Black-Balled said:
c'mon, man! Horses gots to eat too!
Johnny came from the Chicago area and was pretty familiar with Harness Racing. It was the first season Colorado had hosted Harness racing Johnny considered himself quite and expert and I bit into it hook, line, and sinker!
He kept talking about this horse, named Gary Boy and what a great horse (at one time) he had been.
Fianally he ran on like a Friday Night and i bet like $20 on him and he won and paid like $18, so I got back around $180 and was pretty happy back in 1975. What is disturbing is that now I'm listening to Johnny on every race.
The next day, Johnny is really howling about a horse named Adios Indian. This horse can really fly he keeps telling me.
I bet on Adios Indian 3 times and he keeps getting caught at the wire. I didn't lose a lot, because I didn't have much, but in those days every $20 bill was precious.
One Sunday afternoon, Adios Indian is on the card and Johnny tells me all night at the all night pool room that this is our chance to pump up and get enough to go on the road. I bit, hook, line, and sinker.
We had just beaten some player out of like $300 and this was our chance.
We stay up all night and get to the track Sunday afternoon and sit around for hours waiting for the race to tap out on Adios Indian.
Finally it is race time and mysteriously to me, Adios Indian goes off at 14-1.Skeptical, but still, all I can see are $$$$$$.
We bet it all! $100 on his nose, and $100 to place. for $50 we wheel and back wheel him in the exacta. I figure we are looking at at least $2500- $3000The race starts and as ususal Adios Indian goes right to the front and is running beautifully. Money in the bank
With about 50-80 yards to go, the driver is beating the hell out of the Indian and he just seems to give up. Two horses catch him at the wire and he gets 3rd by a nose.
Now, I'm heartbroken and sitting in the grand stand dreaming about what almost was. In the seat right beside me was a copy of the Denver post, Sunday sports section with a story about a horse named Adios Indian. I picked up and started to read all about the incredible BLIND pacer. I am about to go "OFF THEAIR" and search and search and finally find Joohnny and show him the article about the POOR BLIND SOB I JUST WENT BUSTED ON.
I ask Johnny if he knew this horse was blind and he assured me that everybody in the free world knew that. "Why did you let me go busted on a blind horse"? I demanded
Johnny says, " I didn't think it made any difference, it ain't like he was playing 9-ball!"
All in all, Johnny was quite a guy and a grind it out scuffler who played all games, pretty darn well..
