Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-20
TRACK NOTES

'HHON W.
There is much good predicted for
Joe Mcbride, a boy who Is under con-
tract to G. II. Knebelkamp and James
S. Ownbey Mcbride is now 10 years
of age and is under contract to these
parties for the next two years. He
will ride under 100 pounds with ease
during the coming summer season, and
will probably be seen performing
around New York.
He is a quiet, well behaved young
ster, that no one has ever seen any
thing of except in the saddle. His work
there has been good enough to call
forth much praise. Always quick to
get away from the post, which Is one
of the first essentials in a good rider,
Mcbride has succeeded in making
good with a lot of horses that were not
thought to be the best in their races.
His seat is good and hand-riding is
where he Is particularly strong. He
has not yet learned the art of handling
a whip to the best advantage, but that
will come to him in time, and at pres
ent he is one of the best hand-rders
seen in these parts.
Michael Fox, by his attorneys, sulli-
van & Sullivan, began suit in San
Francisco last week for the recovery
of two valuable horses now stabbed in
Los Angeles, which he alleges are
wrongfully withheld from him by w.
J. Spiers.. One of the animals, Masedo,
is valued at $4,000, and the other, Andi-
nat. at $3OOO according to the COM
plaint. Fox demands $500 damages for
their retention by Spiers.
j. J. Burke, who acted as Judge on
the coast for several years, recently
wrote an article for the illustrated
Sporting News which says that Rich
ard Croker has spent a princely for
land adm America. He says: "He has
spent more money in twelve years on
the turf and has received less in return
than any man who has ever raced In
America Richard Croker's active turf
career began in spectacular fashion in
1892, when he purchased Dobbins and
Yorkville Belle. He afterward bought
an interest in the famous Belle Mead
stud, near Nashville, at a price said to
have been s250,OOO." Judge Burke then
tells the story of Dobbins' defeat In the
Futurity by Domino, and the match
between these two colts for $4,000 a
side, which resulted in q dead heat.
William X. Vanderbilt has arrived
in Europe, there to re-engage in his
favorite pastime of racing. Mr.. Van
derbilt has been fairly successful in
France for the last two seasons. In
1903 his horses won sos, ,OOO In 1904 they
won $56,OOO, and he was fifth on the
list of winning owners, which was led
by Edmond Blanc with about S2SO,OOO.
The resolution adopted by the stew
ards of the Eastern Jockey club at
their last meeting relative to racing
colors for 1905 was cause for favorable
comment. The first step toward sim
plyfying the colors, with a view to
making them more distinctive and
more easily recognized in the running
of a race, was taken last year, when
certain shades of color were discrimi-
mated against. Now this further step,
which provides that shoulder straps
sleeve, when allowed, shall be
wide enough to be easily dis
tinguishable. and the refusal to
register colors with initials or emblems
on back or vertical halves in colors is
another move in the right direction
terest in race is largely augmented
when any particular horse can be
followed closely from pole to pole or
quickly recognized in the bunch. This,
of course, is done by means of the col
ors, and there is not a follower of
racing who does not appreciate the
difficulty often experienced and who
will not applaud the Legislation which
tends to simplify and make the color
more distinctive. Mistake in the col
ors' is a phrase that has been heard
often enough to have become all too
familiar to racing folk. and there are
cases where 1t has led to complications.
Even the judges at the finish have
been forced on occasions to make cor
rections in the placing of a horse
through mistaking the colors. so that
the need of care in the matter of regis
tering is plain to the veriest novice.
The chance for an error in this respect
is now reduced to a minimum, how
ever.