Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-03-01

to Knight Grants stable early this
day of the Santa Anita Handicap.
Clouds which had threatened rain
the night before had cleared.
even the weather is on our side, %
Slim enthused. Knight Errant
wants a fast track"
~ don't know how I'll live until
post time. Oh, Slim, it will be the
biggest moment of my life!" she said,
rapturously.
ooh, Slim, that reminds me. Arti-
chokes is coming down from the farm
today. I asked him to bring Coro-
nado's old racing saddle along. It's
the one Coronado wore the day he
won the Derby and the Hopeful and
others! Dan called it his lucky sad
| die.
cts only little think to ask"
Heather pleaded, "but 1 wish you'd
let him have it. Please, can Knight
Errant wear it today?"
what a little sentimentalist you
are" Slim laughed. "Sure, We'll use
it. We have the winner, Heather.
I've never been so certain of any
thing in my life"
They arrived at the stable and went
at once to Knight Grants stall.
While Slim felt the horses hooks to
make sure the bandages were wrap
ped tightly, Heather patted the
horses neck gently.
"I'm going to bet a whole lot on
you today, honey-twenty dollars!"
she murmured.
Knight Errant raised his right
front foot as if to say, "Shake pall''
Slim chuckled.
The other Santa Anita Handicap
candidates were out on the track TAX.
ing a final three-eighth mile unlim.
bering "breeze" but Slim reasoned
Knight Errant was an intelligent
horse. Knight Errant would know il
|, he stayed in his stall all morning hi
was going to race that afternoon. The
, nervous tension he would work VI
, would put him right on edge, slim
thought.
) Snapper Elliott, looking mor'
) sleepy eyed than usual, came into thu
stable.
"Where's Draper?" Slim asked sus
l piciously.
ooh, he's all right" Snapper re
piled lightly.
E 81 thought you'd bring him to tn,
A tracks with you. I wanted him a
: round early where I could keep al
, eye on him. Did you go right home
with him last night?"
> "Uh, huh, we hit the hay at
: o'clock" Snapper assured. "Drapel
: went right to sleep, too. Just befor
we went to bed we each drank a mic,
} glass to milk"
"You each had a glass of milk p
Slim asked doubtfully.
/ Snapper held up his right hand OF
oath. What he neglected to tell slim
was that he had left Draper, suppos
! edly asleep, got into a poker game
, which did not break up until sever
in the morning, and returned to his
room at eight, to find Draper gone
He had assumed the boy had already
left for the track.
Post time for the big race was sci
at 4:40 o'clock. At two Draper had
not appeared on the grounds.
But Slim hid his alarm from Heath
er when messenger came to him in
their box with note asking him to
come to the judges stand.
Draper had put in an appearance
in the Jockeys room.
"You can't ride that boy Draper
on knight Errant," the Judge told
Slim.
"Why, what's happened now?"
Slim asked.
"He reeks with liquor and is in no
condition to ride"
That's strange. I had him under
lock and key all last night"
Come down to the jockey room
with me and see for yourself"
AS Draper looked up at Slim from
a stool in the jockey room guilt was
written all over the boys features.
Slim quickly took the offensive
with the Judge, however.
You're wrong, Judge, just as
thought" he said calmly. "This boy
is all right. He's just a little weak
from making weight. I've had him