Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23

JOCKEYS MIX UP
RODROCK AND RAY SUSPENDED
BY THE JUDGES.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July ga disgraceful
fist fight. In which two steeplechase jock
eys, pummeled each other in full view OF
the crowded grand stand, was the sensation
of the day at the Brighton Beach track.
The fight is said to have resulted through
the double crossing" of one of the cliques
that make a speciality of betting on steeple-
chase events at the local tracks.
This, of course Is denied by the fighting
riders, but 1t is generally believed by the
rank and file, who look on all chase events
with suspicion.
The fight was between Jockey Rodrock.
who rode Maiden and ran unplaced. and
Jockey Ray, who piloted Hylas, the to
s favorite. home second. in Brighton
steeplechase Just after the riders had
weighed In and started for the paddock
Rodrock struck Ray a singing blow in the
face. Ray at once returned the punch,
and the men mixed things up in a lively
fashion in full view of the big Saturday
half-holiday crowd. The excited racegoers
and the track attendants at once began to
rush to the spot where the fighting was
In progress. In a few moments some
Pinkertons grabbed the men and pulled
them apart.
The stewards Immediately began an in
vestigation and imposed a $500 fine on the
offenders as preliminary action. Rodrock
claimed that Ray insulted him in a banter
Ing match during the actual running of the
race. The impromptu encounter is likely
to lead to an interesting denoument.
The stewards of the meeting at once
sent for the two riders and suspended them
from further riding during the Brighton
meeting and referred the matter to the
stewards of the National SteeDlechase and
Hunt Association for further action.
Ray. by the way. is under contract to
Thomas Hitchcock tr who is only
Of the most prominent steeplechase owners
in the country. but a steward of the Ma
tional Steeplechase and Hunt Association.
The first sixteen days of the Brighton
meeting have certainly been wreck
ers and pocketbook breakers for the form
followers Up to the end of the racing this
afternoon ninety-slx races have been run
in which but thirty favorites have been sue
cessfu a percentage of very slightly over
30. During the past week twenty-four
choices were defeated in thirty-slx races
q percentage of 66. The second week of
the meeting was the most disastrous, how
ever. the winning percentage of public
choices being only %. The presence of the
unusual number of western horses and
western riders explains to a large extent
the failure of more choices to win.
W. Knapp. with fourteen winners, nine
seconds and eight thirds, leads the list of
winning jockeys at Brighton The little
westerner is riding in splendid form just at
present and Is a little more than holding
rivals. Jack Martin, with eleven winners,
six seconds and five thirds, is second on the
list, while Hildebrand, with nine winners,
eight seconds and ten thirds. is third Lit
tie Mcdaniel, who only made his reap
pearance on the track a day or two ago,
had already piloted three winners. The
others riders who have ridden two or more
winners are: Burns. firsts. IL seconds and
z thirds: w. Davis. g first, 1 second and 4
thirds; O'Neil, firsts. seconds and
thirds; Lyme 4 winners. seconds and
thirds; Baird, winners, seconds and 8
thirds; Miller, winners, seconds and
thirds; Shaw, 3 frsts, 2 seconds and
third; Crimmins, 3 firsts and second. and
Diggins, firsts and second.
Jockey Grover Cleveland Fuller. who was
thrown from L. IL. Smatners' Witfull In a
race at Jamaica and had his leg SO badly
cut that he has been in the hospital ever
since and several times has been lowering
between life and death the result of
blood poisoning that set In. Is on the road
to recovery and expects to be out and
around within few weeks. Fuller vii!
not as was at first believed he would. lose
his leg and what Is more the surgeons at
St Marys Hospital. jamaica, where he
has been and stiIl is. say that he will have
the use of the injured limb after II has
co completely healed. Fuller had all kinds of
trouble getting down to ITO pounds before
the accident Today he weighs eighty nine