Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
STORIES OF
THE RACE TRACK

us q SleTH anu "dNChIui uiSOiPi-
marian have served to distinctly elevate the
tone OF the winter game. recently made
some interesting observations as to the Diff
ficultles encountered by the head man in
judges stand.
Last winter I set boy down for a week
for riding a number of races that had a de-
cldedly peculiar look to me- he said THE
boy was the best rider at the track. and
will become one OF the best riders in the
world. But he permitted himself to fall
into this queer streak of riding, and, when
/ found that / could not get at the bottom
of the influences directing him along this
dangerous course, I gave him a week on
the ground. hoping that this would be
lesson to him.
II Immediately found myself in a state
Of siege. Persons of more or less impor-
lance. many of them in no way connected
with racing, trooped to me and asked me
TO rescind the weeks suspension. Some of
these individuals were prominent politicians
of the city In which the track Is located.
Letters and kilograms poured in upon me
about the case, some of them containing
yelled threats. They all wanted that boys
weeks suspension lifted. and some of them
even went the length of demanding that l
reverse myself. 1t was a most extraordinary
showing of the quickly developed pull of q
young jockey rising to the star class.
Il told all of these people that the boy
was going to stay on the ground for the
week and that If, when he resumed the
saddle his work did not Immediately indi-
cate that he had shaken off certain evil
influences that had been marring his eff
forts and threatening his career, I would
make the suspension permanent.
Then the manager of the jockey played
a final and. as he thought, a trump card.
He notified me that If the boys suspen-
sion was not lifted. he would take the lad
away from the track.
Take him ranly Racing at
this plant will go right on without that
boy, or without me, or without anybody
now on the grounds, for the matter of that.
The game is here to stay. But 1t could not
go on with jockeys putting up such bad
looking rides your boy has been show
ing lately. The suspension stands. and II
you people are wise you will have no fur
Their comment TO make upon 1t, here or else
where
IF I had yielded only that onee-and I
can give you but little idea how great the
pressure was-I might just as we'll have
quit the track. so far as my preservation
OF the least authority or prestige was con-
cerned. The boy was not taken away from
the track. He stayed his week on the
ground. and when he got back to the pig
skin his work Immediately exhibited the
cleverness of which he had previously shown
himself capable. The lesson had stuck,
and he had shed the faint during the week
on the ground. He didn't ride a race that
he didn't try to win after that. and 1 firm
ly believe that he will never again lend
ear to crooked advice.
These little boys have a hard row to
hoe, for they do not know any better than
to listen to the scalawags of the turf. I
had to steel myself to turn a deaf ear to
the entreaties of many a weakened, weep
ing mother and haggard. distressed father
of ignorant little riding chaps whom I had
hQpO literally forced down rlIla
off for bad-looking work in the saddle. The
Children-they were nothing more-had given
heed to the insinuating suggestions of turf
crooks without in the least realizing that
by so doing they were jeopardizing promis-
ing careers and destroying their parents
hope of comfort in their increasing age.
The tiattery and patronage of thieves in
the game easily corrupted their undeYelOped
minds and converted them into mere tools.
About the middle of last winters
son l observed distinct falling off in the
work of a most promising boy, still in the
apprentice class. l knew that there was
something wrong behind it, and l also knew
that | would have to get at the bottom of
it myself for l had learned that the man in
chief authority at winter race track can
not depend upon the track detectives to
help him. 1 will not go so far as to state
that they string along with the thieves. but
L do know that every case of crookedness
unearthed a that meeting was sprung with
out the aid of the people employed to look
out for that sort of thing.
Il decided 10 keep an eye on that boy
myself. one day, before the racing began,
l was strolling around among the stables,
when l caught sight of the lad, off behind
one of the barns, in earnest Capitalization
with a notorious turf juggler, to call him
nothing worse. Neither the boy nor the
man with whom he was talking saw that
l them.
An hour later. when that jockey-destroy
er tried TO get back to the paddock from
the grand stand grounds, the man the
~ IL,
man-that he couldn't go into the paddock.
The juggler instantly bridled into severity.
why can't l go through he demanded,
flashing his badge
" Orders replied the gateman, and then
the fellow came rushing to me-
" Look here he began, very much puffed
with rage, you're dead wrong, and
Wrong about WHAT 1 asked him.
why he said. Observation-Disclosures
you give orders TO the paddock gateman not
10 let me through
Yes said l.
Well. look here he said, you're dead
wrong. you know All that | was saying
TO that boy-I guess you saw me, or heard
OF twas that-well. | am acquainted with
his people. and ! was telling him
That was the first time l had let go the
clutch on my temper since taking up the
duties OF the office at the winter track,
but the currishness of the fellow was more
than l could tolerate.
You rat couldn't help but say to him,
gate. and you'll never come back through
that gate again as long as l am privileged
TO enter it.
The thief-he was nothing more, to be
plain-slunk away and out of the grounds,
and you may be sure that he didn't re-
turn. I got the boy with whom he had
been tampering off In a quiet place and
gave him the kind of q talking to that the
poor little tyke needed. His father and
mother were present at the interview, and
I frankly own that their extravagant ex-
pressions of gratitude toward me were gen
timely affecting. for they had been unable
to do anything with the lad long he
was under what might be called the hyp-
nosis OF the thief. From that very day on
till the close OF the meeting the lads work
In the saddle was not only excellent, but
brilliant. and l haven't the least doubt but
that the lesson will stay with him, too.
"A great deal OF comment was aroused
among racing people throughout the en-
tire country when. couple of winters ago
l ruled a famous negro jockey off the turf
/ have never told the inside of that story
but I'll tell It now.
The negro jockey was one of the densest
human beings ! ever saw in my life, far
below the mentality even OF boys OF his
age and color. But he was a cracking a
sensational race rider, unequaled stretch