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HOW JAC0B0 BEAT A THOROUGHBRED Interesting Tale of the Victory of the "Weeping Horse" Over Kentucky-Bred Ebenezer. Intliinknhle though it may seem in this era of universal education, there are people living in San Francisco today who have never even heard of the wonderful race between Jaeobo and the Kentucky thoroughbred Ebenezer. says a writer in the San Fran, is,,, Chronicle. Vet it was the first horse race ever held in public In re and it liniiocned in the days when history wan making in California. Jacoho was a weeping hors. . That is to say he was a gelding with a head, like a barrel ami a Iieman nose, and eyes from which tears were in cossantly pouring. His coat was shaggy, like a dog-. His cars fell back and he dropped his neck like Don Quixotes Ro-inante. Nothing more pitiful looking ever lingered in a horses skin, bu* when .laeolio merely picked up his feet, he made the wind feel ashamed, and when he gallop..,] he went hcll-lwnt-for-lenther. That was on the old Ruri-I.uri rancho. They used him for rouading up cattle -and little Chinako Va-•lencia. whom Jacoho especially loved, would use him for ehaahaj down coyotes. "Chirnko" lives today. He can tell yon all about it if he pleases. His given name is really Leo» bardo. but cvcryliod.v has ailed hin» "chinako" since he was a tinv boy. It was a Cringe who owned the Kentucky thoroughbred. He hail come from the east with the animal and. after the fashion of Cringoes. he Ixiasted openly of ita prowess and proffered wagers of yellow gold as buttresses to hi- Iioasting. Cut on the Barf -Iluri ranch they would as soon have dreamed ,,r boasting about the senoras virtue as of Jacolios fleet tiess. Due does not extol ones own in the Kuri-Kuri place— at lea-t one did not in those early days. Now. alas, it is littered with lan-dilions that cannot all lie true Soi me had arranged the race. Envoys had come laden with fair si.iries to Donna Katerina. Racing was the true s|iort, they told her. greater even than bull-fighting, and it made fortunes for the lucky ones. All ha world knew that the fleetest horse in California was Jacoho of the Hnri-Bnrl rancho. For the honor of the country and the dons, it was her duty to let it race. She could also bet money on it — lay wagers of anv figure and like as not. win 0 for everv one she wagered. Santissima! There were thousands in it— ten of thousands! The fortunes of the Valencias and of the Burl Buri rancho would lie retreived!. "It is done: finallv agreed Donna Katerina. ••Chinako skall ride Jacoho. It shall be a race:* the whole town was awake anil eager. Remember that the argonauts- of those early days were all. in fact and spirit, adventurers. All had the teni]wrament of adventurers, all were gamblers at heart. FORTUNES WAGERED ON THE OUTCOME. And here was n gamble rare and precious, wholly out of the ordinary run of play. No cards, no wheel, no faro box — just the straight old si»ort of kings two horses matched to race for a paltry thousand a side. Rut: — Ah. the joy that lay ill that ■■Rut !"-- Fortunes were wagered on the outcome. Every don and every Greaser who could raise a dollar was bound to gather to the fray. Every Am.-ricnii. or venturer from overseas, was panting to have a riffle over the horse race. There was no race course, no grandstand, no betting ring, and it was ,i long haul and over the hills and far away to the Mission. Everything was ready. In a roped off paddock the thoroughbred chafed while his owner si othed and petted him. The adjacent paddock was empty. Chill rumors got afloat that the Donna Katerina had changed her mind at the last moment and decided nit to countenance a gringo festival. •Ah! They come:" In the distance a slow procession was wending its way team the direction of the Mission. An old can ta. or springless wagon, came lumbering along, groaning and creaking like the hinges of purgatory. Surrounding it. on foot ami horseback, was a medley thraag of Spaniards and Indian servitors. Ky the side of the careta. gorgeous iii the splendor of his apparel, rode little Chinako Valencia on the weeping horse. Cheers mingled with laughter as the little calvn-cade drew up to the improvised track. More cheers rang forth as the Donna Katrin i Valencia, with all the stately majesty of the Regum of Khnpal at a Durbar, was assisted from the careta by her obj sM|iiiotis Indian servitors, who all insisted upon kissing her hands. A great armchair was then lifted from the careta and the Donna was inducted into its ample cushions bv her son-. Then, solemnly, were hauled forth greal bays of silver and gold— $." « slugs and 0 pieces and flat leather satchels containing title deeds to ranches and hacienllas. water rights, horses and cattle, such as represented the entire and absolute fortunes of the whole Valencia clan, lock, stock and barrel. "Cive the oid girl a run for her money, hoy*!" was tin- order of the lay. "Ix t her have all the odds she wants a- long as you dont scare her by the length of them." "Ten thousand against four thonsand Ill lay. p:ini: No. till the lady its twelve thousand to one thousand. Its not every day we see a real one butting down this way" "Muchas gnicias. senor!. It is done!" "This title dud of ze Ruri lturi rancho — What you say?- Fifty thousan attains » title deed? It is your gift, senor: It is done! Muchas gracilis!" THEN CAME THE RACE. Then came the race. There was no weighing out or any of those other formalities of the modern race course. Kbeii. ■•/. r was led forth, sleeky and shiny in his pride nf strength and mettle— a magnificent bay. arched of neck, long in the hip. black -poiahai, with flashing eves every inch a racer. The neat English racing saddle with racing leathers and stirrup iron- the -ilk-shirted jockey with top boots and aaakea cap were all much like what one would see on any modern racecourse. i.ut Jacob.,, the weeper! He also was a bay. but Ktld f."-ed and he had the shaggy coat of a primeval mastodo l.1 a feaisome Roman nose. Little Chinako Valencia kissed his mothers hand and took her blessing ere valuting again inlo the saddle. Then, with a sweeping wave of his sum brero and the natural, easy way of a true caballero, lie canlered to the starting jKiint. To the casual observer two more ill-mated animals were never matched together for one race. The splendid Kentuekv thoroughbred, With aaaaj and breeding in everv line ami the shaggy-coated cayuse witii the bleary eye and the Roman nose, carrying the weight of its* rivals jockey in the mere silver work on it- trappings. "Tchk: Bala! El covotc!" The big rowels of the espuelas dug into Jacolios toughened ||j,|,. ns Chinako raised his arms and urged hi- Charger to the chase. And Jacolios weep ing eye chained red as he realized thai the speed ing aafaaal that had kicked up the turf into his face as he », t off was. for the purposes of that place aad tiaio. a covotc. Swift a- a swallow he leaped after Ebenezer. R:i cs arere races in those days- not mere sprints. This race w.,s three times around the improvised course, approximately- two miles. Half way around Jacolm w.,- ,,„ •„. flank of the Kentuckian. The aaartiag instinct, strong in every adventurers breast, prompted a rousing cheer as Chinako, in his wide soini,,-,. ro. pulled abreast of the silk capped jockey .,i„| lais.-d his small brown hand in a salute. Nose with nii-e. belly to the earth, the two bays swept ar. ui.il the turn. The h i t.ian held the vantage on the inside of the course ;1I11 WMs a length to the good entering the straight. The crowd roared its enthusiasm. Impassive as the Suhiuv. in her chair of slate, sat the Donna Katerina Valemia. CHIKAXO WAVED HIS SOMBRERO. As the horses swcit by, Jaeobo on Ebonezers flank. Chinako turned and waved his heavy sombre:-,,. Tie- American jockey was lioginning lo ride, but no sour had yet touched the thoroughbreds side. no aaart haa brushed him. Inexorable as Fate. lacafea was clinging lo the Rratarhlaas flank, his awful rounded nose abreast the Americans knee, and Chinako sitting high in the saddle. Cheer alter cheer went up :is the game pair sped past. Agate Chinako turned as he came to his neither"- ,-hair of state, but this time he did not lift . his -ombrero. lie rai-..,| |,js right hand high in a salute, and in it waod the ipiirt on the end of his bridle rein. Th* American Imiv felt the challenge and began to race. They rode with long stirrup leathers in thaae iajr*. and the crowd could see when a boy was really ruing. Faintly the cheers came echoing across the course. For the first time, daylight showed between the Kentuckian and the tail of JaeolM,. ••Coed Coil: Hes making rinus round him!" The gambhr who sookc was watching the race through field glasses. Chinako had raised the quirt again, and for the first ti in his young life plunged the crie-l rowels of the espuelas deep into the willing flank of Jacob.,. As the ranch horse took his message, the thor iiii-hbred seemed to lie standing still. Running into the turn, walloping hm the straight, with wind and slecd left for a dozen more miles if required, galloped Jaeobo. the weeiM-r. Away iK-hind him— "nowhere," as the racing jargon gocs —cantered the Kentuckian. Two gentlemen in ulng hats came up and patted the neck of Jacolm. on which Chinako still sat, waiting to escort his mother home. The gentleman spoke to the clerk who had gathered in the wagers. The clerk smoke to the Donna. The smoldering fire in the old ladys eyes blazed, and they fairly glittered as her lin upcnrled. "Sell Jaeobo! Sell mv savior and friend? I — a Valencia? Rid the reptiles denart!" Rack over the green hills of the Mission creaked the obi careta and its train of vassals and menials. Weeping ns of old ami with Chinako "up," Jaeobo formed a serviceable rearguard.
