 Take one man trapped in the bitterness of the past. Put him face to face with the future in the flying turf of the racetrack. That's our story, long shot, taken from the files of John Steele, adventurer. This is John Steele. If you like stories of suspense and action, sit down. You've come to the right place. Have you ever had 1,400 pounds of thundering horse flesh straining at your hands? Well, stick around. You will. Because this week's story concerns one of the oldest and most exciting sports, horse racing. And here to tell it is the man it happened to, Dink Williams. Supposing we let him carry on from here, hmm? Dink? You see, when you're a little guy like me, you learn early, you gotta do a lot of backing off. If you don't, you get your face pushed in. At first, you keep hoping that someday you're gonna get big. But you're waiting, you're waiting, nothing happens. So then you learn to take care of yourself. When the big guy's yelling, you say I heard you and you let it go like that. At least that's the way it was with me. I guess it all started that day down in Florida. I'd been jockey for about 10 years and I was good. Worked my way up the contract rider for Blue Metal Farms. And I was winning my share. I was up on the favorite, Reliance. And Eddie Breda was riding the long shot that everyone said was due. It was a sixth race, climbing for four-year-olds at a mile and 16th. The rest of the jocks have been giving me a bad time and I was sore. I was slow coming out of the chute and didn't catch a pack till the first turn. The track was wet and the mud was flying. I could see Breda was in second place right behind Saunders. We got around the second turn and headed into Backstretch. Breda was still up there but saving it. Had to make it look good so I let it go and started moving up strong on the outside. The pack was sliding past and they could feel the horse reaching and closing under me. It felt good. I closed into a rail right on Breda's tail and held the number three spot down to stretch. When we got into the back turn, I pulled out and started moving up. Inch at a time, inch at a time, then me and Breda were neck and neck. You're crazy! That blow! Move too late! Neverland says who! We headed into the stretch. Breda put the window and pulled away. Like a few Reliance floating up, but I held her up to the finish. Breda caught Saunders in one go on the way. Breda made his turn and came trotting back past me. Hey, call that Payson Williams? Lay out. I knew you'd shut your bolt in the backstretch. You do your ride and I'll do mine. It's the ground. I'll give you a lesson. Yeah. Smart enough to jerk you through. Sure, sure. Can't get better and forth with a favorite. No way. I would have caught Saunders if you hadn't pressed him. I thought she was ready. Can't win them all. No. What happened? Couldn't get off, that's all. You've never been nervous before. I said I couldn't get off. Get your tack off. Yeah. And then I'll race and then shoot. Those things happen. Yeah. Hello, Mr. Seal. Oh, hi, Miss Corson. I'm so disappointed. I had two dollars on reliance. You'll get it back on the next race. I hope so. This is Mr. Corson's niece, Dink. Dink Williams, our jockey. Hello, Dink. How do? My name's Judy. I was so sure you were going to win. Maybe next time. You'd better. By all right, you owe me two dollars. Huh? Got any tips on the next race? Uh, sure. Dive bomber on the nose. If I win, I'll split it with you. Okay. See you again. Better go way out. Dink, I said you'd better go way out. I heard you. Funny how things happen. All your life you get along by yourself and you get used to it. And all of a sudden you see someone and being alone ain't what it used to be. She was right. Not that anything could come of it, her being who she was and me being me. But she was right. A couple of the jocks saw it happen and started giving me the business. And it didn't throw me. That night I went down a bull force joint like I was supposed to. But I couldn't get her off my mind. I didn't stop for a drink. I just went right on up to the office. Savin' my knuckles. I want to learn some manners. What for? You know you'll kill me, Dink. Let's keep it that way. What's eatin' you? Nothing. Don't give me that. Nothing, I said. Just because I work for you, you don't own me. Okay, strictly business. That's the way you want it, strictly business. That's the way I want it. What happened out there today? You'll buy the papers. That ain't what I mean. Yeah? Thought you was runnin' too good of a race. Gotta make it look good. Yeah? Yeah. Never used to worry how it looked. Still might get wise. How do you get them soft? Dink takes care of Dink. You know if I ever thought you was crossin' me, sonny. Good what? Don't try it. What are we talkin' about? I know you, my boy. Yeah? What do we say? Two grand? You know what we said. You're just gettin' sonny. Don't be so touchy. Two grand. Sure. Got it right here. Go ahead. Count on it. You're smarter than that. That's what I like about you, Dink. A businessman. Yeah. And just to show you, I take care of my boy. I put an extra 50 on Brita for you. A 20 to one? Sure. An extra 1,000 for you. What a good day. Gonna be more. Take it easy. Next one will be the big one. It's cool off for a couple of months. We've been waitin' a long time. Pull up on me goin' north. This ain't like you. No. Got something on your mind. Lay off. Money? You need money? Shut up. Just any of the jocks givin' you a bad time? It's nothin'. Papers after ya? No. Women? What would a doll want with a little jerk like you? I told you to shut up. Smartin' off, sonny. I knew there was something you gettin' soft in there. Shut up. It's your funeral. Huh? You always been a loner. You wanna get soft? Go ahead. Ah, you wouldn't understand. Only don't come cryin'. I never come... Look, we've been buildin' this thing a long time, right? Yeah. You want some doll to knock it all over? No. Then get wise. I guess you're right. Of course I'm right. It was crazy anyhow. Now you sound like Dink Williams. Yeah. Look, don't hang around here no more, huh? Okay. It ain't good. Nah. I'll get in touch with you when we're ready. Okay. And stay away from women. Don't worry. Remember. I heard you. Okay, sonny. We're working late tonight, ain't ya? Got to on that. How come? Kinda make a buck. Didn't do so good today, huh? It's nothin'. What are you gonna learn? What happened out there today on that? What do you mean? I thought you was a short thing in a sec. How much did you have on me? A couple of hundred. I had it to spend. A couple of hundred? You're crazy. I told you I had it to spend. So now you're working late to make up for it? I just felt like workin' on it. Then cut it out. Honest, it was though I had it in the sock. Ecstasy. For the new stand. I had it spent some other week. How many times do I have to tell ya? I think. Look. Here's the 200. I ain't gonna take it. Go on. Nah. Why not? It wasn't your fault. Take it. I knew I was taking a chance on that. Forget it. It's part of the game. Okay. But promise me something. Sure, Dink. You won't make no more bets unless I say it's okay. What do you mean? Just what I said. Why? Never mind why. You mean it ain't on the... Promise. Sure. I guess so, Dink. Okay. Now give me the herald. Yeah. Sure. See ya, Gimp. Yeah, Dink. And don't forget, that's a promise. On that. That's the way it goes when you take care of yourself. Don't make no difference where the money comes from long as it's money. Some guys, it's fussy, but it don't pay off in the end. Dink settled down for the next couple of days. I did my work, got my trap shut. Long as it was monster ride, I was okay. I forgot about Gimp and Bofo and even a Carson dame. Pretty soon, I was feeling myself again. Then one morning I was coming in from blowing out a filly. Steel was waiting in the yard for me when I got back. Steel and a dame. Wobbly. Never be a mutter. Nope. Did you pull her in down? Yep. Ran a quarter against a bit. Did she take it? Ran hard. I was afraid. Okay, Sam. Wipe her off. Oh, excuse me. You remember her, Miss Carson. Hello, Dink. Yeah. I'm going over the tack room. Want to come along? No thanks, Mr. Steel. See you again, Miss Carson. Certainly. Bye. Far as I'm concerned, you're through at the race time, Dink. I bet I... I... What were you going to say? I... I better get going. Can I give you a lift any place? Nah. I... I gotta change. I'll wait. Uh... How do you usually go home? Walk. Then I'll wait. No, you see... Okay. Where'll I meet you? Come on. I thought you were going the long way. Don't forget it. All right. This one's mine. Yeah, I thought so. Oh, it's really my uncle's. I borrowed it. Yeah. Which way, Dink? Down a shore road. Good. Love the ocean drive. Beautiful morning, isn't it? Yeah. I like getting up before everyone else. Makes you feel like you're getting a head start on the rest of the world. I mean it. Left here, isn't it? Yeah. How'd that filly go this morning? Bad. I know. Huh? I watched her coming around the last turn. She was slipping. Call it wobbling. Uh-huh. You know anything about horses? Sure. I love them. Why? I don't know. You have to love them to get up in the morning and watch them exercise. Yeah. I guess so. The ocean's beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. Did you eat yet? Just coffee. You hungry? Starved. Place down a road. I'd love to. That ain't much. Well, they've got food. Yeah. That's for us. I eat there most mornings. Up on the dawn. You can see the ocean from the porch. Sounds wonderful. That's it up ahead. On the left? Yeah. Slow down. It drives right here. Let's go. Use for something? Twice. Okay, all right. Come on. What's his name? I don't know. And you eat here every morning? What's the matter? Nothing. Well, it ain't much of a... I think it's perfect. You like it here, don't you? Yeah. I guess so. So do I. I'm gonna hate going back north. When? Oh, not for four weeks. I'm not looking forward to it. Miss... I told you. My name's Judy. Oh, yeah. What were you gonna say? Nothing. What's taking that man so long? Gotta make the stuff. What's your order? Scrambled eggs. Sausage. Oh, don't talk about it. Did you want something else? No. He's just making my mouth water. Here you are, Foxes. At last. Woop woop. What's the plates? They're hot. Thanks. Just holler if you want something else. Who do we holler for? Oh, I'll just holler for Joe. Okay, Joe. You see, Dink, it's easy. Yeah. Me and Judy did that a lot for the next couple of weeks. She'd come out in the morning, watch her horses run. Then we'd ride down the coast and stop in at Joe's for something to eat. We didn't talk about much, classes most of the time, but she laughed a lot and it was good. I was riding my share of winners, and there was talk I might be leading rider of the meet. Stealer was okay and I hadn't heard from Bullfos since I went to see him. Then one day just before race time, I went up to the Jarks locker room. Rita was there alone. Hello, lover boy. Hello, Blau. I've been waiting for you. What are the rest of the guys? What's it to you? You don't like them? Maybe. They don't like you. I'm a race time. I told them I could handle this alone. Handle what? I've been hearing things. So? I hear you like a fast buck. Back off. I hear you've been pulling horses. You're nuts. We don't like that. You're acting pretty big. I know what I'm saying. Jack. Somebody charge. I don't know what you're... Camp! Come on out. Huh? What are you doing here? Trying to help. What do you mean? Rita says you've been running around with... Shut up. Just try it. What are you talking about? Get your mitts off me. Kim told me what you said. What? Not to put dough on you unless you said it was okay. Trying to help, Tink. Yeah. Thought of this name had you goofy. Shut up about her. What's the matter, lover boy? Shut up. Didn't want Kim losing his dough. Yeah, yeah. That's all that you hear? I believe you, Tink. Nothing I hate worse than a crooked chuck. Back off, Rita. Don't you pull that favorite. You got this coming, wise guy. All right. Last horse you ever... Shut up, lover boy. Get the rest of it. Cut it out, Tink. Okay, Rita. Tink. Get out of the way. Cut it out. Hate it just since the first day I saw you. Shut up. Beat your brains out. Yeah. Report your toe to the steward. I'll be watching you, Williams. Ah, blow. Just trying to help on that. And you, Tink. This ever happens again. You'll throw with blue metal farms. Honey, alone, will you? This couple of days, me and Rita rode like crazy. Pulled every 31 in a book and things were getting kind of rough. Rita had one bad spill in a week after. I went down where he rode me into the rail. Paper started playing it up as a feud, and they didn't know how right they were. Then on the last week of the meet, I got a call from Bufo. I put off going to see him, but he sent one of his boys to pick me up. And I knew we meant business. I left a hood in the bar and went up to his office. What do you think you're shoving around? Oh, get hot. Sent some mug after me? Wasn't sure you got my call, that's all. Don't give me that. My partner's remember? Yeah. The hottest thing in the meet. Saw? That's good. That's good. For what? You always said you were smart, sonny. Yeah. Like to see my boys get ahead. Huh? And when you lose one, nobody minds. I told you. What, sonny? It's too soon. Don't be a... I said where do we go north? Now. People are getting wise. I said now. Four weeks since the last one. You've been winning everything inside. Who's gonna get wise? I say no. It's too late. What do you mean? I got our whole bundle placed in five different books. For when? Tomorrow. Sixth race. Stake race. 25,000. You're up on Ironside. It's two to one favorite. Peter's riding a 12 to one shot. Wait things have been going to break his neck to beat you. It's a natural. No. Easy street, sonny. Rest of our lives. No. Never worry about nothing. Anything you want. Dames, cars, anything. No. Don't be a jerk. It's too soon. What's the matter, that doll got you again? Shut up. Crazy little crumb. Shut up. Both fall. Get smart, sonny. Dink takes care of dink. That's a laugh. Think of it. Buy her anything she wants. Don't have to take nothing from nobody. Be a guy with dough right up there with all them swells. Just for pulling a horse. And if they find out so what? 200 bucks fine and lose your license. Take it over, sonny. Last time? Sure, last time. Okay. That's my boy. Knew you was too smart. Remember, no more. Oh, sure, sure. And sonny. Yeah? Take care of yourself. What do you mean? I ain't gonna see you till tomorrow night. Sir? In case you change your mind. You'd never get away. Sonny? I heard you. Don't worry. Give him paper. Final paper. Get your sports extract. Hey, Dink. Dink, wait a minute. Hey, Dink. Huh? Oh, hi, Gim. You saw up near something? Hi. It was stinking. I didn't mean that. Not a stink. It's okay. Just thought if he was in trouble on it. Yeah, yeah. Didn't think he was crooked. You know that. Yeah, I know. How you been hitting him? Swallow, swallow. I was on you in a second yesterday. Boy, what a race. Picked up a cool 50. Good. All the smart money was on Sanders, but you shot him. Yeah. What you're doing out so late? Business. You better go get some sleep. I've been saving up for tomorrow. I got the whole 250 on you in a six. Huh? Yeah, I put the whole... Jack, I told you... I ain't worried about it. Can you get it back? You're crazy. No book gives you your dough. I told you, Gimp. What's eating you? Nothing. Act like there was something wrong on that. It's your dough. Play it how you see it. Didn't sleep much that night. I was thinking about Jody and Gimp and Bufo on Easy Street. Next morning I went down to the track, but there was nothing for me to ride. Didn't see Jody after work, so I walked down to Joe's and had some coffee. Time was dragon. I wanted to get it all aboard. Then it was race time, and I had a winner in the first. Felt better about that. Wouldn't look so bad. Rita would run home in the fort, and we had nothing in it in the fifth. I weighed in for the sixth and walked over to the paddock. Steele was waiting with Ironsides. Stop fussing, Sam. You make her nervous. You okay? Yeah. I figure hold her in until a half-mile pole even. Sure you feel all right? Yeah, I'm okay. You're the doctor. We're sending you out early. She was nervous last time out. Okay, okay. Better get up. Give me your knee. Dink, wait a minute. Huh? I didn't think I'd make it. Hello, Jody. Hello, Mr. Steele. Just wanted to wish you luck. Yeah. We'll be rooting for you. Come on, Dink. Go get the money. Up you go. Good luck, boy. I followed the lead pony out of the paddock and down on the track. All of a sudden, a nervous man out ahead. The rest of the field would be out in a couple of minutes. Now I was all alone. Talked to her and patted her to keep her calm. The track was soft. Reigned the night before, but the rake had dried it out just the way she liked it. Then I heard the call to the post and I looked back and saw the rest of the set coming out. Cut the chute and ran back at the gate. Then I waited. I had the post position, but I wasn't going until the rest was set. Then the field came up. Watch my mud, lover boy. Okay, boys. Move them in. For steady, steady. Okay, William. Easy, girl. Easy. There you go. Easy now. Watch it. Watch it. Looks good. Hold her three. Looks good. Steady. Brita was our first. Then O'Brien and me and we held going down the stretch. Pack points in front of her stance and we moved into the turn. Brita dropped over to the rail. I snugged her in good and held the fourth slot. She was running good and came down nice. Had to make her look right. Going into the second turn, Brita was up in front and going away. Fast, fast brace. Everyone flying. Be easy. Easy. I snugged her in more and dropped out of six. Easy. Make my move too late. That's all. Nobody know the difference. Easy street. Easy street and Judy. Give me to the back stretch when I had to make my move. Not too much, baby. Not too much. Riding for easy street. But the sucker do it the hard way. Not too much. Suckers. All of them suckers. Gippin' as lousy to 50. All of them. Easy street and Judy. That's it. Judy. Judy kiss me. Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy. Back with sliding by right now. Judy, Judy. What would you think if you knew. Gimp on this 250. But the idea came right now. Yeah right now. Come on, baby. Gonna do it. Don't want to be a smart kind no more. If we wanted to back turn, Brita was still out in front. Had to have before the third, then it was just Brita up ahead in throwing mud. They gave her a whip and let it go. Got her to last to me having by a link. But I was flying over and up, moving up Move too late! Get through! Eat mud! I gave it a whip, but she was there. Every bit of it. Pulling and stretching, pulling and stretching. Rita couldn't hold her pace and started falling off. Then the line came flying up, and I was home going away! Nice race, boy. She had it, that's all. Thought you'd waited too late. Almost did. Dave, you were wonderful, wonderful. I was so excited. Everyone's waiting for it. The win is second. Let him wait. He's tired, Judy. Oh, I'll just stay a second. It's okay. Long enough to say goodbye. Huh? I'm leaving tomorrow. Probably won't see you before I go. It's been wonderful knowing you, Dink. Yeah. You too, Mr. Steele. Thanks. I better be going. Won't get my bed in for the last race. Bye, Dink. Bye, Mr. Steele. Bye, Judy. Quite a girl. Understand she's going to be married in a couple of months. Oh, I almost forgot. Right after the race, you had a phone call. Followed by the name of, uh, Bufo. Said he wanted to see you. Dink, I said to follow by the name of, uh... I heard you. Yeah, I heard you. Long shot. The story of a man who learned too late that no one can live alone. And if you like Dink's story, friends, why not come back next week? I'll have a man who had an unusual adventure. He searched for someone in a raging flood and found himself. I like to call it Valley of the Shadow. So until next week, this is John Steele saying, A life of adventure is yours for the asking. Wherever you find it. Only don't look for it. It may find you. Well, goodbye and good hunting. John Steele Adventure is produced by Robert Monroe, written and directed by Elliot Drake. Alan Stevenson was heard as Dink. Also in our cast were Joyce Gordon, Ross Martin, and Mark Lawrence. John Steele is played by Don Douglas. Musical effects were created by Doc Whipple. Your announcer is Ted Malley. Remember next week, Mutual presents Valley of the Shadow. Another story of suspense and action from the files of John Steele, adventurer. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.