Small Victory Songtext
von Garnet Rogers

You′ve no business buying a mare like that, but buy her if you must."
He bit the end off his cigar and spat it in the dust
"She's old, she′s lame, and barren too
She's not worth feed and hay
But I'll give you this," - he blew smoke at me
"She was something in her day."
"I recall her well ten years ago; she was a winner in her prime
She was fast, and lean, and willing, but they raced her past her time
And though she had the heart, her legs were gone
And it wasn′t hard to see, they kept her at it
In the hopes of just one more small victory."

"She was shunted around from track to track, from Kentucky up to Maine
They′d run her in cheap claimers, all doped up to mask her pain
And if it's my advice you want, I′d say, the poor thing's had her day
You′d be throwing good cash after bad. It's best you turn away."


Well they led her around the auction shed, and the bidding started low
"She′ll go for dog food," someone said, "the market's been that slow."
But she raised her head,
And pricked her ears, and before the hammer fell
She was mine
My friend turned around to me "You're soft-headed. I can tell."
But she′s been shoved from pillar to
Post," said I, "And always done her best
They used her up, they wrung her dry; you′d think she'd earned a rest
So if she does naught but end her days beneath some shady tree
I′ll have saved her from the
Knacker's yard, and that′s enough for me."

Well, that was near two years ago, she's filled out some since then
The more so since she′s been in foal; she eats enough for ten
And this morn as I crept to the barn around about half past three
There stood nursing on still trembling legs, one more small victory