Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
TRACK TALK
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, July 15.-When the Octagon
geiding. st. Estephe. was posted as a
! starter in the fifth race at Brighton Beach
yesterday. with Anderson as his rider, turf
men wondered what 1t meant. and after the
horse had finished fifth, burning I'D the
money Of probably % per cent of those who
played the race, they continued to ask
| questions. Not a few were outspoken In
denunciation Of the stewards for allowing
an utterly unknown rider to be given the
mount on a natural favorite.
The question as to whether or not the
stewards should take 1t upon themselves
to compel the substitution Of a Jockey Of
ability in a case Of this kind is one that
has been debated for a long time. st.
Estephe. on his last race only four days
ago, defeated field Of exactly similar
caliber to the one that opposed him yester-
day. winning with the utmost ease by four
lengths from Andria. botA apparently be-
ing free to show their best efforts from the
start. Crimmins wore the McCarren silks
on that occasion. Prior to that race ST.
Estephe had been ridden in all his races
by good jockeys, Including Hildebrand.
Martin, N!col and others.
X +
An owner may, Of course, give mounts to
any jockey or apprentice authorized by
the jockey club to participate in races. On
the other hand, the public is invited TO
give its support TO the racing In order that
the breed of horses may be improved, and
in passing it may be said that the pubic
has generously supported the sport this
season in the face of a discouraging raise
in admission prices. This being the case.
1t would seem that full measure OF pro-
lection should be accorded.
A few days ago the stewards censured
Trainer Frank Weir for sending keator to
the post in unfit condition to run his best
race. 1t Is questionable whether keator
flx-h or atf,or nod yrif
leg than ST. Estephe with an utterly mex
perienced boy against finished Jockeys. 1t
Is held by racing critics that the PROOF OF
an owners sincerity Is shown when ne
backs his horse to win. and st. Estephe
was backed from high quotations to to
at post time. When St. Estephe met An
dria last Tuesday the former carried lou
pounds against Andria's 1O4. Yesterday
they carried 1Oa and 1OS, respectively. or
relatively the same weights. Tuesday 81.
Estephe won easily by four lengths, wnlie
yesterday Andria won easily, beating 81.
Estephe more than five lengths. making
difference of nine leng MS between the two
horses in races run three days apart both
being over fast track.
The jockey club encourages races calling
for Jockeys to ride who have never ridden
a winner or more than one winner. Such
events are calculated to produce riders 10
take the places of those who quit the SAD
die for one reason or another, and the pub
lie accepts them as such and refralns IN a
great measure from speculation on such
events. On other occasions an owner may
give an inexperienced jockey work on
horses that have shown little public form
and no objections are heard. But when
totally unknown rider is placed on horse
whose public form points to victory IN
der good handling. it would appear to the
ordinary racegOer to indicate a state of al
fairs calling for official attention.
Jockey Knapp, who made his first appear
ance in the east this spring, was the main
figure at Brighton Beach yesterday Out
of five mounts Knapp rode three winners
and third, his other mount being maiden
which has not succeeded In winning race
in two years of earnest endeavor, and on
which he could excusably figure among the
"alsO rams" Not one of Knapp's mounts
was a favorite this fact making his sue
the more striking. The boy can ride
as low as ninety-seven pounds, and his
services are in demand because he gives the
impression that he is always trying to win
until the finish line Is passed.
Knapp's first winning mount yesterday
was on vi o, western flly, quoted at
B to i. He brought her home in a drive
from Cassini and Ala Russell. the favorite,
after breaking off in fourth place. In
the second race he rode Out of Reach, a
Of the English derby winner, Psrsim-
mon. Out of Reach had only to gallop to
win by six lengths from Hippocrates. He
was third on Jerry c., 10 to chance, in
the third race His third winning mount
was on Andria in the fifth event. Knapp's
following is very large, and he thoroughly
deserves all the good words that heard
about him For boy OF his weight he can
put up an extremely strong finish, and
many good judges predict that he is the
coming star in jockeydom.
= x x
Walter Robbins, VINO sustained broken
collarbone and a broken finger bone when
Derision fell in the second race, was re-
ported to be resting easily last night. He
will probably be out again in few weeks.
Robbins has always been unlucky and his
poor form in the east is said to be the re-
suit of loss of courage following fall In
New Orleans few months ago. Derision
hardly moved after the accident and died
almost instantly. Either his neck or his
back was broken in the fall. The mishap
was apparently the result of crossing HIS
legs in front as he was running last at the
time and was not interfered with.