The Black Stallion

half-mile track were the red carnival cars of the fair's midway, while high above them circled a Ferris wheel, its silver paint glistening as it caught the sun's rays.
    "And in number six position," the announcer was saying, "is Crusader, a dark chestnut horse by the very famous stallion, Volomite, and out of Lady Luck; owned by Mr. C. H. West of New York City, and driven by the leading driver of the night raceways, Ray O'Neil.
    "Number seven, racing on the outside position, is Symbol, a black gelding by Direct Hollyrood and out of Mary K; owned and driven by Mr. Jimmy Creech of Coronet, Pennsylvania." He paused, while Jimmy Creech, the last in the parade to pass the booth, tipped his red-and-white cap to the crowd. "The horses will take two warm-up scores in front of the grandstand and then face the starter."
    The drivers released their horses from prancing walks and moved quickly down the track to the first turn. There they stopped and then came back past the grandstand. Reaching the bleachers, they turned cautiously to avoid one another's sulky wheels and horses and went down the stretch once more, moving faster now. Each repeated this fast scoring warm-up, then filed around the turn and down the back-stretch, ready to come in behind the mobile starting gate awaiting them just off the back turn.
    "Your attention, please, ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said. "For those of you who have never had the opportunity of watching the mobile starting gate in action, I'd like to explain briefly how it works. Our starter, Mr. George Reed, is riding in the back of that open convertible you see awaiting the horses just off the turn out there. You will notice the long poles to each side of the rear of the car and extending across the track. Behind these 'wings,' as we call them, the horses will come into their post positions. Mr. Reed will have his driver start the car moving away from the horses as they come up behind the 'wings' of the starting gate. By means of a microphone which is about his neck, and a loudspeaker at the rear of the car, he is able to instruct the drivers as to their position, conduct and speed while they all come down toward the starting line. He will bring them down the stretch, slowly at first, then faster as they approach the starting line directly in front of this booth. He will keep them together until he sends them off; the 'wings' of the mobile starter will swing away from the horses as they cross the starting line, and Mr. Reed will pull away from them and around the track. The race will then be on, ladies and gentlemen. The horses are now fanning out as they round the back turn and move toward the starter. This is the first heat of the first race on your program; the race will be for the best out of three heats and the second heat will take place just about one hour from now. Keep your eyes on the starter and the horses, ladies and gentlemen. They're coming behind the gate, and Mr. Reed is moving away from them."
    Tom, his fists clenched around the paddock rail, stood beside George, and the skin over his knuckles tightened until it was white as he saw Jimmy take Symbol to the outside position close beside Ray O'Neil, driving Crusader. "Does Jimmy know how to get away behind these mobile starting gates, George?" he asked tensely.
    "They had one at the York Fair; that's the only time he's been behind one," George replied. "He did all right. It doesn't take Jimmy long to learn anything. But he hates 'em," he added, "—just like he does anything else that's different from what it was forty years ago. Modern, silly gadgets, he calls 'em."
    "But these mobile starters get the horses away better," Tom said, "and faster, too. The old way, when they come down to the starting line by themselves, they're usually never together and are called back to start all over again. This mobile gate makes certain they get off the first time. It's easier on everyone, it seems to me—the horses, drivers and the people watching. They know the race is on when they come down now."
    "Sure, I know," George said. "But like I said, Jimmy don't like any changes. He likes to keep the sport the way it was. Some of his criticisms of this mobile gate are good, too. He says the horses don't like those 'wings' and the car in front of 'em; and then the wheels of the car usually throw dust in their faces. Yep, there's a lot to what Jimmy says. But here they come now. Watch 'em, Tom."
    The horses were in position, pushing their