The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-14
THEY'RE Off! It's a Race!

Jockey Mann In the light green and
cherry red blocks, started the line
out.
Good luck - good luck, Shep,
Sherry managed to say, as Pepper
Boy his head proudly erect, took
the first step forward.
Shep smiled down on the little
group. BE seeing you'll" Then he
was In line, marching down the
tanbark lane that led to the track.
A strong arm went through
Sherry's We've done all we can
do" said Paul Wharton. Come
on, let's go out In the infleld and
see EN- fight 1t out. What sayp"
why - all right, Paul" Sherry
was glad to have Paul beside her
She needed his strength now, more
than ever.
As they followed the horses 10
the track, q deep silence fell on the
vast throngs a silence so deep
/ that even the hoofs beats OF horses
on the track could be heard dis
tinctly. Then the band broke into
the notes Of MY Old Kentucky
Home"
"Walt-Paul"
She paused at the tracks edge
A vast silence-save for the clear
notes OF Fosters immortal song
! The horses, the sun cleaning on
varihued jackets Of the nations
star riders, were marching single
file toward the post at the head
Of the stretch, quarter.mile dis
tant.
sort OF gets you, doesn't itp'
Paul whispered She glanced at
him, There was a look on his face
that she had never seen, as II q
mask had dropped for an instant
yes she said huskily,
He held her arm tightly-they
were crossing the sandy loan
track. Guards opened an infield
gate made path for them
through the thousands damned on
the rail.
Come on" he grinned, were
going to the center, with the
StablehandS. l believe the grounds
a little higher there; we can see
every inch OF the race"
Now the horses were at the
post. We're going into the stalls.
well, Sherry - this ends months
Of planning, and worry and care
One horse wins goes into turf
history and Sherry"
"YeS, Paul?" Somehow, this
was q new and q more gentle Paul
Wharton; or was she seeing the
real Paul the first timer
II swear I'm trying to beat you
Il believe I'm going to beat you
You wouldn't have me not tryp"
"Of course not, silly"
SHERRY, I"
THEY'RE oFFlil
Fifteen thoroughbreds had been
caught In line - and the Derby was
on!
A mass Of color was streaklng
down the stretch TO the roaring
cheers Of thousands Of Threats.
Here - look through these
Wharton thrust his field glasses in
10 Sherry'S hands.
why $3.50 I'm - where am ~" She
could not make out her colors,
you and I - we're scrambled
back" he spoke with sudden say.
ageneSs. "See that first horse
Jockey In white, black capp That's
Llama -- fastest flly In America --
almost beat the barrier That's
Castanets running along side her
-colors, yellow with blue stars.
We're - gosh, we're In the second
diviSlonl"
Six horses, almost on q line,
flashed past the winning post the
first time around and behind
them came nine others, jammed
together - full length to the rear,
Sherry saw Pauls bay, now on the
rail-and running alongside him
was Shep Grant on hire black Pep
per Boy. She could see - through
the glasses-that Grant had O snug
hold on the colt.
II told him to get out In front
and he's just rating. him along!"
II told my boy the same thing
and look al him. But say, Sherry,
they're running awfully fast"
"All the more reason we should
be in front"
mo! The more reason 10 hold
Oft that burning early pace-ereat
Scott!" he exclaimed. Sherry saw
II, too - her hands shook holding
the glasses, Shep Grant had
spurted ahead - he had caught
Mann mapping on Red Soldier -
he was cutting In--taking the rail
as they went into the near turn
Say! Grant can't do that!"
HE can, too, He didn't block
your horse your boys asleep!
Look at Pepper Boy! Now he's
nose and tail with that Liana--he s
coming up!"
The field was sweeping into the
backstretch. Six horses jumbed
together In the first division
Llama, the chestnut, Sprinting In
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