservatvely, l suppose 1 know
personally at least two hundred Washing
ton chaps who before the Benning meeting
began swore horribly in their threats that
il was going to be Miller. and nary a page
OF dope Tor them throughout tHe meeting.
Me for the kid what is''was their way
Of putting it the meeting drew nigh.
Dope? You can have it. Miller for me.
He'll be riding against nothing but bunch
of shoemakers down here, and he'll fetch
all the wampum home. He's forty pounds
better than any tyke now IN the pisskin.
and he ride a Bladensburg goat and
show all the rest of EN- up when they're
on the best at the track Me to just sit in
the stand and look pretty, with all the kale
down on little Walter. No trouble at all
tit,,r Ilr,A hoo ict,1 ynSf
watching EN-, and playing Walter Watch
muh."
This is the way the wise ones talked.
Miller for them from soup to nuts. and
nothing but money for the coming days of
Yuie
1t sounded great! 1t spread. Everybody
got it. They were all going to stick to lit
tie Walter, Although | didn't say it out
loud, l intended to myself.
But did you hear the long. low. waling
chorus after each and every race every day
throughout the meeting. when little Walter
brought his horse home?
Dang that boy; he's got away from me
again. was the moan on every side.
When Miller brought the long ones home
in front they could only gasp and gursle
and lean totteringly against the rail and
gbber to themselves.
by me once morei' the determined ones
that were going to stick to Miller splutter-
ed sadly. Who'd a thunk that he could
ha brought that one home, and me-
They couldn't go on with it. Words failed
them.
Out of the whole crew of my acquaint-
ance who We're dead sure that they were
going to play nothing but Miller throughout
the meeting, not one-nary a one-stayed
with his determination. Most of them play
ed Mier's mounts occasionally-when they
figured, their line of dope, that Miller
was astrtde of the right one-but, as for
going right down the line b!indly on Miller,
they had firmly intended doing-there
wasn't n stiCker in the crowd.
The trouble was, you see, that they were
too sophisticated.
They knew much too much about the
horses. They had been with the game too
long The past performance habit had
them in its clutch. They frivoled too much
with the thing called the maturity of
chance. The boy was a great riding kid,
all right of course-nobody was denying
that-but. say, how could he
so little Miller's people are going to
put him up on dead ones, too. during this
the day of the Grand Consolation race.
Here they've got him the leg up on that
piece of Edam. Monfort Huh, Monfort!
You know that curd. hey? Can't beat a
fat woman with wash basket! And here
Millers riding that kind of thing. Nix
for mel OF course. l think the kid is
there with it, but Monfort, Lemme out
or the lawn l want some air.
Three minutes later Monfort had flashed
down to the tape about five lengths to the
nice. | found the chap who couldn't stand
for the Idea of Mier's manager putting
him on dead ones wandering off in shad-
owy corners of the paddock a few min
utes later. He was making strange and
ununcanny noises deep down in his throat
and his hands were weaving peculiar fig
in the air.
And | let 1t slide by me- he managed
to humble, like a man emerging from
great grief. when | nudged alongside and
begged him to cheer IN. LAS good rs II
to ! against it, and Miller up. and me on
record about staying with Miller from
up, red board down, paying off-hey, take
hold of my arm and walk me around here
for. little while until take brace. I'm
afraid to go back in that crowd just yet. l
feel Old
The days came and the DAYS went. and
Miller kept sinking by the stand with the
thing under him in front and not infre-
quently with the price against it good
one. and still the would-be Mllerites
mooched around the place looking dazed.
Onatas for example. pitted against
that luveliest Of ali the morning glorcs.
the sad ones the Belmonts have carried
HluUG during recent years. Still the book
los didn't give Onatas a chance against
Lord of the Vale. even with Miller mp, ana
If the C5alkers couldn't see it. knowing as