The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-06-12
DARK HORSES.
A Meaningful Americanism Much Used
at Present.


Much is heard of dark horses these
days, and most Americans understand
so perfectly what is meant by the tern
that few give a thought to the origin
OF this striking phrase.
Most authorities content themselves
with describing the term as "an Ameri.
cansm springing from the racetrack
and adapted to politics" A story which
at least has the virtue of being explicit
gives a more entertaining explanation
According to an early political writer
who stands as authority for this YER
sion, the dark horse had its origin,
most approximately in Kentucky. In
the early days of the bluegrass state
nearly every town had its racecourse,
and racing meets were of frequent oc-
| cnrrence.
An old character named Judge NJ,
| Tllveigh, travelled about from one meet
to another, and was regarded as such
all honest and unprecedented person that
he usually was called upon to officiate
in the judges stand; hence his title.
Arriving at a small town one day, the
judge found the sportingly inclined di-
vided between two local favorites, on
which they were wagering all they poas
sessed. Horses were not registered then
as they are now. and no attention was
being paid TO black horse that had
been driven into town hitched to
buggy and had been entered in the con.
test. But Judge McIllveigh had seen
this buggy horse perform on other
tracks, and knew that. in present day
racetraek parlance, it was a ringer
II was not the judges business to in
terfere, but. when appealed to for en-
expression of opinion a. to the chances
of the favorite he replied;
Gentlemen, | suggest that you have
enough for supper. There's a dark horse
in this race"
The significance of his remark, &C
cording to the story. was lost on the To-
cal wise ones" with the result that
the owner OF the dark horse" carried
away all their money.
But the dark horse quickly became a
byword around Kentucky tracks, and
its application to politics was only
step.
Whether this story is truth or fee
tion, it is certain that the phrase was
in common use in American politics at
an early day. For instance, Herman
Eduard won Hoist, the German biog
rapher of John c. Calhoun. says:
Polk was what in the political slang
o. the day was known as a dark horse"
II the phrase really originated in
America it was quickly adopted in Eng
land, for Thackeray used it in his "Ad-
ventures Of Philip Philip remarking
in regard to talk about candidates for
Parliament:
'Why. bless my soul. he can't mean
me. Who is the dark horse he has in
his stableY"
II appears also in Disraeli's Young |
Duke" novel of great popularity in |
its day. A race is one of the incidents |
of the book, and the finish is thus de- |
scribed:
"The first favorite was never heard |
of, the second favorite was never seen
after the distance post, all the lotto /
ones were in the rear, and a dark horse |
that had never been thought of rushed !
past the grandstand in a sweeping tri-
umph."
Bryce. in his american Common
wealth." without attempting to trace
the origin of the phrase, thus explains
its significance:
"A dark horse is a person not very
widely known in the community at
large, but known rather for good than
for evil go. Speaking generally
the note of the dark horse is respect
ability verging on eolorlessness, a good
sort Of person to fall back upon when
able but dangerous favorites have
proved impossible New York Trib-
lne.