Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-26
BIG SALARIES
FOR LITTLE JOCKEYS

Three little lads, none over eighteen years
of age, viii earn from $1,000 to 5000 each
during the coming season on the eastern
race tracks. These boys with trust official
incomes are Jockeys Herman Radtke. Lee
Sewel and David Nicol They range in
weight from % to 100 pounds.
What the steering gear Is to a shin the
Jockey is to race horse. A single miscai-
culation. too sudden pull on a rein or
lack of Judgment in regard to pace may
make defeat certain, and hackers Of the
horse win lose thousands of dollars. If a
jockey is not competent enough to elude all
of the pockets In which his rivals try to
ensnare him all the speed of the horse goes
for naught.
Oftentimes 100000 depends u1on the
heetness of foot of a thoroughbred. In
order Ehat the best horse may not lose
where he is able to win, wealthy turfmen
pay from $4,000 to $4,000 to little lads
who have demonstrated that they can think
quickly grasp an opportunity and land the
fastest home the winner.
The heetest horse is often beaten. 4 bad
start pocket Jockeys lack of Judg-
ment or interference, one or all Of these
things may prevent the best horse tom
winning.
knowing this. turrmen are always on the
lookout for the most promising riders Each
season there is a new crop Of Jockeys
After three or four years increasing weight
ends their usefulness in the saddle, and
this gives the newcomers a chance If a
boy can ride as skillfully at 05 pounds as
112-pound jockey. he is much more valuable
to his employer than the latter, because he
can accept many more mounts than his
heavier rival
Radtke. Sewell and Nicol ell al the re-
quirements of a first-class jockey For a
year they have displayed skill, ccurage
alertness and strength to such i remark
able degree that they are a. the top OF the
ladder
Radtke probably Is the greatest of the
three. He was so successful this winter
that Bub May. trainer for Paul Rainey
the young millionaire owner of the Tippan
Farm stable, offered Jack Keene who holds
Radtke's contract, S27.00o cor the lads le-
lease. This offer came shortly after a pre-
yious one of $4,000 and followed on the
heels OF the demand made by the oaklawn
track bookmakers that more competent
riders be procured to compete against
Radtke. They complained that he was so
much better than the other boys that his
mounts won nearly all the races Race
goers backed only his mounts and She one
sided speculation was slowly but surely
eating up their bank rolls
During that period the lad rode twenty
two winners In one week, a great average
for he did not accept mounts in every race
Radtke will ride this summer for Jack
Keene, who will come east with big string
of horses. In all his races Radtke has dis
His friends say he does not know what fear
means. He is whirlwind flnisher and has
often won race at the post when his
friends had given up all hope OF cashing
their bets.
Seweil came east last summer. He quick
ly rose from an apprentice boy to a first
class Jockey. w. H. Rowe, ewner OF CO.
Iontal Girl, that beat Hermis In the 500 900
Worlds Fair handicap, soon discovered that
Sewell had great ability and engaged him
at a big salary The boy went to New Or
leans this winter, and at the Fair Grounds
track soon rode so many winners mat in
spite of an Illness of several weeks, he man.
aged to hold the lead among the ,iiers at
that track.
Nicoi jumped into prominence last season
as the pilot of Sysonby. He rode that horse
in the majority of his races. James r.
Keene was so impressed with the way he
rode the champion that twice he paid linn
81 600 to come from the west to guild, his
favortte In big races on the local tracks.
During the winter Nicol went to New Or