"A DARK HORSE."

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 40

" A DARK HORSE."

Live Stock Journal says that this familiar ! expression obtained currency originally in Tennessee. There lived there an old horse dealer named Samuel Flynn, who generally had among, his stock a speedy nag or two ' which he would pull out for a race on any <■ (.(.vision when in the course of his travels he , thought he saw a good thing. The best horse ' lie ever used in this way Mas a nearly thoroughbred black stallion, which he called Dusky Pete. Flynn iu-ed to save this horpe — which was a veritable flyer, (hough not nvuch to look at — an his journeys, and hack him fitiietly into the town as though Dusky Pete were one of ths nags he was going to offer ior sale. One day lie arrived at a town on the day the local lace meeting was to be hUd, and msde a podt entry of Du°ky Pete. The townspeople^were inclined to jeer at the stranger's hor-e, and Flynn was able to make a book at fancy odds. Juflt before thp l-orses left the saddling paddock Judge M'Mimmicp. a "turf oracle/ popularly <-uppo=cd to know every horse in the State, came dovu to the course, and the strange m>c; v. ?.<= p;u'iWt out to him. lie at once reeouni^e'l^ PurLx, Pete, and made tjie.reinarir "wK!ch garc birth to the common phrase: "Gentlemen. Ihei-e's a dark horse in ihe race that will make ?ome of you sick before supper." Flynn rode a wailing race, and won with a rush.