The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-04
HOW SOME JOCKEYS TRAIN
BANTINS AND Bx TO GET
ri ron THE CAMPAIGN.

Fred Tsrai Tells His E1perienees-The
Lire Has Fee sesmy side -weiRhty Ar
tists 90 Thirsty and the Kids Can
Oct No Pie-esrrison Takes On Flesh.
At the raoecourses. In these spring DAYS. the
jockeys are working rs hard as tho horses to
get into condition for the season. The great diff
ference In the training Is that the horses are
we'll fed. but tho Jockeys TAX their exercise half
starved. "Banting" to reduce flesh Is the nrst
point in q Jockeys system OF training. The
fssts begin a month before the racing opens.
and until he stops riding in the autumn the
Jockey suffers the torments OF Tantalus. More
over. he exercises violently ana steadily in
SWEATERS and heavy clothing. to keep down to
the lowest possible weight. This is the seamy
side OF Jockey life. As Fred Taral puts it:
Riding is as easy as rolling along In a carriage
Its the starvation that hurts ~
AS q rule when q boy Is In tho ealad days OF
his career in the pieskin. he IL n little chap OF
eighty-hve or ninety pounds. and thoughts OF
reducing do not bother him. But in most cases
his weight increases as fast "a his skin, and in
agar or two the young Jockey has to begin the
heht against fat and keep II up without n truce
until the time comes when increased age and
growth force him into retirement. Many OF the
Eastern Jockeys were seen in the saddle at
Benninga. Littleneld rode as low as 1O2
pounds; Simms. 100; O'Leary, %; s. Dog.
eett, 1o6; Grimm, 10T; Powers. So; Hcw-
iW, 50: Hirsch. So: CLAYTON, 100, and Il.
Doggett, 100. Hewitt. Powers. aud Hirsch are
"feather-weight" lads in all that the term i'm
plies. and, while some OF the others can ride
lighter than they did at Washington. most Of
them have to waste and work to keep close TO
105 pounds. They will be at the local tracks
this week, galloping tho horses and doing their
own training. the occupation now INDUCED In
daily by Fred Taral and Sheedy Mt Shecpshead
Bay and Hamilton at Brighton Beach.
An ambitious ninety-fve-pound boy will often
work as zealously to keep down to eighty-fve
pounds as one OF the older hands to make 10
on thsDRalsA.SRAsy are thAnn&1si0 hN0
ever. for the average kid will feast on pie
at every possible opportunity. in preference to
the wholesome food OF the trainers table.
When q specially low weight must be made the
trainers have to threaten to whip some o. tho
kids" to make them abstain from forbid
den Injuries. 1t is different with the boys
profit with them to keep down to the lowest
Fred Taral is a typical instance. He is bunk
Ing now, with his trainer at the Marcus Daily
OF the horses, taking his mounts according to
Matt Byrnes's orders. and riding about fifteen
for an hour. after which. wrapped in woollens
and a heavy suit; he starts off with the trainer
noon Taral visits his family. but the rest Of the
week he is at the routine tasks. just before
starting out for a walk on Wednesday. Taral
Il will ride at ITO pounds this season. which
means that l must keep down to l07." began
the jockey. IT 10 no trouble for me to make
figure. for naturally weigh owe, 40 pounds:
and daily walks of many miles. 1t is easiest to
train in warm weather. for ner;pire more
until sometimes the sweat trickles over the
tops Of my shoes. ! take cold baths
Turkish bath for a, change. I am, bothered
moro by thirst than hunger. for fluids are as
fatteninR as solids, and have TO be as sternly
that I am plunGing into q cool spring and swal-
lowing huge mouthfuls of water, but l never
dream that am feasting at a dinner, which
Zone OF my dreams had a startling finish"
continued Taral.. with a chuckle. Il fancied
myself standing before a fountain, which was
water. Iaweke. and found myself standing in
the middle of the room. holding the four-Quart
toilet pitcher in my hands. l must have been
fell. with q crash. on my feet l was limpinR for
= week and since then l have not been a SOM
Hamilton had to reduce vigorously to ride
Hornpipe at los pounds In the Brooklyn Hnpdi-
CAP. but since then he has had no trouble to
s sDep o ee~n no w waies keep ap' S SGnk r ,s 1as sa Gaze
rison. who has not trained for two seasons, has
undergone a special preparation this spring on
lis pounds. and should be- able to ride at lis
when Morris Park opens. Garrison Is at Graves
end regularly, but docs not work any OF. the
rides on the bicycle every day, besides walking
exercise.
For a special race a Jockey will sometimes
room Of a turkish bath. But this is very
weakening and is only done In great emergencies.