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H G BEDWELL AND HIS METHODS Sensationally Successful TrainerOwner Makes In ¬ dividual Study of Each Horse He Handles II G Bedwell Americas wizard trainer of thor ¬ oughbreds owes his marvelous success on the turf to the fact that he Is a close student of horseflesh says the San Francisco Chronicle From sunrise until sunset Bedwell watches over his stable of thor ¬ oughbreds like a mother watches over her young and it is his ability to train a horse according to his disiKtsition that enabled him to send 122 winners to the post during the season just closed a feat that is considered phenomenal in racing circles circlesBedwells Bedwells career cannot be called meteoric for the success which lie has achieved came to him only by hard work and close application to the artifices of training While looking after the interests of his stable Bedwell is activity personified He is here there and everywhere doing something to benefit his horses In the wee hours of the morning he puts in his time treating and doctoring the physical fail ¬ ings of his string Along about S to 10 he Is busily engaged on the track giving instructions for the morning workouts and exercise gallops From 10 to 11 he attends to making entries for the races Front noon until starting time for the first race he is ever on the alert chatting with horsemen with a view of gaining information on the relative ability of the racers which oppose his own horses and dur ¬ ing the afternoon he is In the paddock betting ring and all over the track seemingly at once On the whole he appears to be a bundle of nerves that flit ¬ ter to every corner of the course Bedwell rarely overlooks a bet while training his string stringThe The life battles and career of this modern wizard trainer date back thirtysix years and comprise many odd experiences before a trick of fate drew his full attention toward the thoroughbred Bedwell early showed an inclination for his vocation when a boy attending a grammar school in Kansas He was a rider then taking part in all the match races of the day From his birth Bedwell had been arouiul horses continually and he grew up to love and es teein them for their true worth worthWhen When lie reached manhood Bedwell entered politics and succeeded in securing the office of county clerk of Grand Junction Colo but he con tinned to show interest in the horse as one of the most enthusiastic harness drivers of that section He belonged to a driving club and maintained a large stable of trotters and pacers At Grind Junc ¬ tion in 18S Bedwell embarked in the business of conducting a livery stable with a storage and trans ¬ fer business connected He was successful and soon built lit a lucrative business businessIn In Denver about five years ago the real turning point in Bedwells career came about He was out driving one day with a sou of Eben T Smith when the horse threw a shoe A blacksmith shop was near at hand and Bedwell stopped in to have the horse shod It so happened that the blacksmith was Lucky Baldwins negro horseshoer and nat ¬ urally the conversation turned to discussing horses The negro told Bedwell a hardluck story about leas ing out a race horse to a fellow for driving purposes and receiving no money in return and finally fried to sell the horse to the young trainer trainerBedwcll Bedwcll liked the looks of a lengthy gelding that the negro brought out and in the end gave the darkey 00 and drove away with a horse trailing his buggy that afterward proved a sensation in dis ¬ tance events at Oakland It was Los Angeleno the great fourmiler and the success which Bedwell had with his lone starter prompted him to sell out his business and turn bis full attention to thorough ¬ bred racing It is well known how Los Angeleno took the honors of the Thornton Stakes in 1T and soon afterwarrl came down in front again in the renewal of that fourmile event Both contests proved gruelling affairs with Mamie Algol lighting it out nose and nose on the post postLos Los Angeleno practically made Bedwell The horse suffered greatly from lameness and often went to the barrier on three legs but he nevor failed to finish with unexcelled courage But for the fortunate stroke jf securing such a useful per ¬ former for a starter there is no telling what figure Bedwell would have played on the turfr With Los Angeleno winning purse after nurse the young trainer was rfble to lay the beginning of his present large stable stableBedwell Bedwell has rightfully earned the sobriquet of wizard trainer through his masterful handling of horses which have been discarded by competent horsemen as of no account An Instance can be cited in Fulletta a selling plater at the beginning of last season of the hopeless sort He made Ful letta one of the most consistent racers of the Oak laud meeting Close study of a horses disposition has been the main factor of Bedwells success 1 try to guess a horses temperament says Bedwell There is no set book of rules for training running horses You rarely find two thoroughbreds alike in their dispositions Some would run themselves into the ground in the workouts if you would let them Others sulk and refuse to work and there is much difference in horses 1 trydifferent styles ot training a horse until I hit on the one that brings the best results and then I stick to that About the worst experience I ever had was with Fnlletta I tried almost everything under the sun on him before I could get him to going well One morning I would try letting the hoy use a whip on him and the next a different idea until my patience was about exhausted I watched tin horse closely however and decided that I would let him work himself into condition Accordingly I told the boy to let him run as far as he wanted to and it is well known how Fulletta developed into the most consistent horse at Oakland last season He would breeze of his own accord from the eighth x lc to the far turn every day and I think that is the only way that Fulletta can be handled Every horse requires the same deep study and there is a great deal more at the bottom of training race liorses than just simply letting your charge do a lilt of galloping in the morning Its hard work
