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Barnum Was Right One of the best "tout" stories heard in a long time has to do with a nimble-witted "advisor" of 25 years ago. He buttonholed a novice fan and persuaded him to bet 00 on a horse. With the money placed; he said, "For 00 I could have the track made a bit slower, from heavy sprinkling. This horse moves up five lengths in off going." The novice went for the 00. The tout absented himself a few minutes, and sure enough, out came the water wagon, as he knew it would, per schedule. "You see," he told the man being touted, "for the 00 they got busy right away, slowing down the track." The newcomer to racing didnt know sprinkling was routine. .
