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Fandango, v. 3, issue 4, whole no. 12, Summer 1946
Page 2
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But he thinks they are better and can seldom be convinced otherwise, even when poor performances should tell him the truth. The fourth classification takes in the younger stuff--the stuff that is often too young to race or, being old enough, is being held in reserve for special reasons because the owners think it is capable of better things. He may own these himself and spend a lot of time grooming them and observing them, yet never throw a professional leg over them when the chips are down. Not until they are ripe. The time must be right or he will not bring them out. Sometimes he keeps them under wraps and dreams roseate dreams of what they will do when he eventually brings them out and runs them. Most of the time they do not deliver, but he is human and so he dreams about it. So, it follows then, said the sage that every man should have a string. And most of us do, even if only mentally. The day-dreamed strings are always of exceptionally high caliber, containing fillies in the lineup that would ordinarily never be found in any one string. But we should all have our strings. Good, strong, headily resilient flesh. A warning here, though. Do not become too attached to any of these mounts, no matter how well they ride for you at first, or how promising they may seem. Anything can happen, and usually does, in this mad business. At first they seem to bring great rewards for your outlay, and have cute little mannerisms that endear them to your heart. Be callous to their blandishments, since to grow too fond of your mounts is not good for business. You are likely to squander your portion on them should they later take a turn for the worse. And if that should happen, it is quite possible that in holding onto this seemingly choice item, you will lose, gradually, piece aby piece, the rest of your string, and eventually lose your choice item and be left without a mount. For a time things will be desolate indeed, and you will probably not even care to rush after another string, though the makings lie in great plenty around and about you. Now we speak of the fifth class. Here the analogy is not perfect. Here is proof that the horse-racing business is run more sensibly than life. Imagine, if you can, the racing commission giving a man a mount--at his request, mind you--and forcing him to enter it only, mounting but the one filly for the rest of his or its life. He is forced, brutally and without thought of deprivation, to forsake all others. In other words, he is not permitted to have a string. He must pin all his hopes on this one horse, which he thinks at first is a stake horse. He enters into a contract to keep this horse, feed it, care for it, placate it. For this he thinks he is entitled to certain considerations, which is why he signed the contract. But! These very same considerations are not specifically mentioned in this ambiguous and misleading document. He only imagines, fondly, that he will receive these considerations, and he later learns to his bitter sorrow that the mount itself is seldom in a mood to do other than abide by the written letter of this heinous contract. The mount moreover, by contractual right, can refuse to allow him to acquire other mounts, though the mount itself does not allow itself to be ridden more than once a week, and often much less. And literally never, after the signing of the contract, does this mount run other than a half-hearted and uninspiring race. Why, any green and untried filly out in the paddock can do much better. So the poor man, who loves his racing more than anything, and considers it to be his prime subject, finds himself restricted and bound in and pent up until he feels veritably imprisoned in a cage of his own making. -- 2 -- )page 8, please(
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But he thinks they are better and can seldom be convinced otherwise, even when poor performances should tell him the truth. The fourth classification takes in the younger stuff--the stuff that is often too young to race or, being old enough, is being held in reserve for special reasons because the owners think it is capable of better things. He may own these himself and spend a lot of time grooming them and observing them, yet never throw a professional leg over them when the chips are down. Not until they are ripe. The time must be right or he will not bring them out. Sometimes he keeps them under wraps and dreams roseate dreams of what they will do when he eventually brings them out and runs them. Most of the time they do not deliver, but he is human and so he dreams about it. So, it follows then, said the sage that every man should have a string. And most of us do, even if only mentally. The day-dreamed strings are always of exceptionally high caliber, containing fillies in the lineup that would ordinarily never be found in any one string. But we should all have our strings. Good, strong, headily resilient flesh. A warning here, though. Do not become too attached to any of these mounts, no matter how well they ride for you at first, or how promising they may seem. Anything can happen, and usually does, in this mad business. At first they seem to bring great rewards for your outlay, and have cute little mannerisms that endear them to your heart. Be callous to their blandishments, since to grow too fond of your mounts is not good for business. You are likely to squander your portion on them should they later take a turn for the worse. And if that should happen, it is quite possible that in holding onto this seemingly choice item, you will lose, gradually, piece aby piece, the rest of your string, and eventually lose your choice item and be left without a mount. For a time things will be desolate indeed, and you will probably not even care to rush after another string, though the makings lie in great plenty around and about you. Now we speak of the fifth class. Here the analogy is not perfect. Here is proof that the horse-racing business is run more sensibly than life. Imagine, if you can, the racing commission giving a man a mount--at his request, mind you--and forcing him to enter it only, mounting but the one filly for the rest of his or its life. He is forced, brutally and without thought of deprivation, to forsake all others. In other words, he is not permitted to have a string. He must pin all his hopes on this one horse, which he thinks at first is a stake horse. He enters into a contract to keep this horse, feed it, care for it, placate it. For this he thinks he is entitled to certain considerations, which is why he signed the contract. But! These very same considerations are not specifically mentioned in this ambiguous and misleading document. He only imagines, fondly, that he will receive these considerations, and he later learns to his bitter sorrow that the mount itself is seldom in a mood to do other than abide by the written letter of this heinous contract. The mount moreover, by contractual right, can refuse to allow him to acquire other mounts, though the mount itself does not allow itself to be ridden more than once a week, and often much less. And literally never, after the signing of the contract, does this mount run other than a half-hearted and uninspiring race. Why, any green and untried filly out in the paddock can do much better. So the poor man, who loves his racing more than anything, and considers it to be his prime subject, finds himself restricted and bound in and pent up until he feels veritably imprisoned in a cage of his own making. -- 2 -- )page 8, please(
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