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FAMOUS BEND OR AND HIS CAT One of the Greatest of English Horses Had1 a Peculiar Friend Mascots around a racing barn are often as essen tial in a horse winning races as the trainer groom exercise buy or the jockey This hardly seems plausible to persons unfamiliar with the daily life of a racing establishment But to those familiar with the sport of kings it is a known fact Some of the greatest thoroughbreds that ever sported silks would sulk in their morning workouts if their mascot was not with them when they were taken over the course Others become sour to use the language of the turf if the mascot was not taken to the paddock with them before the running of a race in which they were entered enteredRunning Running horses are more eccentric than humans They must be humored and petted otherwise they often go stale during the height of their career There are few racing stables in this country that do not have one or more mascots They consist of dogs cats goats parrots chickens monkeys and ponies They are considered part of the training equipment When the thoroughbreds are moved from one track to another in cars the mascots aft loaded with them themThe The Duke of Westminsters Bend Or which won the Epsom Derby of 18SO one of the greatest of till English race horses and later one of the mo t famous sires in that country had a cat for a conr panion The feline was almost constantly in the stall of this wonderful runner which during his racing career won a fortune When the horse was taken to the track for his morning gallop the cat was perched on his back The exerciso boy upon reaching the eighth post from which the horx was to start for his trial against the stopwatch would hand the cat to a groom and Bend Or would race to the finish where he would pull up and viit for the groom to bring the cat around and place it on his back Then he would walk to the barn for a rubdown rubdownWhen When the horse was entered in n race his trainer secured permission from the judges to have the cat ride to the starting gate on his back Both horse and cat were known to all racegoers of England and were great favorites As they paraded to the starting post they received wonderful ovations Reaching the post Bend Or would stand quietly while the cat was lifted to a groom and would then start with the others when the flag fell If he woii and in the majority of his races he did Bend Or would stand majestically in the winning ring in front of the judges stand while his jockey dis ¬ mounted and weighed in But he would not budge until the cat was lifted to his back Then he would walk to his burn burnDuring During the height of Bend Ors career the cat died The horse became a sulker and would not walk to the track His trainer purchased another cat but the big stallion did not accept it He would not work and became vicious His trainer huught hundreds of cats but none would suit the horse which grieved greatly for his lost pet
