The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-04-30

the United States in the Spanish American war; I had to share that one with six other fellows.) People wrote letters and sent wires to con- graduate me on choosing Omaha and I loved it. I read the letters twice and filed the wires in my memory book, alongside the theatel stubs, dance programs, and hail ribbons.
 Picking a winner pleased me SC much that I vowed to myself months ago, that would do it again in the 1886 derby. And I also vowed that wouldn't depend on pure luck as I did in the Omaha business but would make it my task to learn so much about horses that this year it would simply be a matter of look ing carefully at each member of the field and then naming the finest specimen.
 I had no business picking Omaha I had already made Colonel Brad ley's Box Thorn my choice, and was writing a story about it when Col onel Joe Williams, sports editor o1 the New York World-Telegram and 8 former breeder of saddle mares suggested Omaha. Knowing thai Colonel Williams was mane over tail in love with horses, and was g great authority on them, switched .aIn VNnt hHtC
 So you see, a year ago l knew nothing. Now, I don't mind saying I know everything. About horses that is. For six months I have be. labored myself with facts about tht horse. I didn't hurry myself at first but started very gradually. The first thing I read was Black Beauty. From that I went to poetry, reading and re-reading "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" With this as background, I branched out into tht structure of the horse himself. The Encyclopedia Brittanica was my first step, and when I had finished witf the volume dealing with the horse CHA to HY) I not only knew about racing horses, but was ready to il, comfortably in any company where the ancestry of the Arabian stall lion, the horse power (per cubic inches) of the Percheron, or the courage of the Clydesdale, where common subjects for discussion.
 As for the racing horse, I know him from hook to witchers, and back again. The very fact that use such words as "hock" and "withers" is proof that I know the horse just as some men know furniture re-up- holstering, milk pasteurizing, and archery. But for the benefit of those who still might be doubtful of my command of La Horsee," as the French say, will tell you that a horses cannonbones should be sloping and his pasterns (same as withers) should be short. No, wait a moment, I'm wrong there. It's his croup that should be sloping and his Spavins that should be short.
 It is with this knowledge that shall name the derby winner. II won't be guess work. I won't fool around with past performances, con- dition of the track, ability to carry weight and that sort of sophomoric dilly daddle. To pick the winner ] will simply move from stable to stable giving each candidate what horse judges term the "once over and "double-o". I shan't allow the horses to see me, for as every ex- pert knows, a sensitive horse will move heaven and earth. and under go great pain, in an effort to con ceal defects from the eyes of judge One of the stories we experts like best to tell is of the three legged show hrose who, while being judged in the ring, insisted on lying down on it's side. He won blue ribboni three years ago before his fraud was discovered.
 When I finally announce my derby winner on Saturday you may rest assured that you're getting q horse which, even if he doesn't win, clos est resembles the animal described in the Encyclopedia. That alone. Il you're not a greedy person who bets in tho hope of winning, should be enough.
 ICopyTisht 1888 by United Pressj