The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29
DRIVERS AND JOCKEYS.
One Who Would Rather Be the Other.
Drivers Don't Get Rich.

Drivers Don't Get Rich.
From the NeD Orleans Times Democrat.
"If had my life to live over again I'd be
a running horseman instead OF knight OF
the sulky y pleasantly remarked veteran
to rover the other day while chatting to-
gether.
"Why soY'
"Simply because there is more money in
the business and less work"
"That's a day-dream conclusion"
"No, sir. l can prove the assertion. /
will make q comparison between a GOOD
driver and a good jockey. First, a jockey
need not know the first thing about train
ing aud conditioning horse; he must know
how to ride a rafting finish, that's all. The
races are short, from five furlongs to mile
and a sixteenth, on the average, and it does
not tire jock to ride five or six races a
day. And, just look at their pay, $50 for a
winning mount and $40 for losing mount,
and big salaries besides, in some instances"
"But knights OF the sulky get good pay,
too"
rs that 500 Name me one driver in
America that's rich. You can't do it. And,
sir, name me one driver who has been in
the business for fifteen years steady who is
not troubled with disease of the kidneys, re-
sulting from riding on a sulky and the con-
| tinuous jar, and I'll throw up the sponge
Ten dollars week is the usual price for
training horse. Take out the groom's ex-
penses, feed, and so on, and how much have
| you got lefts The running-horse trainers
get 81 per day per horse. and I'll wager II
| song book that you can find trotting horse
men at this track who will take horses for
| just half that amount"
Tell me candldly, don't you like to see a
| first-class trotting race better than run
ming raceg' so
Most assuredly. I'd rather see one
grand finish in a trotting race from the dis
tance flag to the wire than all of the rum
ming races in the world. 1t takes men of
| brains, men of education and experience,
quick fore-thought and wonderful inspira-
ton to keep horse on his feet and land him
a winner by a head. Good judgment in
rating the speed of your horse and plying
your whip at critical is all there is re-
| CURED in arunning race. Why, kidss ride
runners, men of brain rive trotters.n siH
Hadn't you rather be classed as man of
brains and experience than as kid!" "si 5l
mo, sir; not if the kid can earn enough
in the same length of time to buy and sell
me. It's money Pm looking for, not glory.
| I'll trade wagon load of glory for a little
| gold dust on the tire. 1t is q fact that the
majority of old drivers are seeking positions
| on big stock farms, where they are sure of
their salaries, instead of training horses on
| their own hook. But few or the trainers
can make money enough under the present
Cheap John system to buy bread for their
families, to say nothing Of lying by a little
for rainy day."
"Can you suggest a remedy for the Cheap
John system of training horses p
~ have an idea"
| ''Please uncork it then"
81 will. 1 think that trainers and
drivers of trotting horses should be licensed
| by the American and National Trottiug
Associations. Let them pass an examina-
ton as to their character and ability, and
then form a union, fixing the price OF train
ing horses at a live-and-let-live figure.
And, further, let there be a clause inserted
In the rules of both associations prohibiting
any driver from holding the reins behind a
nag in a race without license. Then, in
stead Of ruling driver off the track for
some just cause, the judge could simply re-
woke his license. The boys would be pretty
careful then not to be relegated to the Cheap
John class. AS it is now, they can pay up
fine in most casee and win it back the
next day at the pool box. certainly believe
that Il some such system as this is adopted
it will be the best thing that has ever hap
pened for the future interests Of the trotting
and pacing world"