Horse Racing: The Pumper's Last Purse

The name of the horse was George Royal; he had won only one race this year. The name of the "boy" on his back was Johnny Longden, and that was enough to lower the odds on him to 6-1 as he left the gate in last week's San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita.

Johnny Longden is quite a boy. He is 59 now, and a grandfather. His face is wrinkled, his hair is mostly gone and his back aches—as might be expected when a man standing 4 ft. 10 in. and weighing 110 Ibs. has fallen off enough horses to...