The Washington times., 1938-03-19

bright and early one morning I
was sitting on the rail fence at
the track watching the workouts.
There were maybe 20 horses
on the track breezing halves and
quarters when all of a sudden out
of nowhere pops an airplane, fly
ing low. 1 spotted right away the
aviator was in trouble.
SHOWS HIS STUFF
Planes are common enough in
the air around a track and the
horses are used to 'em. But this
one was different. Down it dived,
lower and lower. There's a nice,
big patch Of level grass for ship
to land in at the track. But the
horses didn't like a ship so close.
I put my glass on one after an
other. Bolting, all Of 'en1.
One wild raceh horse broke
through the inside rail. Had to
be shot afterward. Tossed the
Jockey 20 yards. The plane came
down, almost on her nose. Forced
landing. Pilot okay. But by that
time the track was a melee OF
maddened thoroughbredS. Did I
say all? All but one. Yep.
I held my glass on that one nag
while grooms spilled out of the
stables and started the roundup.
He flew by me-that horse would
have run a 1880 mile at that clip
and I glimpsed the rider. Little
Gil, Of course. Holding that
scared colt like an admiral on the
bridge of q battleship.
No one in the stable saw it but
me. I said to Gil a little while
later, THAT was neat work, kid,
how'd you do it? With an animal
like Silver Prince under you?"
Silver Prince being a prime favor
ite for the Handicap.
SAVED THE HORSE
"Oh. me and the Prince are
pals" Gil said. II just talked to
him.
jackson Billings heard about
the incident from me. No one else
did. He nodded solemnly. "The
boy saved your horse, Mr.. Bill
ings," told him. Il won't forget
it," he said.
But even I was not prepared for
the way he remembered it. Some
folks will recall that there was
stir and a smell around the track
that year. Something about
sponges in horses nostrils, crook
ed work that started off the track
and got to some of the barns. The
morning of the Handicap I stopped
by the Skaters bungalow ano
found Gil almost crying.
They got Jimmy Bledsoe," he
walled. Ruled him off pending
this damn investigation. Think OF
it. The greatest Jockey that ever
lived-and now he can't ride Sill.
yer Prince"
GIL RIDES PRINCE
Tough break" I remarked,
and was trying to comfort the kid
when Mr.. Billings called to ask for
Gil. Gil went to the phone. He
came back, solemn as a young
gray owl.
I'm gonna ride the Prince" he
said soberly.
Well, there was the Setup. Sill.
yer Prince had been pegged down
to three to one in the future
books. The announcement of Bled-
soeS suspension shot the odds up.
And there was I, for the first
time in so years of chasing the
bangtails. right on the inside OF
real feedhoX info-I knew what
was what and why. BY the time
I'd cashed all my immediate as
sets I found myself holding close
to a grand. And every red nickel
of it went through the mutuel
wickets right on the nose-not Sill.
yer Princes nose but Gil Skaters
the kid Id seen come through in
a pinch.
Yeah, so I got a banholl now
The Prince paid $1760 in the ma.
chimes.
Yeah, something tells me ought
to quit while I'm ahead. But
Silver Prince will be galloping at
Churchill Downs next spring with
Gil Shatter having the boot or
him-So what the hell?
THE END