The San Francisco call., 1897-12-18
some TURF NEWS
ON THE WING
Something About Todd
Sloane's Peculiar Seat
in the Saddle.
Perhaps He Originated It, and
Again He May Have Copied
From Ghevalier.
Patterson Thinks He Has Another
Ornamant-Starter Ferguson Might
Give Lecture to Advantage.

Much is now heard in the Eastern
press of Tod SlOane's peculiar seat in the
saddle, many hksning it TO that of "Snap-
per" Garrison, though thinkin it an i'm
provement. The writer does not give
Sloane all credit for discovering this ''im-
proved seat" on the back OF a horse. Some
four years ago when Tod Sloane came to
California things were not so easy for the
diminutive rider. He did not get very
many fancy mounts, and now and then
it became necessary TO ask for temporary
loan a well known policeman statione
in the tenderIoin district carried around
in his wallet an immense sparkler that
Tod found necessary to temporarily lay
away.
Riding at that time at the Bay D strict
track was a co!ored boy by the name OF
Hippolyte Chevalier, afterward made IA
mousin turf circles by his connection with
the notorious Little Pete frauds. Much
criticism was INDUCED in on the part of
racetrack patrons at the position assumed
by Chevalier in the saddle. At times he
almost looked 20 be lying on his belly
after the attitude taken by Creed moor
marksman before the rife plt. 1t brought
out much ADVERSE criticism, and many
both doors locked" Nevertheless this col
ored boy piloted many winners. What
were supposed to be good riders were
placed on horses, but they finished beyond
the coin.
A few days later Chevalier would be
given the mount on the same horse, and
he would walk in, to use turf vernacular.
He was especially formid Dle on the back
Z, H.
ing as though the animal lmag gined for
the time as though he was running away
so distributed was the weight Oh his back
and wlthers.
Tod Sloane finally went East and in
day it seemed became famous. The far
Eastern press went into Mysteries over his
jockeyshlp. Plttsburg Phi became his
mentor and only the most select pieces
of racing furniture were good enough for
him 10 throw the leg Over. He returned
TO his old camping ground, California
last winter anu many were the remarks
heard. how much his style IN the saddle
resem Dled that OF Chevalier.
PessImists Will say this is all bosh;
that Chevaner never had any thou hts
or fashions to dispense; that now that
he Is IN affluence Tod always knew il
all Some year ago a poor Inshman out
OF employment, watching telegraph
hneman hammerIng GIa>s insulators on
to the pegs OF crosstree and breaking
nearly every hall OF every dozen, re-
marked BE ,i4Ders, why don't they
screw EN- on" a bystander heard the
remark, got the idea patented and re-
ceived $4,000 for bis invention.
The owen Brothers OF Fresno have
purchased for breeding puruoses the
grandly bred morse Weinberg. Zeke Abra-
hams tried to win a race with the Burns
d Waterbouse cast-off, but found the
task TOO difficult and gave it up. He
should make a success in the stud, bred
as he is.
The writer OF this article always con-
tended that some day "Curley" Brown
would become the premier starter of The
country. and 1t looks now as though these
predictions were in a lair way OF becom-
ing true. TO be sure, eli Brown was
here he was possessed of many roughened
points that would bear polishing down.
He came from Montana with The Teputa-