The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15
OUR JOCKEYS IN ENGLAND.
CAUSES OF THE SUCCESS or SLOAN
on BRITISH TRACKS.

w bnIIfSn fHhthS
His Record which Amaaes the British Public
Not Phenomenal Over OF
English Jockeys to Cling to Old Tradi-
tions-1hc New Lesson to BE Learned.
According to the official statistics. Sloan.
the American jockey now in Europe, has ridden
% per cent. of winning mounts and the British
public IL amazed. That Sloan is a good Jockey,
possibly one of the best. II not the best now
riding. is an accepted fact. but that the % per
cent. OF winning mounts should evoke such
enthusiasm IL strange 10 American turfmen.
In the first place 1t Is no more than several
boys at home are doing at the present time
In the next place II does not approach Sloan's
American record. or that Of Griffin. Taral. sims
and many others. In past years. What there
fore is the standar expected from the lead
ing English jockeys? At the present time the
record Of Shaw on the metropolitan tracks Is
rs Is per cent. OF winning mounts. and he Is
a neophyte Just graduated from the winter
tracks. At Morris Park, the opening meeting
Of the important tracks this spring. Shaw rode
seven winners in thirty mounts. This he FOL
lowed with six winner In twenty-nine mounts
at Gravesend. and this with thirteen winners
In forty-four mounts at the Sheepshead meeting
Just closed. This makes his record TO date
twenty six wins in 1903 mounts, or IS i-8 per
cent. He is not alone. Turner comes next
with "a per cent. He had eight wins in thirty
six mounts at Morris Park, nine wins In twenty
Ave mounts at Gravesend. and nine wins in
~forty-six mounts at Sheepshead, or twenty
six wins In iO7 mounts or "a per cent. These
are the leaders this season 80 far, but they are
closely run by Maher who rode fifteen winners
in fifty six mounts at Morris Park. ten winners
In ~hfty-hve mounts at Gravesend and eight
winners In sixty mounts AT Sheepshead. a total
of thirty-three wins in leo mounts or 20 per
cent. Spencer lands al the same notch. hav-
ing ridden eight winners in thirty-six mounts
at Morris Park. eight winners In thirty-two
mounts AT Gravesend and seven winners in
forty mounts at Sheepshead. a total of twenty
three winners in ia mounts, or 20 per cent.
These two boys may be expected TO improve
right along In their averages, In 1890 Maher
had 81 per cent. and in 1895 20 per cent. while
Spencer. in 1899, had % per cent and in 1898
close to 20 per cent, This season. since Jan. l.,
counting In the winter tracks. Mitchell has
ridden $50 races and won 1880 Of them, this being
rs per cent. Al the metropolitan tracks he
has not been so fortunate, being pitted against
better talent, and his record there is at Morris
Park, seven wins In forty-one mounts. at
Gravesend seven wins In forty-nine mounts,
and at Sheepshead four wins in twenty-four
mounts: this being eighteen wins in ia mounts
or not quite 10 per cent,
Statistics are said to be more or less dry read
ing, but surely there is an interesting kernel
in these facts which makes one wish for a glance
al the corresponding data Of the English jockeys
for the sake Of comparison. This. however.
as far as the writer is Informed on the mntter
l. -l -.A Loaf tH