The Washington times., 1902-08-24
Riders of Horses Should
Be Kept IN Hand at
All Times.
NOW HAVE TOO MUCH REIN
Actions Should Be Taken in Hand by
Jockey Club Dirccto-s-Now Spend
Too Much Time in Questionable Liv-
ing While OF Duty.

SARATOGA, N Y, Aug. 2s.-The end
of the local race meeting is near at hand.
and it has been one OF the most success
full in the history CT the place. The racing
has been OF high class. and several re-
forms have been brought about which t
is 10 be hoped Will be lasting The move
ment toward better conduct of s,ahls
hands las been a good one and n The
other clubs take it up and improve upon
IL the gain tc the sport will be untold.
The jockey question has been serious
one in this country for many years, and It
Is high time something was done to put
these extraordinary young persons in
their proper places. Too long have they
been scrt OF public idol, and they have
come to consider themselves absolutely
necessary to the sport, and to think that
upon them alone depends the race. that
the horse, the trainer, and the breeder
have nothing to do with it. The old
adage that good horses make good
jockeys" is as true as 1t ever was, and
the sooner the riders are taught that
the better for all concerned.
Time was when The jockeys were un-
der contract 10 ride f0r-certain stables,
and took the mounts given them without
question. did the best they could with
them, and, IL beaten, felt as bad over
it as did the owner or trainer.
Worked for Stables Success.
They worked for the success of the
stable ard tried their hardest to bring
about such result. They were obe-
dent and respectful, and worked hard
with fayorite horses to get them into
condition, were at the track early in
the morning to ride their employers
horses, and when they threw a leg over
horse in 2 race they had some idea
OF what was needed to get out of him
all that was in him
Nowadays the Jockey swag ggers down
to the track a short time before the
races begin. selects his mounts, and is
as fnicky as an cid maid. Before he
will accept a mount ne must know just
what the horse has done in practice.
how he likes the distance, and host
OF other things that are really none OF
his business. He takes his Instructions
from the trainer, and then does about
as he pleases. and, if beaten, berates the
trainer fer giving him a losing mount.
and then that trainer has a hard time in
/ getting the particular jockey to ride
again. After the races are over in
stead OF going to bed al an early hour.
he roams about in questionable places.
with questionable people, gets to bed
in the small hours OF the morning and
if he gets up before noon it is had
ship. No athlete, fer in that class the
royal jockey belongs, can afford to lead
any such lie.
Situation Needs Remedy.
All -.I-- ,ood- -or,oS,- ,n5 ,t,o ..o,-,
ards of the Jockey Club have the power
and the right to do it. in the first
place. to besin at the root OF the mat
ter. they should be more careful in re-
gard to contracts. 1t is quite within
the power CT the club to exercise s'i-
pervision over contracts, and to pass
upon all that are made between jockeys
and owners. All contracts to be bind
ing should have the sanction of tho
Jockey Club. and the club shocld refuse
TO per nit ary jockeys to make contracts
with weli-snown "plungers" en- the
race track. That is one OF the causes
OF the trouble. Jockeys today have con-
tracts with these 'piUn5ers, who own
no horses, or. at least. have one or two
of no value just to enable them to hold
the Jockey He does net ride for them
once in blue moon. but does his riding
for big stables, which have the second
call on his services.
To the man cn the outside this is all
wrong II a man who cwns no horses
can afford TO pay $4,000 or $4,000 a
year to crack rider, what is it for: De
certainly is not a philanthropist. anxious
10 pay large sum toward the support OF
"a Jockey Let the Jockey Club look this
matter up and iegisiate accordingly.
Jockeys Trusted Too Much.
The Jockeys are trusted altogether toe
much, considering their temptations.
Once in while trusted bank clerk
gees wrong. and his employers are sur
prised Oiher bankers say that it was
because he was trusted too much, and
ne business method OF his employer
would not DO for the twentieth csatdry.
That they kept track of their employees
day and lignt. knew their hanits. and
could lell whether they were living
within their salaries, or were spending
double what they made
The same is true of Jockeys. Instead OF
spending a lot OF money in patrol judges
and other unnecessary officials, let tie
Jockey Club keep watch OF the jockeys
after race hours, and see who their
companions are, how they spend thti IL
time. and in fact. find out if anyone
known by the jockey benefits when race
is lost.
The Jockey Club has the matter in
its own hands. The Saratoga Racing
Association has taken the first step in
controlling the stable employees; let ths
larger organization so further and cou-
plete the good work. and racing will DO
benefited so much that the stewards VIII
wonder why the matter was allowed %
rest so long without action. The adula-
ton of q popular jockey should be stop
ped. ard the way 10 do ii is to keep
the jockey in his place.
He should not be permitted to go about
nights any mere than any athlete in
training. He should be kept away from
betting men and women, and should be
required to account for his actions at all
times ard in all places. and in a short
time complaints will cease. races Will
be run as trainers direct, and when
horse is beaten those who watch the
race will confess that the jockey did his
best and cries CT fraud. now altogether
too often heard on the track. will be as
rare as thunder storms in winter Who
ever expects horses to run up to form
at all times expects the impossible. but
there is no doubt they can be ridden bet
than fhev at times and that thew