New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-24
LESSONS IN RACING.
COLONEL CLARKES HEROIC METHODS IN
THE WEST.
INDIFFERENCE OF JOCKEY CLUBS TO NEEDED
REFORMS

The lessons of tho racing season Just CLOSED a'o
many. Let 'prcnt by them. Experience 'eao"es
Since April II we have seen an amazing lou Vi ns
sgement due principally to two causes. ts' '"o
Jockey clubs making too much money. ihe' "a'o
been coddled to DEATH as 1t were, ana IN cosequc'o
thereof are inclined put on airs. They are SO much
better in their estimation. than the people VINO
support them that they have become arrogant uc'a
toral and bigoted. II Is with most OF them an aari
ing case Of bigead. They arc for themselves hrs''
last and all the time, and the public be damned sec
ondy our racing officials arc under the spell OF 1901
sh conservatism not in keeping with the progress OF
American enterprise They are weak In the Knees anu
have no backbone. Fraud with big +, mas staaKcd
boldly through the metropolitan circuit. because there
was no man take II by Sc throat no one with the
pluck to tackle IL high or tackle 1t low, no CumnocK
no Corbett no Lake to prevent 1t from making touch
downs by the score Right here a word about Colonel
VI. Lewis Clarkc's methods. They seem to be pc
culiary IDS own All the racing world knows how
often no has been changing jockeys at Nashville ana
the same world approves all that he has done STICK
ers contend that he exceeded his authority but their
opinion is chan in the wind OF popular support.
While in New-York recently Colonel Clarke explained
his methods. He said to the writer:
zone day at the Louisville track it was intimated
to me that a job on foot IN certain race 30
began quietly feeling around TO who was in ana
who putting 1t up could learn nothing denm'e'
however; could implcate neither owner, trainer hor
Jockey But / was determined to have that race
honestly run. The horses went to post and eveTythu
looked all right till the first breakaway Then couu
see that some of the jockeys didn't want TO get OH.
Well, had all Of them to ride back TO the ]uuhes
stand draw up in line facing me- ana a'ef Ioohs
savagely at them for a few moments. maze I.'ie
speech Now. boys said. Il know all about inc Ioo
in this race and intend to stop it. won't poi' ou'
the guilty ones, because / want TO give you cHiice.
Listen to me. If every mothers son oi you ISL
riding and whipping and squirting like the oeVh ""om
you pass this stand. I'll rule you on ana Keep YOU w
for the rest of Your natural lives DO you understand
Now 20 TO the post and be sure you get away Ill iio
the last one Of YOU 1 wish you could nave seen
the effect of that SPEECH The race was one OF the
finest ever run over the track, and honestly DC
leve the best horse won.
"On another OCCASION. the Colonel continued, y
learned that certain Jockey had been bribed TO pn
his mOunt Tie horse the favorite ana had Deeh
heavily backed by the public who knew notmng Oh
the Job. called up the boy on his way 10 inc pos.
and ordered him to dismOunt ana before lie couI4
recover from his surprise another JOCKEY o'i0 A.,
could trust was In the saddle Then se''t io' VIZ
owner. Mr. Onajob, said ], yOu have had na'
row escape DO you know that some soo"i'ui'i
was very near having your horse puiied oh Ho.
7 discovered il IN the nick of time anu 'Joh '
liberty 81 uniting up an honest jockey hne" IL
would be a favor 10 you as well as ID 'no p,
! am very glad 10 have been OF service W oo'"
am sure you want to win every tiHie' anu IL We 80
ind
certainly rule him Of. ODaiob hung his head' grs"
IN, and cold by turns and SUNK away toward the
betinr ring lust "a the flag fell. His horse walReo
in far in front Of his field took the pans 10 uaAo
a few inquiries and learned that my suspicious WIZ
correct-Onajob and all his friends had bet teir as'
dollar on the second horse The rascal hao P"' UP
the lob himself That night he took his horses away
from the track and has not raced there nee
taste of this policy in the East would be relshed
nv all who take an interest in the welfare OF inc
,, Lot us hone that the Gulf breezes that
sweeps over New Orleans will fill Colonel simmons VIII"
a new real and put ramrod in his pach
IL was expected that racing cards would DC lree
durinr the season. and there was a movement in that
direction last spring. but while the clubs can sell
the programme privilege for 5000 day inc puono
will continue to sacrifice its little 10 cents Anu
such programmes. 1t is an outrage to l0lst so III
comprehensive and misleading tumble OIL D"huers
upon an unsuspccting community. Mares are called
reIdings FLIES and colts in lurn colts arc horses.
horses are colts, colts llies. Weights are per
ipeJIally wrong. I'cd,l;5, are T0st. COlOrS are
blank. A weeks hard study might teach the pro
granme publisher that in this country colt l. Il
colt till he reaches the age OF hve then ne Is "a
horse: q fly is fy till she is five then she Is
. mare; gelding Is neither colt, hlly, morse hoi
mare, simply gelding
The season has developed some horses OF note bu'
Jockeys have come u the front TO staitc te wou
Garrison has retired the saddle to conduct stable
OIL HS own. mclaughlin mas TluucH Du0 "N'""'''
LambIey-by the way how is that boys name spelled
They say L-a-mb-Ie-y Is wrong. Well, rose by
any other would smell as sweet LamDiey ma
improved much and is the coming jockey. lie has
ACQUIRED the art getting away and has ridden some
clever finishes, but lacks the patience 10 walt.
H. > II. Prince William Cathartlc DAILY, in whose
school and under whose strap Lambey was brought
up taught him TO die In front and the boy IS slow 70
learn how to depart from that teaching But he VIII
he with Mclaughlin next year. and that is equivalent
10 a liberal education in jockeys
The same old system OF starting prevailed. ana con
comtant with il the ceaseless strife between Mr.
caldwell aud the Jockeys, who seemed To dislike EACH
other thoroughly The recent trouble at Linden Park
ought 10 bring about reform Perhaps the starter
mover and authority are too great, possibly they are
NOT great enough Might IL not be good idea TO place
the matter of hnes and suspensions In the boards OF
stewards executive committces to whom the starter
should make report after each race something niis1
be done to prevent ruling off today and renstate
Inent tomorrow This plan Of putting the jockeys W
and down, up and down. right through the season, l.
preposterous. - ,,, A., ,.o
would like mention when he has more space reforms
that the stewards Of the National Jockey Cub-H. > IL
Prince DAILY, Sir W. Street and Mr.. William l'rien-
would do well to insert in their plan of campaign fol
1891.