Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-10

making no move to let his son know that
he was then at the critical stage of the con-
test, and the lad. all ready to loosen his
wrap on Vendetta. took another brace on
his horse content to stride along fully six
lengths in st. Anthony's wake.
Rounding the first turn by the stables.
however, a lot of stable men and boys at
the fence, began to shout at Weber. go on,
Johnny, you're on the last lap! Let go that
horses head, you little rascalr' and more
that was not entirely complimentary to the
jockey which would not look well In print.
Andy Mccarthy, on St Anthony, also
heard the shouts, and turning in his saddle
realized little Webers mistake at the same
time that the latter's dad" did his. Then a
sight was witnessed. comical enough to
those not immeditey. interested, but of
heartbreaking Intensity to those who had
their collateral at stake.
Just as Mccarthy, now at the half-mile
pole, began to hand ride" the Saint, fur
Their increasing his lead on Vendetta, tall.
Iong-legged Peter Weber started on a dead
run across the field toward his son, shout
ing at the top of his voice. Go on, Johnny!
You're on the last lap!'
BY this time Vendetta was all OF ten
lengths behind st. Anthony and less than
half a mile to go. But as soon as little
Weber realized his fathers error he set
ing the gap at every stride. In the next
quarter Of a mile he shut up half the gap
and the two horses rounded into the home
stretch with four laps separating them.
st. Anthony's Vendetta.
The way Vendetta closed on st. Anthony
between the heaG Of the short stretch and
the wire emphasized the irony of fate that
turned certain victory into defeat simply
through the unaccountable forgetfulness
of the formers owner
At the last sixteenth Vendetta was with
in two lengths Of st. Anthony and fifty
yards from home got to his tail. amid the
kHA md
ertions in closing the big gap SO suddenly
now began to tell. and he ''hung'' a bit.
though sameiy closing inch by inch.
goal. with both jockeys riding all they knew
how. St Anthony was firing fast. but
Mccarthy held him together. and, with
Vendetta's head at st. Anthony's saddle
skirts, they dashed past the finish with
the crowd in q pandemonium OF excite
ment.
Some of the spectators Kissed Weber and
Vendetta as they came back to weigh, and
Judge Wheeler called the boy into the
stand before he officially confirmed the re-
suit. But after examining the young jockey
and his father. the officials were satisfied.
and indicated the honesty Of the Webers
by letting the matter drop.
But Knapsack Mccarthy. Andy Mccarthy;
the formers two friends, who had backed
st. Anthony for him, Jack Splan and the rest
Rugged one another in delight at their
good fortune. For only the luck OF
Weber's mistake gave their horse the
laurels from Vendetta. who could not have
lost had he been sent along sooner.
Knapsack McCarthy's two hackers won
$4,000 on the race. which they cut IN
two," giving him one-half. The $l,UOO purse
was given to Jockey Mccarthy, and the
trotting horse men were happy family
indeed. 1t was Knapsack McCarthy's only
coup of any size with the runners, and ne
shortly afterward quit the bangtaifs and
returned to his first love-the trotters. The
last time saw him was at one OF the
horse shows In Madison Square Garden,
Of the village farm trotters In the arena.