New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-19
AMERICAS BEST JOCKEY.
AN HOUR WITH JIMMY" MLAUGHLIN
now lie KEEPS DOWN HIS FLEsH-Btrs OF HIS
EXPERIENCE on THE TURF.

,h shoulders drawn well To the front and the head set
Low down between them on rather short neck which
er-vcI forward and which indicated by its breadth
re,t vcrichra strength and vigorous constitution
p,rt closed. pcerng bacE eyes. stiff black mus
,,cbe straight mouth and indifferent nose-the
combination making TAR from homely man-complete
batv description Of Americas most famous jockey,
limo. F Mclaughlin Familiarity called by all race
.s ~ Jimmy " Mclaughlin The well-known race
r.s ,fof was returning from his morning exercise to
a., o~cr home in ri ,hth TO pref himself for
,o race, of the Brooklyn Jockey Club at Parkvlle.
-. .tadv appearance produced by tho sweat
i,csci- which he i. compelled to wear when
,Nc-c.,.ns. The reporter accompanied him to his
home.
Il have jnst come from fiteenm'le walk be
,x,fliucd when asked about his method Of keeping
down h- weight " 90 from ten TO fifteen miles every
,.lrins That is all do to keep down"
II seemed luiicrous T. ask man who is supposed
o. have a comfortable little fortune of $4,000 or
$50 900 be suffered from hunger. but the reporter
Wis 50 curious upon that point that he made the
inquiry Mclaughlin smiled good-naturediy.
OF course I have to STINT myself in the racing
sea.on" he said. but | make NJ Tor it in winter
Thea weigh 1877 pounds"
~Y,u ride now at thirty pounds lrssT
~No have been able to ride at lO7 only once
this year. am., little above that now"
sIs not racing every day great strain on you
Not at ALL 1t is much better for me, as 1t makes 1t
easi, for me 10 keep down my weight
Doesn't this constant semi-starvation Keep you
wcak71
Mclaughlin smiled like strong with an inner
c,n.c'ou.ucss Of being able to lift house
Instead OF weakening me- keeping down in Aesh
makes me feel stronger and be ter always feel
refreshed after my morning walk Of fifteen miles
Mclaughlin has not those washed ont rough dried
l.
ueye, drinks to aud his appearance certainly
vouchcs for the truth Of that statement He ought
10 lie a 'bappv man His home is attractive and com
Portable he is surrounded by happy aud increasing
family and he has a larger income than any other
Jockey in America What more does man want
Notolietyl Well, Mclaughlin has more OF that than
lie knows what to do with. II has grown stale with
him. although of his fayorite pictures is that of
himself astride of Pontiac 1t hangs in his back
rarlor But then. he is modest man. born on Feb
ruary %. 1851. and has charming wife and four
vouns McLaughl.ns. Therefore be Is contcnted. And
b. likes riding so much that when tie reporter said
flat he bad an obscure intention Of abandoning news
paper work 10 become disciple Of the silk and spurs,
lie cjaculated
Well, riding Is a mighty good business
How long does i take become a fairly good
jockey"
Ihave known boys to exercise and get
mounts the track the next Dut otutI> serve i
longer apprenticeship. generally three years
Is 1t go dangerous q business as 1t appears to bcT
don't ind it dangerous We are liable to be hurt
sometimes by tall OF injured by reckless riding, but
if one is careful he need not be afraid When Jockey
has been hurt many Zines he becomes faint hearted
Speaking Of incidents the reporter expressed
regret that Mclaughlin mad allowed himself to be /
"pocketed " by Hamilton aud Garrison III the Eliza /
jetu-Pot-T attler turf race at Sheepshead Bay BIT
tie jockey could not recouect that such thing had
occurred.
MANY persons were disappointed by your not riding
Arctmo N the New-Yoik Handicap" tho reporter
$50 have been told Well. did intend to ride
Him but the Dwyer,l thought well of our FLY and
! decided not TO ride against hcr
but it is oad Tat the Messrs Dryer backed
RureFt in that race y
This was said nterrorativtly but it failed to elicit
am answer from the jockey. Mclaughlin speaks as
carefuIv as lie rides 1t is not easy matter TO
pocket him. on sharp turn. lie viii never
annoy his friends and employ the Dwyer Brothers.
hy free of his tongue, which be seems always
t. hold under double pull. When asked his opinion
OF certain OF his brother nders he oourteousy declined
TO express himself. His excuse was that be didn't
bother himself much about themi he had not the
time. OF the light weights he did unbosOm himself
enough TO sag thar De Lorg the most diminutlve.
q smart boy, that Palmer. the e-devn OF
Father Daly's stable was bad boy" that Elkie
mighty smart nj getting away" and that
Bender was a /" good rider What he thought of the
snapper" surnaIned Harrison. he would not say,
neither could he be persuaded to discuss the merits or
dement's Of that vigorous hnsher, Fitzpatrick. nor
comment 90 the reck less and -ncomprehenslhle
riding Of Hamilton the BLACK knignt o ie,,
with the accident TO Douohne on Friday at the
Brook n track.
Donobue complained that Hamilton crowded bin
into the rail 10y crossing him when his mount was
baf.lapped Ilamtons.' explained the reporter.
" II Hamilton did that he riding foul, said
the jockey. with some spirit He was to blame for
the accident"
But did not DoDohue have the right 10 cut down
Hamiitonf'
Doubtless he would have done that If his horse
had not stumbled. But if ne had cut Hamilton down
1t would have been hamltons iant l am very
likely 10 ride again this season.
The subject shifted to that nerye-d-stroyer-
betting on the
"Oh ITS bad business Mclaughlin said. and he
laughed heartily ordinary laughs after a
good understanding the jockey doesn't get once
through the racing
- There ought to be Yankee smart enough to I
invent way to beat the bookmakers," the reporter
suggested but Mclaughlin only shook his head and !
smiled dismally. In that smile there the re-
Fiction of painful remniscence 1t was passed over
IN silence and the reporter waited for the Jockey to
come back 10 the present and speak I
" Man, persons have idea, he said at length. | .
that We riders know beforehand whether we arc
gong to win race or not Ihey THINK that the
owners and trainers know, TOO am frequently
approached in the paddock and asked if intend to
win. as IT the whole thing had been arranged To suit
ny convenience 1t is not worth while to notice
snch Questioners."
But surely YOU have a toerably accurate know
edge of just what You and your mount must do to win
and wi at your chances are against the field :" +
Not as a rule We often ride horses know |
absolutely nothing about beyond what the trainer
tells us when called out When mounted |
Guenn the other day at sheepshead Bay in the Bridge
Handicap. Was told by her trainer that she didn't
have much speed but good stsyer when driven !
10 IT, She went well that ] let her ont the | |
backstretch aud kept her going until thought bad
the race everything left far behind Ii didn't
seem possible that any horse could out OF the
luck and catch me, but Jim Gray did IL. People |
believed that Guenn quit In the hOmesiretch bnt she
did not She didn't tire at all Tar IA could Judge
and the time Of the last furlong shows that she
going fast couldn't understand how Jim GRAY beat
until told after the that he had worked the
distance the day before In 81 But learn (
every thing after the is all over"
What do You think OF Blue Wng1"