The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-17
THE TURF

j. S. Mcdonald. the astute turf
writer, whose criticisms of equine per-
formances have attracted attention in
this country, has recently been study
ing the racing game over in England
THE success of Jockeys Sloan, Mar
tin and Reiff the English turf" said
he. has already had the effect of en-
couraging ambitious youngsters with
no knowledge of riding to enter into
competition with the Freddy Archers
of the present day, and in consequence
trainers are kept busy turning down
very respectable applicants, some of
whom would be given the cold shoulder
by their family connections If they sue
| ceeded in attaching themselves to
stable. 445t.
ITO very young men,. possessed of
folks who are not inclined to be liberal
in dispensing PIN money, the prospect
of acquiring wealth as well as glory on
the turf is somewhat alluring.
There Is a popular impression that
+ if a Jockey dpes not rapidly make
| money it is entirely his own fault, Abut
how many Qualified riders are picking
up horseshoes and doing other equally
lucky things in the hope that it may
bring them a mount, and squandering
their slender savings on railways fares
on the off chance of something hap
pening? ~ .N
when a crack Jockey is requested
by wealthy owner to make long
Journey he will likely find handsome
retainer interleaved in the note, and he
is sure of a liberal allowance for eX-
| penses If he pulls the race off, as he
probably has great chance of do"
ing, he returns home with a serviceahle
souvenir of the victory.
yet many riderS-men of sterling
ability, too, but to whom a single SOW
ereign would be a godsend-offer their
services free with the stipulation that
in the event of their mount winning
they are on perhaps a pony-to use an
English eXpression-(G 25) to nothing.
But their patrons, eminent red herring
merchants and the like, are flying at
a sport somewhat above them, and
their horses not being even second
raters, many journeys to the post are
made without producing placed horse,
far less a winner.
1T is, therefore. scarcely to be Won
dered that, when the Impoverished
jockey is offered sure reward for do
ing something irregular to say the
least, he is not averse to tumbling to
the game.
II know one rider in particular, who
out of a score of mounts entailing the
travelling of hundreds of miles, and
many disappointments to get, netted
exactly e5. One day, however, he had
an opportunity given him of sacrificing
his employers interests for a cash con-
sideratio of $50, and G010 in the
event of the success of the scheme, and
this offer debilitated human nature
| could not resist. He accepted.
TT happened like this, and the facts
| are well worth narrating: An i'll grown
| but exceedingly clever colt of scarcely
IA hands was made so hot for GER
| tain race that the second favorite was
freely on offer at Fights. yet with the
| first horse out of the way the race was
| llU at
"A few cute trainers put their heads
together and determined that by fair
| means or foul the first favorite must
| be beaten and the second win, The
| threadbare Jockey was the only rider in
| the race who had not much to gain by
maintaining his character, and he will
ingly fell in with the suggestion that he
| should, in as friendly way as possible,
hamper the faVorite.
when the flag fell one of the riders
| in the swim stole long start in the
| hope of outpacing the little horse, but,
utterly failing, they jointly attempted
| to shut it in coming up the straight.
| Despite these embarrassing attentions.
| however, a furlong from home the
! game little 'un came up on the rail ana
| was drawing rapidly on the others, IN
| Guiding the second favorite whose rider
was making a desperate effort to re-
main in front, when suddenly the
threadbare Jockeys opportunity came.
He steered his mount abruptly on to
the rail, so completely closuring the
favorite that to avoid serious accident
it's rider was obliged to pull up.
THE bribed man earned months
suspension for careless riding, but with
a crisp roll of notes in his pocket never
was vacation more appreciated.
quite a number of jockeys-men
with splendid hands-who earn at pres
ent the most miserable pittances, and
have to beg for every mount they get,
We're once able to pick and choose their
horses, but drink has done it all, for
there are few professions in which the
habitual use of strong liquor is so fatal
| as racehorse steering.
"A well known sporting baronet had,
| some years ago good reasons for be-
| lieving this. He possessed in one of
| his animals such a trump card for a
| certain big event that he was in abject
| misery lest the race might be sold