Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
By Clarence L. Cullen.

that he had gathered himself together
for his run. There was a cry of dlSnfay
that heightened into groan among the
Zoroaster people when Daingerfield grad
ually closed up the gap and got his muz-
zle at Zoroasters saddle skirts. From
that point 1t was a horse race between
the two that caused men and women alike
to Shrek like savages. Daingerf1eld
ranged alongside ZorOaster well within
the sixteenth pole. and then down to the
wire they Numbered like one horse. In
the very last jump the tigerish Danger
field nodded down first. mailing the race
by face, as we Significantly an inch
or
phil climbed down from his stool and
started away with little smile at the
corners of his mouth.
Don't forget that you're into me flf-
teen hundred, PHIL Rose called after
him. You'd have been burned at the
stake for a wizard a few hundred years
ago.
There's plenty of this side-betting still
going on during the running Of races. par
ticularly at the points where the layers
and their crews watch the contests. Some
of the sharp-eyed chaps employ the side
betting scheme when a race is nearly
over as means of picking up soft money
from casual racegoers. They're good at
picking the right one when the real fight
begins at the beginning of the run for
home. They operate all over the track.
in fact. and their possession of field
glasses and their knowledge of the way
to use the glasses gives them distinct
bulge on the caSuals with whom they
make these side bets.
lone of these smart ducks with
knack for calling the turn will set along
side some chap who looks like favorite
player, as most of the occasional race
goers are. The favorite. we'll say, is
gets off in front. and when he heads
down to the top of the stretch the chap
who has been selected as mark by the
smart fellow with the glasses begins to
howl joyously.- The smart fellow sees
the favorite is weakening
80 The one in front is running for
Sweeney he says out loud. I'm there
with to 5 against that one-2 to :. for
that matter
For how much?' quickly sticks in the
joyous chap who's on the favorite. biting.
He sees with the naked eye that his
horse is still out in front, and die can't. of
course. see that his horse is showing
signs of logging it.
'''Oh. fifty for twenty-five or a hundred
for fifty. If you want it, says the smart
one. and nine times out of ten the casual
racegOer. taking another hurried look to
note that the favorite is still leading, will
more than gobble this bait.
you're on says he, producing his
bankroll. and the bet is made. 1t is
hardly made before the favorite backs
into the bunch and the good thing who
has pitted his inexperience and his I'M
/ aided vision against experience and pair
of strong field glasses has to go into his
jeans for the amount of the lost side
bet.
"Of course, these crafty manipuators
of the side bets have to wait for races in
which it appears that they'll be able to
hand themselves a shade, as we say, but
there's always something doing for them
on each days card. They can work the
dodge the reverse way just as easily.
THE excited casual racegoer. say, I'M
belts on a favorite that is a slow begin
ner. or one that likes to be placed in q
race and that always comes from behind
to win. AS the field gets to the far turn
with this favorite still away back in the
bunch the inexperienced chap begins to
lose heart. The occasional at the race
track, you know. wants to see his horse
away out in front from flagfall to wire.
When still away back the casual reaches
| the fingernail-biting stage and inwardly
curses his luck for landing dead one.
| He doesn't see. what the experienced men
with the glasses can easily see. that the
| favorite is merely gallopinE with his head
| away up and his tail swishing, and that
the boy hasn't begun yet to let the horse
| down.
| .'.Well the favorite's a goner,' the dis
| heartened casual is pretty apt to say. or,
| if he doesn't nudge the situation along by
aying it, the smart chap who is along
| side of him let's out some crack about the
/ likelihood of the favorite winning yet,
| not making it strong enough. however, to
arouse any dormant hope in the bosom of
| the depressed casual.
| I'D be wiling to take to I against
| that favorite yet-he's got just a bare
| chance is about the way the smart guy
| puts it,
The gloomy casual. who has perhaps
| taken even money against the favorite,
will jump at this chance to hedge nearly
| every time.
We'll, I'll give you 3 to L. he says
eagerly. seeing his horse still taking the
| doing their dandiest at this stage of it.
| How much dye want at 3 to ~
| And thus that kind of a side bet is
| made and the terms of IL are hardly out
| of the mouths of the side bettors before
| the slow beginner or stretch-finiShing IA
| to the front in about a dozen strides. wn-
ing on the bit: a probability that the
| smart duck has. of course. been able to
| measure from the time the field hit the
far turn.
| Its still easier for the side-betting
sharps with knack of picking out soft
marks to get action in their line on
| steeplechase events. Some plug that
hasn't chance in the world for any part
| of the coin goes out to make the run
| ming, and even at the end of a mile. say.
has long lead that looks fine and dandy
| to the OccasiOnalS. who stand around