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By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

Bill died in 1997 at age 84. I have his Underwood typewriter and a few books from his library. He left notes between pages. Many words aren’t legible, but I can see “Yolo King” and “Big Horse With the Gold Tooth” if I close my eyes.

For Bill, Yolo King’s story was indelible. The horse was owned by Ed Kripp, a sportsman, nightclub operator and gambler who built the city’s most lavish baseball field, Buffalo Park, at Riverside and Broadway. Kripp lived across the river in Broderick. Yolo King lived with him.

To ensure Yolo King performed with top efficiency, Kripp brought one of the world’s best riders, a jockey named Tod Sloan, to Sacramento. Sloan won stakes races across the U.S. He went to England and rode for King Edward VII. He opened Harry’s New York Bar in Paris near the opera house. Harry’s still draws a crowd. So does the Paris opera house.

Even with Sloan aboard, Yolo King wasn’t without issues. He developed dental problems, an ulcerated tooth. Kripp knew the tooth had to go, but didn’t trust Yolo King’s smile to any

If Conlin were alive today, he would insist the gold tooth is still down there, under Target’s parking lot. Bill lived long enough to see Buffalo Park change names, burn down and become a shopping center. He would know gold sells for around $2,000 an ounce.

Figure half an ounce for a big horse incisor. Enough cash for a day at the races.

R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n