Salt, Nails and Prayer: Horseracing and Superstition by W. Charlene LeBrun The Horseracing industry has been manes and tails are braided to keep them an integral part of Louisiana culture for clean, particularly when running on a muddy many years. Trainers, owners, and jockeys track, and the color of the shadow rolls are spend extensive amounts of time preparing nothing more than the preferred color of the Thoroughbred horses for races. Certain trainer or owner. measures are taken to ensure that the horse Horseshoes are considered lucky. It has the best opportunity to succeed. Aside is common to see horseshoes placed upright from the obvious practices such as attending above the entrance of homes to prevent the to the nutritional needs of the horse and good luck from running out. In addition, to conditioning the horse to the rigors of rub a horseshoe is purported to bring good training and competing in races, there are luck. Tangible proof of this belief can be rituals and practices that are rooted in seen on the grounds of the Louisiana Downs superstition, faith, and folklore that are racetrack. At the entrance of Louisiana employed by individuals to ensure a Downs stands a monument to the successful outcome at the races. Thoroughbred racehorse Shish kabob. Born With the arrival of British settlers on the farm of Leroy Adcock, Shish kabob’s came the advent of horse racing on name was conferred upon him at the American soil. Although settlers engaged in suggestion of Mrs. Adcock who was horseracing, formal racing was not cooking Shish kabobs on the day that he was organized until after the Civil War. Formal born. Shish kabob had an illustrious but horseracing came to the state of Louisiana in short career. Upon stepping in a hole on a 1853 with the establishment of Fairgrounds turf course and suffering a broken leg, Shish racetrack in New Orleans, which was kabob was “put down”. In honor of Shish appropriate, as New Orleans was the kabob, the Shish kabob Stakes race was gambling capitol of the South (Skinner). created, he was buried on the grounds of Frequently, bettors will place their Louisiana Downs, and a monument was wagers based upon the horse’s appearance. erected at the entrance of the track. Some bettors believe that braided manes and Embedded in a block of marble, Shish tails or brightly colored shadow rolls, which kabob’s shoe is displayed for visitors to are thick pieces of material usually made of touch or rub for luck (Adcock). Inarguably some sheepskin-like material that is attached there is an incongruity in that the physical to the noseband of the horse’s bridle to monument that is supposed to bring good prevent the horse from seeing shadows, are luck is associated with death. indicative of a “sure” winner. In reality, There seems to be a measure of Frequently, individuals will make the superstitious belief attached to the sign of the cross or whisper a short prayer equipment used by jockeys. Many jockeys for a positive outcome before engaging in believe that it is unlucky to allow their boots sporting events. In 1984, the power of to touch the ground until the moment that prayer became evident when The Little they are placed upon the feet. No one seems Sisters of the Poor began to pray for Louis to know why it is unlucky and there seems Roussel’s Thoroughbred racehorse Risen to be a discrepancy in this belief in that the Star. According to George Vecsey, the boots are worn, cleaned and put away until relationship between the sisters and Risen the next race day, but they are the same Star began when Sister Mary Vincent, boots that have been worn and touched the administrator of the Mary Joseph old age ground before. For Carlos Gonzalez, who home, approached Louis Roussel III has ridden racehorses for over twenty years, soliciting donations for the repair of the roof it is more about routine in that he insists that of the facility. In response to Sister Mary his left boot must be put on first (Gonzalez). Vincent’s request for a donation, Roussel There is a large consensus of jockeys that made a deal with her in which in exchange agree that there is some measure of luck for prayer he would donate a portion of the associated with the bat that jockeys use horse’s winnings. Initially, Risen Star did during the race. A bat is a short, leather not win the Sport of Kings Futurity. covered riding crop that jockeys use to However, in spite of the horse’s loss, “encourage” the horse to move faster. It is Roussel made a contribution. Risen Star believed that if the bat is dropped then the went on to win the Lafayette, finished third race will be lost. In addition, if a race is won at the Kentucky Derby and won the with a particular bat then it should be used Preakness (Vecsey). thereafter to continue winning, much like Many people wear or carry special baseball. talismans or good luck charms as an added Some degree of routine is form of “insurance” for the horse’s success. intertwined with luck. In response to the While C.L. Daniel reports that a four leafed question of what rituals he uses, Carlos clover and a rabbit’s foot did little to aid his Gonzalez answered, “ If you get on a horse in the race, George Northrup wears a winning streak, you should continue wearing horse shoe ring with the opening pointing the same boots or carrying the same bat that toward the tip of the finger so that the horse you had when the winning streak began. If can “see” where to run (Daniel; Northrup). the lucky streak seems to be coming to an While there are many beliefs end then sometimes it helps to do something concerning measures to be taken to ensure different like cut the hair” ( Gonzalez). the horse’s success, it would seem that there Trainer George Northrup concurs in that the are several actions that trainers and jockeys clothing that was worn when a horse won a perceive as negative and certain to damn the race is worn thereafter (Northrup). horse to failure. Many Trainers will not take an old broom or open bag of salt to the track with the horse. To take an old broom from an old dwelling to the new one or to spill Works Cited salt invites bad luck or misfortune. Adcock, Leroy. Personal Interview. 21 Oct. According to George Northrup, trimming 2009. the bridle path, which is a 4-5 inch section Daniel, C.L. Personal Interview. 21 Oct. of mane directly behind the horse’s ears, on 2009. race day is sure to invite disaster. It would Gonzalez, Carlos. Personal Interview. 21 seem that the most egregious act that could Oct. 2009. “jinx” the outcome of the race is to urinate Northrup, George. Personal Interview. 21 in the horse’s stall on race day, a belief that Oct. 2009. is shared by George Northrup and C.L. Skinner, Simon M. “The Real History of Daniel (Northrup, Daniel). Horse Racing.” The Real History of There will always be rituals and Horse Racing. 14 Oct. 2008 practices surrounding Thoroughbred racing EzineArticles.com. 9 Mar. 2010 that have some connection with superstition, <http://ezinearticles.com/?The¬Real- faith, or folklore. However, the success of a ¬History-¬of-¬Horse horse ultimately is a result of the concerted ¬Racing&id=1583586>. efforts of the trainers, jockeys and the horse. Vecsey, George. “Sports of the Times; This The reality of horse racing can best be Horse Has a Prayer.” New York summed up in the words of C.L. Daniel who Times 10 June 1988: D23. said, “If the horse is gonna win, he’s gonna win.” .