view raw text
UNION MOONEY "LUCK" HORSE Race Veteran Runs Winning .Races When Money Most Needed. Rider of Black Gold to Retire Old Gelding If Finances Termit Sentiment in Racing:. PAWTUCKET, R. I., April 17. Johnny D. Mooney, the famous old rider who teamed with Black Gold to win five Derbies back in 1924, reported at Narragansett Park this morning with five head of horses, the property of his wife, Mrs. J. D. Mooney. The shipment included Byrdex, Threatening, Blue Cyclone, the fast and shifty Allen Z., and a lumbering sore-going seven-year-old chestnut gelding named Union. While Black Gold and his Dick Merriwell exploits have naturally won a permanent spot in the affections of Johnny Mooney, the old time jockey has an equally high regard for this cheap old plater Union for the old boy is the "luck" horse of the Mooney outfit Younger, handsomer and more capable animals sport the Mooney colors throughout the season, but when Dame Fortune frowns when horses do anything and everything but win when feed bills have mounted high and shipping time is at hand thats the time old boy Union bestirs his ancient and creaking bones and decides to do his stuff. , ., ... Not once, but half a dozen times Union has turned this trick for the Mooney folks. Some time the effort comes a little late as Johnny suffers near heart failure as happened here last falL Going to the post for the sixth race on closing day, old Union learned the feed bills and shipping bills could not be met and realized it was up to him so he ran his best race of the year and just got up in time to win by a nose from On Leave. , . , Union paid 10-1 that day. The winners share, of the purse was 50-and the Mooneys shipped in style to Texas. "Hes our luck -horse," says Mooney. JIf I he will live the life of Riley ever get money, on the best farm -I -can. find. Proving there are other things in racing beside pari-mutuel machines.
