A Day at the Races

One day George was betting on the ponies nearly losing his shirt, when
he noticed a priest who had stepped out onto the track and blessed the
forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold,
this horse (a very long shot) won the race.


George was most interested to see what the priest did in the next race.
Sure enough, he watched the priest step out onto the track as the 5th
race horses lined up, and placed his blessing on the forehead of one of
the horses. George made a beeline for the window and placed a small bet
on the horse. Again, though another long shot, the horse won.


George collected his winnings and anxiously waited to see which horse
the priest bestowed his blessing on for the 6th race. The priest showed,
blessed a horse. George bet on it and won!


George was elated. As the day went on, the priest continued blessing
one of the horses and it always came in first. George began to pull in
some serious money and by the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were
going to come true. He made a quick stop at the bank and withdrew every
penny he owned, and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him
which horse to place the bet on.


True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the
last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears and hooves of one of the
horses. George placed his bet -- every cent he owned -- and watched the
horse come in last. George was dumbfounded!


He made his way to the track and when he found the priest, he demanded,
"What happened, Father? All day you blessed horses and they won. The
last race, you bless a horse and he loses. Now I've lost my life savings
thanks to you!"


The priest nodded wisely and said, "That's the problem with you
Protestants."


"You can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last
Rites."