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RECORD MUTDEL PAY-OFF How Hickajack Ban Away Three Miles and Then Won at Extraordinarily Big Odds. In the early days of Jerome Tark, when that famous course was thrown open to the public in 1S66, James Thompson had a small roadhouse near the old race course, where he provided the best of cheer for man and beast. His patrons included a majority of the track training delegation, and prominent turfmen from all over the country as well. As the Thompson roadhouse prospered "Jim" bought himself a race horse or two. He secured the Bonnie Scotland mare Lo-I elia, and won a good many hurdle races and steeplechases with her. Then Thompson bt light a couple of two-year-olds, one of Which, by Rogers— Capitola, he called Nick- ajaetc Niekajaek 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. Tnompson and his colt covered many a mile that spring in the vicinity of Jerome-Park in 1872 until his legs became as hard as iron, and his entire underpinning toughened and strengthened to a degree. By the time the fall meeting opened at Jeiome Park in li 72 Niekajaek was as hard as nails, and as his track work had been 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 Niekajaek at 7.8 pounds, and "Jim" Thompson made up his mind that he could find no more sutiable spot for his colt with the Indian name. Meanwhile Niekajaek 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 up ; and on another going two miles at his own sweet will regardless of all his jockeys effort to control him. In the auction pools on the race John ODonnells four-year-old mare Fanchion, by-Australian— Idlewild. was the favorite. Fan-chon had won the Manhattan Handicap, a mile and a e.uarter. from a field of cracks, and other races as well. Pools sold Fanchon. 00 ; Elsie. 70 ; Eastern Star. 50; Albuera. 0. and the field. »;5. Niekajaek was never sold as a choice, always being lumped in the field. His owner l ought a number of "field" pools, calling for close to 0,000 if they won. When the post bell rang the auction pools were always closed, so as to give time for final investments in the mutuels, or "French" pools, as they were called when introduced in this country from Paris. Here only five tickets had been sold on Niekajaek as the hor-ses 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 horses lined up for the start, and as no one wanted Niekajaek outside e.f the family-tickets on the colt were certain to make a ree-ord in rnutuel pool values should he win. as up to that time 50 for had been the record value for them in this country. As the horses began to break for the start the mutuel felling 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 Niekajaek. Suddenly in the breakaway Nickapack did not pull up with the others, and in another second he had the bit between his teeth and was e-oming elown the homestretch at a racing pace, his boy powerless to restrain him. Past the stand the colt rushed and round the course for another full mile, hundreds lining the track fence encouraging the jockey to pull him up. But Niekajaek hatl 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 but 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 Niekajaek was finally got under control and one of the assistant starters led him back to the starting point, where the other he rses were waiting to be sent away on their journey. All this time the mutuel pools had been selling steaelily. ami as Nickajacks runaway endeel the ,000 mark had been reacheel. a total that representee! 1.200 mutuel tickets, only five of which were sold on Niekajaek. As the horses straight* n d out after the drum had tapped. Niekajaek went to the front antl led for three lengths, passing the stand nanai some applause, most of which was; imnieal. however, as none outside of the owner the tight he liad a ghost of a show afte-r his runaway and no rest to speak of. At the half mile the hope of the Thompson stable led by six lengths, with the fave rite. Fanchon. seconel. and h»-r jockey hand riding her to close em the flying leader. But. although Fane-hem shut up half the gap in the run around the south field, she was still thie-e lengths ttehind Niekajaek as the "runaway reacheel the three-quarters post. The rest of the race was run amid little i;- ment, as when it was seen that Niekajaek was going to last out the big crowel was too elazed to elo much shouting. Thompsons colt, despite all the efforts e.f FanohoM. his closest follower, was neve r re-ache-d in the run home anel won by two lengths as easily as if he had not also that three-mile "warm-up" under i.is best. BeeMee the 0.000 taken out of the auction pools by Thompson there was over ,000 in the- mutuels. all of which went to the Niekajaek "family," less the per cent commission always de-ducted by the management. There were only five tickets sold on Niekajaek. After deducting the commission from the mutuels there was ,SS»0 to aa divieleel among the Niekajaek tickets, each one of which paid J1.17S, the largest amount ever paid by a Preach mutuel in this country prie r to that time, and only surpassed twice since that lime, tirst by Muzetta W. at lvxington. Ky.. May 7. 1910. paying 30.70 for . and later by Wishing King at 1-atonia. Ky., June 17, 1S12. paying ,1:1:5. 00 for , the record at the present lime.
