The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-09
CHANCE FOR GOOD RIDERS
O'CONNOR SAYS SALARIES PAID IN
FRANCE ARE VERY HIGH.
Claims There Is Nothing I'm the Re-
ports OF the Poverty That IL Cred
tied to Tod sloan.

NEW YORK, Dec. s.-"winnie' O'Con-
nor, the well-known American jockey. ar
rived in this country from France a couple
of days ago after a successful season in the
saddle. O'Connor. like all American jock
eys who have invaded foreign shores. is
highly delighted with the conditions that a
jockey is brought face to face with on the
other side.
O'Connor talked at length of the differ
ence in methods and treatment which made
the business SO much more profitable and
enjoyable in France than In this country.
O'Connor declared that on the other side
the stable boys could give the jockeys on
this side lessons in department. claiming
that both stable boy and jockey the
other side were orderly and well-bred and
were treated as such.
OConnor claims that the salaries paid in
France are about double what American
boys get in this country. He has been rid
ing for Baron Rothschild and three other
noblemen, one of them the president OF the
French Jockey Club. O'Connor finished
second in the list of winning Jockeys in
France during the past season, scoring 81
winnings out of $50 mounts.
He was beaten in the percentage table by
Jerry" Ransch, also an American, who
English boy, George Smith by name, had 81
winning mounts with 800 engagements.
George Thompson, another American, had
63 winning mounts out of $780, O'Connor de-
clared that in SPITE of this good showing of
foreign riders, the French boy waA by no
means mean opponent
O'Connor thinks that the racing in Amer
lea would be improved 100 per cent. IL the
scale of weights were increased and made
similar to the system in vogue in France
and England. He said it was nothing unu-
sual to have horses carry 40 pounds de-
spite the distances Of the events. He cited
the cases of Odom and Fuller, liz and 107
pounds, respectively, and claimed that,
despite the fact that both boys are good
riders, they will soon have great trouble in
making the weight.
In speaking of the chances that open
to successful jockey to make money, he
cited a case of his own last summer. A boy
who rides a horse in a morning sellop. ex-
cepting for his own employer, receives
stipend OF s.. and IL he is popular Jockey,
he will get any number of these before he
eats his breakfast O'Connor one morning
reached the track at o'clock and ate his
breakfast at g. In between these two hours
he had worked fifteen horses, earning
thereby $780,
Speaking of Tod Sloan, he said that
there was nothing in the reports of the pow
erty that is credited to the former great
Jockey. AZ know" said O'Connor. THAT
Tod has 100000 laid by, the interest of
which alone will keep the wolf from his
tel, occupying a suite. which costs him $50
a day.
He has a couple of the finest autos in
Paris. L have known him to bet $500 and
$1,000 on several races q day and he
couldn't do this IL he was employed as an
ordinary chauffeur, as has been claimed. He
chauffeurs himself ano no one else. Why
Sloan could ride in Chicago. or go on the
stage, and make thousands If he is poor
as they claim. l think it's all nonsense"