The times., 1898-12-18
HYPNOTIC EXPERTS.
A Theory Accounting for the Success
of Some Famous Jockeys.
(From the New York SUM-

n Theory Accounting for the Success
of Some Famous Jockeys.
(FIom the New York SUM-
During the racing season just closed
there have been many occasions where the
good understanding between horse and
rider has led to excellent results to their
owner, and there have also been cases
where lack OF sympathy between man
and horse has lost the race TO a weIl-rid-
den favorite. About the most notable case
of the effect of kindness was that of the
three-year-old George Keene. At the be-
ginning Of the season Keene was regarded
one OF the most promising horses in his
class. but he very soon brought grief to
his hackers. and a large disgust 10 his
owners. by his i!l-tempered performances
at the post. He gained the reputation of
being the ugliest-dispositioned horse on
the turf. and the bettors fought shy of
him, but then Keene was claimed in a
selling race by Sam Hildredih, and imme-
diately his reformation began
The next time this Hl-tempered young
ster appeared on the track he sported the
Hildreth colGrs and had Clawson. one of
the best lightweight jockeys on the turf,
riding him. To the surprise of all ard
the delight Of favored few. he behaved
handsomely at the post. got OF with the
flag and wen easily. From that time on
George Reene was a favorite in about ev-
cry race he entered. and won enough
money for his followers to redeem his
losses of the early season. From being
one of the worst-behaved and worst-tem-
pered horses on the turf he became thor
uughiy tractable.
Some people contend that the reason of
the reformation of Keeae was that his
training had been changed. The raiIbi-Ss
who study such things and can always
toll t-fRx tAa. ia -.
win, say that ii is hypnotism pure ana
simple and that Clawson is the hypnot-
ist. This jockey is always kind to his
mounts, but with George Keene he was
particularly careful Ten minutes before
IL was time TO leave the paddock for tie
post Clawson would stand beside his
horse talking to him and patting him in
the way all properly-conditionsd horses
like. and when post time came he would
mount and ride out to the post stroking
his horses neck and talking to him as
though TO human being. The horse on
his part. seemed to like this and. instead
Of trying to scrape his rider off against
the rail. he would prance down the mid
die of the track, shaking his head back
at his rider. and when the race started.
he certainly proved that the chat and
Kindness had agreed with him. On one
occasion another boy was tried on the
big horse, but the result was disastrous.
keene finishing somewhere behind a
quartet Of horses greatly inferior to him
self in form and speed.
1t is almost impossible TO get anything
out of IA high-strung. sensitive horsa with
a whip and tight rein A few words
and a stroke of the hand at the proper
time will do more TO quiet sensitive
thoroughbred than all OF the thongs and
spurs ever made
Tod Sloan owes a great deal of his sue
cess on the track to his personal popular
ity with the horses, and it is remarkable
to observe how the horses remember the
little fellow. When Sloan entered the
paddock at Morris Park or Sheepshead
and spoke aloud the horses that he had
ridden would often recognize his voice
and turn TO look in his direction The
diminutive rider is remarkable for the
fact that he never uses q whip except
when the struggle in the stretch
Is of the toughest character and
most of his important races have been
won without whip or spur. Tod can en-
dear himself to any horse in a very few
minutes by the use of b!arnsy and there
are only a couple of cases on record
where his mounts have behaved very bad
ly at the post for any length of time
Another equestrian hyprotist is Maher
and his record of winnings would certain
~ go TO prove that his habit of having
conversations with his horses
while dashing around the course is high
ly beneficial The little Irish boy stands
at the top OF the winning jockeys for the
season of 1898. and. though at various
times he has been Placed on some very
nasty. tempered horses. he has very few
''left at the post marks on his record,
and has almost invariably been in good
position when the flag fell.
Doggett and TaraI, who are both ex-
cellent horsemen. never have anything to
say to their mounts and it is noticeable
that, though they have had number of
good horses during the season just pass
ed, their records of winning mounts have
been small. This may. of course, be due
to the fact that they have grown too
heavy for the e-year-old races which
were so much in vogue in the season of
1898. but the psychological railbird con-
tends that they lack an imal magnetism
or the hypnotic faculty, and that when
they speak to their mounts 1t is only to
cast doubts upon the purity of their an
cestors or to call them names not in the
racing guide. Anyway. 1t is self-evi-
dent fact shown by the records that the
jockeys who take, or pretend to take a
interest in their mounts. have
been the winners in the season of 1888.
while the names of the men who simply
ride are away down on the list.
Riding racehorses has become more of
a science than ever in the last two
years, and there are a number of jock
eys on this years list who could give
points to the old-time wonders, Nc
Laughlin. Garrison and Hayward The
styles of riding have not changed very
much, so perhaps the railbird is right and
the jockey of the future will have to fur
nish credentials as fir5t-class all
around mesrnerist as well as certificates
of horsemanship.