The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1907-05-17
4 WEIRD. RACING TALE
How a Horse That Couldn't Run
Came In a Winner.
PULLED OFF At GUTENBERG.

The Story Of the Way That Jockey
Hugh Penny Repaid On impseunious
Owner Who Had In Days Gone by
Helped Him ON In HE Career.
st. Louis, long a center for merzy-go-
round tracks, having at various times
fostered the East Side, Madison, Sports
mans park and South Side tracks, has
had many a weird racing tale unloaded
upon it. Stories of horses at the night
track being run in on the last lap un-
der cover Of semidarkness and the like
have been common.
Here's one, however, that comes
from the days Of the old Gutenberg
course, which seems able to hold it's
head up in almost any disreputable
turf company:
When prosperity commenced shining
on the Gut a little rat faced Jockey be-
gan to attract the attention Of men
who wanted to get their horses home
in 'front.' He was quick at tho post,
had fair judgment, did not know what
fear was and was willing to take all
sorts Of advantages, whether fair or
not. This was Hugh Penny.
Penny had another virtue that Is rare
in Jockeys In these days. He was
grateful. When he was making repu-
tation a certain owner went out Of his
way to give him a mount
:. This was the making OF the Jockey.
The experience he got on this mans
horses taught him a whole lot and
finally his services were In such de-
mand he was able to pick his own
mounts. Money was flowing into his
pockets. He wore diamonds, drove fast
trotte1 and was one Of the few visit
ors to the hill able to afford fur over
coats.
In the meantime the man who had
given him his start had fallen into
ruck and could not win a race. BE
owed every one who would trust him,
the feed box was empty. and his sta
BILE consisted Of one plug that could
run a bit In the mud, but on fast
track couldn't beat q ten-year-old
maiden.
This was the state Of affairs when
one night after the races he approach
ed Penny and asked him to ride his
horse in a six furlong race the next
day. "What's the use, Bill?" asked
the diminutive Jockey. HE can't run
fast enough to keep himself warm"
you're right Jock, but I've just got
to take a chance. I'm down and out,
and it is possible the old horse will be
lucky enough to squeeze into third
money"
The next day came. There was q fog
surrounding the course that you could
cut with q knife. In tact Il vas %
bad q bus1er went to the post with the
homes and with q loud blast announe-
q when The nag fell. There was not
q 1ooE Of he track that could b. sosn
from H. grand stand, and the Judges
had 30 leave tbo stand and % out On
tho tuck 10 tell which horse had Won.
A Penny va mounting hi9 horse. IN
IL paddock he was greatly excited.
'Hov much have you beef' no AK
a ths owner.
mot 4 cent, son." was DO sspH. II
haven't got 4 cent % bee'with, and, b.
e5dee, tho Old horse can't win
~Yes, he can" said Penny. 'Hsn
WIN By Z block. Here's . hundred.
Hurry up and ct It down"
Tho hundred wa bet, and tho horses
went 30 tho post In q TOW moments
there was a loud blast Of bugle, and
the race vas on. lt was q half mile
track, you understand, and the start
was about where tho mile and quar-
ter would be On q full mile track.
In q few seconds the splash Of
horses feet could be heard from the
grand stand and few shadowy forms
seen passing along the stretch. Then
every thlng was silent untn again came
tho faint patter Of horses feet These
grew louder and louder until finally
they were right In front Of the stand.
Then It was seen that one horse was
ten to fifteen lengths In front Of the
field. In a few moments It was an
nounced that Penny's mount was the
one that was 10 far In 'front.' and the
race was given to him.
Penny dismounted and made his way
back to the paddock. He did not have
q speck Of mud on his clothes.
1.-THE old horse was l. runner today,
wasn't he, 5ockT'
Runner nothing" answered Penny.
''Why, he couldn't run fast enough to
beat me-"
''How In blases did he manage 30
beat that field, thenr' was the query.
He didn't" replied Penny. \ stood
st1ll when tho Tag fell, and when I
heard The Geld coming after making
the circuit Of the tack drew the
whip on the old dog, and even then It
was all he could do 10 get home in
front"
And that was one way Of winning
races at the hilltop hack.-St Louis
Globe-Democrat
Antiquity Of Slavery.
Slavery is pretty nearly AZ old az the
race. It began 20 far back that the