Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-04
BOYS MAKE
BIG MONEY
GOOD JOCKEYS EARN AS MUCH
AS LEARNED MEN
MILLER WILL GET 100000 FOR
SEASONS WORK
Many American Riders Get Too HeaVy
to Work Here, and Go Abroad,
Where They Make
Good

On the American turf today are youths
and mere boys-some scarcely out OF the
tender years of childhood-who are max
| ing salaries that would be considered
princely incomes in almost any learned
profession. They make it by combina-
ton of physical attributes and keen WIS
1t was Miller the boy with the flying
start" who rode more than SS1 winners
| in 1906 and broke all records that mad
been heard of in TINS country or any
other 1t was a marvellous thing, so rae
| ing men think, to be able to bring various
| horses first to the wire more than ooo
| times In a season of summer and winter
| sport.
| Considering The different dispositions OF
all the horses that the jockey must ride
their moods, their likes and dislikes-for
| thoroughbreds are quite as notional as
petted bellies of fashion-it is no child S
play for an eighteen-year-old boy to beat
| his rivals so successfully. Not olo
| enough to VOTE but with the shreWu-
ness of a man of years, 1t is estimated
that Miller will earn by his riding this
year over s60,000 and jockeys are not
paid So handsomely as they were five or
| six years ago.
Who Gives It?
From whom does he receive it? The
Newcastle Stable, for which Thomas
Welch is the trainer, has the first call
on his services. That is he must ride
for the Newcastle stable If 1t has entered
a horse for certain race. James r.
Keene has second call for his services.
He is the jockey for the keene STABLE
therefore, whenever Mr.. Keene is racing
in, contest In which the
Newcastle stable is not competing
If neither of the stables has horse
for race and another owner desires to
secure the services of Miller he may do
so. Hence it is possible that the youth
may ride in every race in each afternoon
of sport at the metropolitan tracks.
When the season is finished in and about
New York he may engage himself to
ride in California or in the south, wher-
ever he chooses to locate, so that he is
confident of engagements the year
around if he cares to pursue his voca-
tion without rest.
Walter Miller was born in Brooklyn of
German Hebrew parentage. 1t has been
asserted that he is a Russian Hebrew.
His mother small, delicately featured
woman, with swapping black eyes and a
musical voice, resents this. my boy,
said She "is of German blood. We came
from Baden, Germany. He came by his
love of the horse naturally, for all my
family are devotedly fond of horses. L
had a brother, daring man, VINO was
expert with horses, could handle them In
all their moods and train them perfectly.
l. too am fond of horses. There is no
surprise to me that Walter knows them
SO we'll His father she continued, sis
not so much of a horseman, but he is
proud of Walters success. He likes to
see his bow do well"
Miller is a small, well knit, delicate
boned boy, who at first glance gives the
impression of being understood. A closer
inspection of his physique inclines one
to correct the idea. Looking him over
carefully from head to heels he seems
to be compactly built for his age, and his
flesh is distributed evenly over the frame
work of bones. His racial characters
tics are delineated in his facial features.
Most fortunate jockey, he is not COM
PEELED to diet. OF course he does not
live on rich foods and partake of strong
drinks, as has too frequently been the
custom of some jockeys who rose TO
greater or lesser heights of fame, but
he can eat the substantials of life and
derive benefit from them without acquir-
ing unnecessary tissue Some jockeys, one
must remember, confine themselves dur
ing the riding season, and even out of it,
to certain foods, and those only, fearing
that an extra pound or two added here
and there will deprive them of their
ability to pursue their calling.
Radtke Is Different
Radtke is of different temperament than
Miller He is a somewhat fiery little
chap and rather self willed. His sharp
replies earned him punishment In 1906,
but this year he has exercised better
control over himself and fewer words of
.tr,k1 30
him. He is considered to be very clever
in making a strong finish. Like Miller,
he is possessed of much physical power
In his arms, and when a horse is tiring
In the last stride of hard fought race
Radtke fairly lifts him along as he holds
up his head and gives him encourage
ment to make the three or four final leaps
that may win stake worth thousands of
dollars.
Koerner and E. Dugan are two clever
lightweights who are skilled in judging
pace and placing their horses to good ad
vantage in field of many starters Both
are able to rate the speed at which they
are moving by constant association of in
tervals of time with the distance posts
on the track.
When they grow too heavy for the
American turf many of our best Jockeys
go to the tracks of foreign lands, where
the weight imposts are heavier They
usually find little trouble in obtaining
employment. A number of them are
abroad this year. There is Danny"
Maher, for instance, in England. He Is
one of the best American jockeys who
ever left his native land to ride for for
| eign stables. He has been phenomena.ly
successful in England-so much so that
the richest owners are eager to obtain
him. He is riding his second season for
| Lord Derby.
Maher is the only jockey now riding
who has won three English derbies. or
| itself that is feat of sufficient i'm
portance to establish his reputation in
| the turf world. 1t is estimated that he
will earn $4,000 in the saddle this year.
He commands high price, and owners
are as willing to pay it to him as they
are to Miller, for they know that they
are securing a competent boy and one
upon whom every reliance may be placed.
Shaw In Germany
"Wnlie" Shaw, who "Pittsburg Phil'
once said he considered to be the best
boy that ever vaulted into the saddle of
thoroughbred, is riding in Germany,