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— — — — ■ —— -— — — »P— — Nickajack was not of much promise as a two-year-old. His owner did not start the youngster that season, wintering the colt among the snow banks at Fordham. and breaking him to harness before a road cart. Thompson and his colt covered many a mile thnt spring in the vicinity of Jerome Park in 1S72 until his legs became as hard as iron, and his entire underpinning toughened and strengthened to a degree. By the time thnt the fall meeting opened at Jerome Park in 1N72 Nickajack was hard as nails. and as his track work had beta good, owner Thompson set about picking a race for the colt that would offer an opportunity for a "killing." Matters ran along until the next to the last day of the meeting. A mile and an eighth race, with liberal handicap allowances, let in Nickajack at 78 pounds, and "Jim" Thompson made up his mind thnt he could find no more suitable spot for his colt with the Indian name. Meanwhile Nickajack had developed a propensity to run away in his work, on one occasion covering two miles and a half before his. boy could pull him ap; and on another going two miles at his own sweet will regardless of all his jockeys efforts to control him. !■ the auction pools on the race John OPoti-nells four -year -old mare Eanchon. by Australian Idle-wild, was the favorite. Fanchon had won the Manhattan Handicap, a mile and a quarter, from a field of cracks, and other racesa s well. Pools sedd Fanchon. 09; Elsie. 8270; Eastern star. 50: AhVnera, 00. and the field 05. Nickajack was never sold as a choice, always being; lamped in the field. His owner bought a number of "field" pools, calling for close to 0,000 if they won. When the post bell rang the auction pools wire always closed, so as to give time for final investments in the jff mntuels. or "French" pools, as they were called when introduced in this country from Paris. Here only five tickets had been sold on Nickajack as the horses gathered at the starting point. Two of these belonged to the owner, "Jim" Thompson, one to his trainer, one to the midget jockey who rode the colt and the other to the Thompson stable hands, bought by them on equal shares. There was nearly ,000 in the mutuels as the hoises lined up for the start, and as no one wanted Nickajack outside of the family, tickets on the colt were certain to make a record in mutuel pool values should he win. as up to that time .1920.sh50 for had bean the record value for them in this country. ~ the horses began to break for the start the mutuel selling went on in lively fashion, mostly on the favorites, and the totals grew, passing the ,000 mark and mounting rapidly higher. But still no one else wanted to invest even a modest on Nickajack. Suddenly in the breakaway Nickajack did not pull up with the others, and in another second he had the bit between his teeth and was coming down the- homestretch at a racing pace, his boy powerless to restrain him. Past the stand the colt rushed, and round the course fot another full mile, hundreds lining the track fence encouraging the jockey to pull him up. But Nickajack had his running shoes on that day. and his courage was not of the "Dutch" variety either, for "dope" was at that time an undiscovered art. and the "drench" was resorted to Imi seldom. The colt, as ambitious as when he-began his mad burst, kept on for another mile and then another, making three miles in all. Nearing the end of the third mile Nickajack was finally got under oontrol. and one of the assistant starters led him back to the starting paint, where the other horses were waiting to be sent away on their journey. All this time the mutuel pools had been selling steadily, and as Nickajacks runaway ended the 1920.sh,000 mark had been reached, a total that represented 1.200 mutuel tickets, only five of which were sold on Nickajack. As the horses straightened out after the drum had tapped. Nickajack went to the front and led by three lengths, passing the stand amid some applause, most of which was ironical, however, as none outside of his owner thought he had a ghost of a show after his runaway and no rest to speak of. At the half mile the hope of the Thompson stable led by six lengths, with the favorite. Kane lion. second, and her jockey hand riding her to close on the flying leader. Kut. although Fanchon shut up half tiie gap in the run around the south field, she was still three lengths behind Nickajack as the "runaway" reached the three-quarter post. The rest of the rae-e was run amid little excitement, as when it was seen that Nickajack was going to last out the big crowd was too dazed to do much shouting. Thompsons colt, despite all the efforts of Fanchen. his cloeeat follower, was never reac lied in the run home and won by two lengths is easily as if he had Bat also that three-mile "warm-up" under his belt. Besides the 0,000 taken out of the auction pools bv Thompson there was over 1920.sh.ooo la the mutuels, all of which went to the Nickajack "family." less the per cent commission always deducted by the manageme-nt. There were only five tickets sold on Nieka jack. After deducting the commission from the ma-reef* there was 88.880 to be divided among the Nickajack tickets, each one of which paid SI. 178. the largest amount over paid by a Fre-ne-h inutiiel in this reentry prior to that time-, and only surpass,,! twice- atnee thnt time-, first by Muze-tta W. at Lexington, Kv.. May 7. 1010. paying SS30.70 for 82 and later bv Wishing King at Latonia. Iy.. .Inn- 17. 1012. paying ,886.90 for . the retard at the present time.
