The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-07
EquipoiSe Real
Turf Gentleman
BY MAX RIDDLE
MA Service Turf Writer

CHICAGO. Sept. There were
~ a lot OF people at the Cicero
station TO greet him. A buzz Of COM
ment that went Up irked some Of
the attendants OF his car. But the
visiting celebrity remained calm
and. when the train rolled 70 a
stop. Equipoise. the gentleman,
stepped lightly down the runway.
That action should help 70 explain
why the c. Y. Whitney horse is
just about the classiest thorough
bred to face a barrier in many years.
A race horse even in its calm mo-
ments may seem nervous 70 strang-
ers. But not Equipoise. A long
train ride and the occasion Of a
high-stake race confronting him
disturb in no way his even temper.
Once in the stable 'Ekky" makes
himself az home. He is mildly in
terested in the wOrshipping gaze
from the crowds that examine him.
And those big. understanding eyes
stray now and then 70 a little dog
that keeps him company.
The son Of Pennant-Swinging
takes his training routine like a
gentleman. Unlike the mine-run
of race horses. he works out in the
second training divisional 3 o'clock
rather than a start at daylight.
TRAINER HEALY. to whom part
Il Of the success Of EquipOise IS
due. is content TO give his mighty
charge several miles Of slow Jogging.
with an occasional sprint. He is
then cooled out"
This cooling out process consists
of efficient stable bOys-there seem
to be a million of them willing 70
wait on the king-working the sweat
from his sleek hide. They battle
him. and then rub him down with
bigeloil.
He is then carefully examined for
any possible bruises. Recently he
suffered a bruised heel, which
caused his withdrawal from a Sara
toga classic. That heel was doctored
as carefully as a kings medical ad-
wiser would administer to his majes-
tvs rheumatism. Cotton was placed
in the foot TO absorb the strain Of
standing on it in the stall His legs
were then wrapped in cotton and
lightly bandaged.
Then the greatest weight carrier
since WhiSkbrJJEl II gets his face
washed. This operation is similar to
that performed on any little boy
except that Ekky can take it better.
A stable attendant spOnges his nose
and eyes. and he is ready for the
feed bag.
HERE again EquipOiSe proves
H himself a gentleman of good
manners. Where they had to put a
bit in Man O. Wars mouth to keep
him from boiling his food. Ekky S
trainers don't have this worry.
The horse is fed ten quarts of
oats a day. plenty of carrots and
a large bundle of special hay. He
is not heavy eater, and is gifted
with excellent teeth. This, coupled
with the fact that he eats slowly.
makes it unnecessary to chop I'D
Equipoise's food.
OF course, his oats must be
cleaned, and Trainer Healy puts
them through a blowing process
which frees them from dust and
dirt. Because Of his unusually good
digestive system. it is not necessary
TO feed him horse maSheS.
IN contrast to Equipoise's calm
Il outlook on life, consider:
Diamond Jubilee. England's great
horse, was a terror to all trainers.
He finally became so bad that he
could no longer be trained
The Darb-a fragile horse, easily
upset, easily worried and Eighty as
they make them
Sweep All-had to be worked
nearly to death in order to be in
shape for a race.
Equipoise has none of these
characteristics. He does know
however. the day on which he is to
race. That day, beginning with ex-
cited chatter of the stable boys, the
critical glanceS of the trainers and
the general atmosphere around the
stable gets into his blood. He's
keyed inwardly, to get out there and
show his heels to the rest of the
field
After he dOeS-and he has in
seven straight races this year-he
pranceS up to the judges stand, re-
ceiveS his garland of flowers with
Sonny Workman up there and,
casting his eyes over the crowd. re-
marks TO himself:
Well. there's a few more bucks
in the bOSS' pOckptS "