Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-21

| patron of the turf, but is largely in
| terested i'm some Of the best horses now
| stabbed at Ascot and will spend his
/ vacation i'm Southern California in wit
Messing the wins Of his own horses and
those of his eastern friends, included
among which are w. l.. Oliver, Jack
/ McGinnis, Boots Durnell and others
"Commencer' Dwyer finished his
period of employment as starter at As
cot when he sent the field away i'm the
last race yesterday and Immediately
Gftcrw ards boarded n car for the rail
way station and departed for Frisco
where he begins starting Monday. He
will meet Jake Hoffman in Frisco this
morning and these chums Of years
standing will rehash old times and the
future for a few hours previous to
Holtman's departure for Los Angeles.
| Dwyer made a great record during his
stay at Ascot, one that will be hard to
beat. Hoffman, however, is regarded
as without a peer at the business when
he is in form. For several weeks he has
shown poor form on the northern tracks
and has been criticised for his work,
but he will probably be benefited by
the change and will show to better ad-
vantage at Ascot, where his strict
methods of handling horses and jockeys
will be highly appreciated by the public.
Hoffman is an inpatient individual
and will not quarrel with the Jockeys.
He compels them to ride to the bar
rier and get away the best they can.
1t is, therefore, up to the jockey and If
his mount is left at the post it is his
own fault. Hoffman is also famous for
welding the assessment" ak, having
fined more jockeys and performed the
feat more frequently than any other
starter in the world. Jake is unpopular
with the riders, but is proportionately
popular with the public.
Charges have been banded back
and forth for some time that certain
of the bookmakers at Ascot are en-
tirely too familiar with the jockeys
who have mounts in nearly every race
at the local course. This comes as a
result of the stories of a combination
among the jockeys to take care of all
contenders. Judge Hamilton has given
this subject serious consideration and
has invoked heroic measures which
have, in degree, caused a cessation
Of rough-riding and humping tactics,
but these charges will not down and
the public is taking them up. Book
makers who own horses should be
asked to quit booking or sell out, as
their dual interests are inimical to the
public welfare and initiate against the
good name of the jockey club. Book
makers who flirt with jockeys, associ-
ate with them constantly and other
wise become too familiar with the
pilots of public choices should be
asked to either quit their business or
cease their shady practices among the
riding colonists. Flipping dollars with
jockeys, buying wine for them in pub
lie or private resorts and otherwise
catering to their friendships is not
necessarily one Of the duties of a book
maker from the viewpoint of the pub
lie. Charges Of this nature have been
made against Steve rHommedieu, the
plunger who has book on at Ascot,
and so Lften We're these complaints
made that Judge Hamilton took the
subject up with rHommedieu and the
result is known only to these two,
yet it is remarkable that since Judge
Hamilton discussed the charges with
FHommedieu there has been less
rough riding and fouling than before.
1t is a notorious fact that PHommedeu
is not considered a desirable person.
age at any of the New York race
courses, nor is he in exceptional grace
at Chicago, New Orleans or San Fran
cisco. His methods while in pursuit
of the elusive dollar have met with
decided opposition from the manage
ment of several race tracks of the
country and there are few persons
who have been the subject of as much
discussion by officials as has Steve.
Yet this same THommedieu, while
BARRED at all the race courses of the
east, south and middle west, incud-
ing the northern tracks on the coast,
is permitted to not only do business
at Ascot, but is one of the most
offensive and Obstreperous individuals
around practically the only race course
i'm the United States where he can
gain admittanCe. 1t is notorious
fact that pHOmmedieu was asked by
Judge Hamilton at Harlem track, Chi
cago, to either sell his horses or quit
booking because Of certain facts which
were not public property. The result
was that pHommedieu sold his horses
and continued booking. He has had
his troubles with the jockey clubs
of the east, the south, the west and
is now doing business at Ascot.
Whether the charges against THom-
medieu are true or otherwise can only
be demonstrated by investigation. 1t
is notorious that owners believe lHon-
medieu has AN undue influence over
certain jockeys, as is demonstrated
BY the unusual odds which he places
against fayorltes and his bullying
manner in social and business con-
versation With such charges pub
licly and openly preferred against
rHommedieu it is up to the Jockey
club to investigate and either vindi-
cate lHommedleu or convict him and
throw him out of the grounds. If the
charges are false it should In Justice
to rHommedieu be disproven and the
plunger- -bookmaker should be vindi-
Gated, If they are true, it is up to the
jockey club to treat him with the
same consideration that was given
him on other tracks, which is euuiva-
lent to an official escort to the gate
and an invitation TO not return.