Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-10
PASSING OF THE JOCKEY.
Taking on Weight Will Drive Several
Crack Riders From the Turf.

With one season OF success. unparalleled
on the turf for its suddenness and COM
pleteness, behind him, and winter of
somewhat doubtful prospects before him.
Jockey Grover Cleveland Fuller Just now is
problem to turfmen who are looking
ahead to the coming year of racing. In the
condition he was last summer on the metro
politan courses Fuler's services would be
almost beyond estimate in value to the
stable that might be so lucky as to get him;
but horsemen doubt that Fuller will repeat
his success of 1903, even should he escape
the fate that seems impending, and grow
so rapidly as to make it impossible for him
to ride at the weights usual New York
tracks. While Fuller, therefore, was one
of the turf sensations Of the season. own
ers of racing stables have made no special
efforts to sign him for next season. as he
is classed with the riders who have nearly
reached the limit set by Nature.
Fuller Is not without company in this es-
innate of hor5emen, for Odom, Hicks Co
burn, Rice, Troxler, and even the ld-timer
Bullman are riders who were both popular
and successful last season and whose future
in the saddle is doubtful. as all have shown
tendency to take weight faster than
they can remove it with safety OF the
number. Odom Is the most prominent and
also the most popular, in the east, where
he has been riding successfully for half
dozen years. 1t is worthy of note that there
great demand for a contract on
Odom for next year. for. good rider and
finished horseman as is the Georgia lad. he
is now young man five feet eight inches in
height and big-boned in proportion. The
chance that he will be able to ride again
at weights approximating the lis pounds
that he could do conveniently last summer
is remote.
Hicks, a companion phenomenon to Full
Ter. started his New York racing career as
one Of the lightweights, and on his first
few mounts made weights that were close
to 100 pounds The Louisiana negro boy
was not meant by nature to remain in the
midget class, however, and Hicks has in
creased In weight more than any rider Of
those who made the campaign in the east
and finished the year Weighing close on 115
pounds.
1t speaks ill for the future of Hicks and
Fuller that they should have added weight
in such style in the hottest and hardest
part of the seasons work. for with such
increase under conditions favorable in
every way to keeping down. their prospects
in cold weather are bad. Fuller, too is at
an age where rapid growth Is to be expect
ed, and 1t would not surprise horsemen to
see the boy big enough to ride steeple-
chases without carrying extra weight when
racing is resumed on the metropolitan cir
cult next year. pullman, for all the years
he has been riding at weights under 10
pounds, also began to get heavy late in the
season, and 1t required severe self-denial
on his part to keep within limits that would
permit of his accepting mounts in the clos
ing days of metropolitan racing. Cannon,
Bolesen and H Michaels are others who
are reaching the heavy stage that leads to
retirement from the saddle.
In view OF the inevitable growth of the
riders. the old remedy of an increase In the
scale of weights by action OF the Jockey
hope OF any real good being accomplished
In that manner. The scale is quite high
enough now. but the trouble is that the
scale OF weightS are too seldom carried in