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ONE OF JOE YEAGERS COUPS. . i Change of Equipment "Plays "Prominent Part in One of the Little Plungers Biggest Winnings. "Any one who does not think the wearing of blinkers makes a difference in the disposition and running of a race horse, should have been at Gravesond on June 6, 1904," says a writer for a New York evening paper. "If ever the blinker question was thoroughly settled it was upon that day. The xace in question caused much criticism, ror the public had Toeen hornswoggled, as it were, either through the lax methods of some of the Jockey Club officials or the presumption of the starter. There always was a mystery about the race anil upon whom to lay the blame for the trouble. "Unmasked was a horse which had been educated to wear blinkers while racing. He heeded them so badly that it was an, old. saying among, the stable help that he would not walk around his stall in the morning without the blinkers, or rouges badge., as the blinkers are sometimes termed. He was a horse with an extremely bad temper when in tiio hands of the starter one of those excitable creatures, which knew when he was to race just as well as did his trainer. From the quiet, docile and sleepy animal in his stall when not wearing blinkers, lie would become a rabid, high-strung race horse when being led from the paddock to the starting post, and while cavorting for a start, was a difficult horse to manage. He was a veritable Dr. Jeykil and Mr. Hyde. "On this day Unmasked was in a three-quarter of a mile race In a field of twelve and Such a onesided contest did it look that the bookmakers offered only even money against his chances of victory. It was a fair offering, as Unmasked had shown publicly that he possessed quite some class, while the others in the race were but fair selling platers. "Naturally the public and expert form students had long decided that Unmasked was a sure winner, barring accident, and had invested their money accordingly. The betting had gone oh for about twenty minutes, or nearing the post time, when there was a rumor going the rounds of the. paddock that Unmasked, would not be permitted to wear blinkers. No one seemed positive who had issued the orders or where they had originated. Some asserted that the starter Fitz Gerald, had declared himself to the stewards that lie would not start the horse unless the blinkers were removed, as his actions at the post were not only dangerous to other horses, but might delay the start. According to rumor Fitz Gerald asserted himself in no mild way that the blinkers would have to . come off Unmasked or orders given to scratch him from the race. Unmasked Sent to Post Without Blinkers. "In those days the racing associations did not recognize betting and to scratch a public favorite at post time was out of the question. Anyhow, Fitz Geralds persuasive powers dominated and Unmasked was sent to the .post minus blinkers. There was not a horseman at the track but knew the horse would not run truly without his regulation equipment and soon there was a rush to the betting ring to cancel wagers made on him. Some of . the. bookmakers acceded to the wishes of their friends, but the public generally, who had bet on Unmasked, had to stand by and accept the inevitable.. "The rumor traveled so quickly that the market was in a turmoil in. short order. With the blinkers off of Unmasked it put a different complexion on the race and made the result a trifle more uncertain that is, uncertain excepting in the eyes, of one shrew little plunger named Joe Yeager, who had a filly in the race named Mimosa. Mimosa was second favorite for the race at 5 to 1, and Yeager had already gone the rounds of the ring betting on her for place and show, knowing she could not beat Unmasked under ordinary conditions. "No sooncr was he informed that Unmasked would be sent to the post without blinkers than he picked up his field glasses and fan to the lawn. He wanted to assure himself that the rumor was correct by looking at the horse and his equipment. Coirvincod that it was. true, lie rushed back to the ring, and seating himself on his high stool, being on the line of bookmakers that day, plastered i to 5 on his slate against the horse for second and third. "Not only did he accept all bets that came along on Unmasked, but he sent his commissioners around betting all the money they could get down on Mi-niosa to win at odds of 5 to 1. In fact, his orders were to bet. at any price, and the volume -ot money lie wagered soon knocked the price down to 11 to 5. A committee of bookmakers, who were in bad, tried to persuade John Cavanagh, who had charge of the betting ring, to order all bets called -offt but Cavanagh, with his customary good judgment, would not consent, as it would be a bad precedent. "Never before or since was there such a hue and cry against the racing managers for permitting such a change in the equipment on a horse. Tiireats were made not to piiy their losses by both players and bookmakers in their efforts to have wagers declared off, but they were of no avail, and in the midst of the excitement the race was started. All eyes were then turned to the horses, bettors hoping for the best. Old Rogue Would Not Extend Himself . "As anticipated. Unmasked would not extend himself. "Willie" Shaw, who was riding him, urged him with hand and heel, but the old rogue would hardly get out of an ordinary exercise gallop. Back in the ruck he stayed, falling farther and farther to the rear as the race proceeded. Finally Shaw picked up his whip and brought it down on the flanks of Unmasked. For a moment the horse was startled and he condescended to step along, but it was only a momentary action. He again became a laggard. "All this time Mimosa and Emergency had taken command, the two running like a team for half a mile, when Emergency weakened, leaving Mimosa with a good lead. "Joe" Yeager -watched Mimosa intently. Her victory meant 1917.sh0,000 to him. Hilde-brand, who rode Yeagers filly, held the race safely as soon as the horses wore straightened out in the stretch, though a horse -named Young Henry threatened to put up an argument. Young Henry had Come from a long way behind the. others and the effort had told on his. speed at the finish, and the best lie could do was to chase Mimosa home, a couple of lengths in the wake of Yeagers filly. "Unmasked,, as expected, struggled home with the tail-enders. Shaw humanely hand-rode him at the finish, knowing that he was a defeated horse and that "someone had blundered." He knew the horse did not deserve the whip, but someone did for causing the radical change in equipment to be made. "Naturally, there, was one man who smiled. It was Joe Yeager. He had profited by the blunder of someone, and to sucli an extent that a shawl strap would hardly have buckled around the money he won on the race. There are many horses to which blinkers make only a slight difference, while others are pronounced, in their desires. Unmasked was one of the latter class. Had the public been informed of the change through an official source, and early enough not to affect the betting, there could have been no complaint, but to order blinkers off Unmasked at the last moment and without warning was suicidal. A like occurrence lias not since been recorded, nor is one probable, for the supreme court of officials had much to say to the acting officials for their unwarranted action."
