Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-08-02
TRADERS HORSE
WON SIX RACES
TO CLEAN SIOUX
FRESH AS DAISY IN LAST RACE HE
RUNS AWAY FROM DARK
HORSE
BY WTICHEY

In the days when Marcus DAILY
was breeding running horses and
training them TO break records on
his farm I'm the Bitter RoOt valley
and In the Madison river country,
the Larabies and others were pro-
ducing wonderful standard bred
animals, Montana was the possess
sor of many race tracks and some
of the most exciting race meets
in the history Of the country were
conducted at Butte, Helena and
Anaconda.
In the betting ring and on the curb
large sums changed hands on the re-
suit of a single race and fortunes were
made and lost In a days racing Great
crowds used TO gather to see the ponies
gallop and interest was intense.
Yet these modern races, IN interest
and in the value Of the stakes raced
for, pale into insignificance when
compared with the time Uncle Billy
Hamilton's Runner won the champion
ship of Indian race horses from the
neetest Of the Crow ponies and made
Of Uncle Billy an idol in the Shoshone
tribe.
1t was many years ago. in October.
when nature was turning the land
scape a bronze color and hunting had
started. The ShoShones, who claimed
the land lying between the yellow
stone river on the north and the
Platte river on the south, east of the
Rocky mountains for several hundred
miles, came up into Montana for a
racing meet with the Grow Indians.
Trader Was Guest
The two tribes, which were on the
friendliest Of terms, camped together
on large plateau In the Clarks Fork
valley near the present site Of Bridger
Chief Washable was IN charge of the
Shoshones and Hamilton, a trapper
and Indian trader, was q member of
the Shoshone party as the guest of
the chiefs son, who had become great
ly attached to the young scout, when
the two first met, In the early forties,
when Hamilton was member Of
trading party Of which Bob williams,
another famous scout, was the captain.
Hamilton, who died near Columbus
about 20 years ago, after life Of over
90 years on the plains, frequently used
to tell about the famous race. and
he enjoyed the discontinue his old
horse Runner wrought TO the Crows
as much TO his dying day as he did
when the chiefs son piloted him to
victory.
Runner was q wonderful animal. He
was Kentucky bred and was shipped
In the latter thirties to st. Louis from
somewhere IN the vicinity OF Licking
ton. One story was to che effect that
be was from some Of the famous stock
that Henry Clay used to raise Ia the
Blue Grass country. He was purchased
rom q trader by Hanilton's father and
was presented 10 the boy Just before
be started ON his journey to indie
Dendence, mo-, from where trapping |
md trading outfits used to make their
tart 30 years ago.
Never Net Defeas
When II came TO racing. Runner was |
lever defeated The fast Indian mounts |
always were readily outdistanced. 1t |
. recounted that Ia a battle with the |
indians Hamilton was able TO slay \
evera1 OF the red men by riding on /
he right side Of them, 80 they could
i0& shoot him without turning ON
heir horses 10 point their bow and
xrCws, while his horse was 90 feet
e could easfy overcome them.