Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-28
HOW JOCKEYS TRAM.
Ike Murphy Tells How He Keeps in
Trim. Where lie was BOrn-His Earn
ings.


From, the Kansas CitV Times
tits announced that Lucky Baldwin,
the California millionaire, has secured for
the next two years the services Of Isaac
Murphy for paying him retaining fee OF
s., 900 each season. Murphy has for two
years been retained by Ed. Corrigan, Of
Kansas City, his fee this season being
81. 900. but Baldwin has been for some time
ANXIOUS to secure him at almost any
price.
In the course Of an interview Murphy
said
Il earn a good deal Of money every
year. but have TO work hard for IL, and
think / am deserving Of all ! get. A
Jockey, in order to BE successful, must
constantly subject himself to a rigorous
course OF training, and, although people
who are not posted on such matters
would hardly think il, the best riders in
tne country-men who earn from $4,000 20
$4,000 every summer-frequently go to
bed hungry every night Tor weeks"
"Why is tbatY
"Wcl, it is this way; The scale Of
weight in this country Is very light as
compared with that in England and SO it
is always the case that by the time a
grown TO such a size that his natural
bodily weight is far above that which the
racing rules prescribe shall be carried in
all the more important events for > and
3-year-old runners. OF course this scale
of weights must be adhered to, and it is
for this reason that every jockey Is
weighed before each race begins in order
that none Of them may be either over or
under the weight which the rules fix for
hot toni nr ~ inf for in
stance, my weight is about 1875 pounds,
yet during the racing season l must be
prepared TO ride at a moments notice any
race where but 40 pounds il allowed TO
be carried. This means that / have got to
take oil by artificial means about 10
pounds OF surplus flesh and YOU can have
no idea of how hard it is to do that and
then TO keep my weight down TO the
proper figures"
GLOW is this accomplished ?"
"By sweating. Each morning OF the
day Jockey is to ride race he must get
up early, put on "A number Of sweaters
and over them a suit Of heavy clothes.
Then comes a stiff h-mile walk, at fast
enough pace to create a profuse perspira-
ton. This exercise and eating little or
nothing during the forenoon reduces him
to the proper weight for his afternoon
race. This continual reducing OF weight
by artificial means is a tremendous strain
on the mental. nervous and physical
system and causes constant feeling OF
weakness, which never leaves one except
during sleep"
what is your diet during the racing
seasonr'
81 find that the only thing can eatwith-
out causing my weight TO run up beyond
the limit is fruit. There is not much
strength in that diet and occasionally l
eat small piece of rare meat, which,
with n little toast, Is quite feast for
jockey"
'What is the nature of your contract
with Mr.. COrriganY'
at was to the effect that Mr.. COrrigan
had the first call on my services. That
means that whenever he had o horse in
race ! was Obliged to ride that animal, if
he desired me, and it was only when he
had nothing starting that l could ride
that | could accept mounts from other
stables. of course, one stable can fur
nish starters for but small minority of
the races at the meetings it attends, so
that get all the outside riding l care TO
do"
what did Corrigan pay you for the
first call on your services"
"He gave me $4 600 IA year, simply as
retainer, as that amount had nahlng to do
with what | was paid for fidlng the
races. You know the racing rules pro-
vide that jockeys snail receive $40 for
every lOOsing race they ride and $50 for
every winning one, so could earn good
deal from Mr.. Corrigan besides that 1000
which he paid for the first call on my
services, and then / got the regular rates
from other owners Of race horses for whom
| rode"
"DOn't you receive presents sometimes
from men with whose horses you have
been successfulW
sob, yes. When rode Mr.. Baldwin's
VOlante in the Derby here the other day
| was told before | got on the horse that
in case | won Mr.. Baldwin would give me
$500 and Plunger Walton, who had backed
Nolante heavily in the books and pools.
said he would give me u like amount. !
won the race and got the money"
"What do you earn yearY
81 don't exactly know, but | guess that
last year must have made close to Sl0,-
coo, and ought to do better this season.
| should not wonder If | earned AS mu Oh
as ST., 900 or $4,000 this summer"