The Washington times., 1907-12-08
OAKLAND BOOKS
ARE HARD HIT
BY FAVORITES
FOrty-Seven Per Cent of
First Choices Getting
the Money.
By ]. S. A. MACDONALD.

j
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 7.-During
the first ten days running a. the Oak
land track this season. just AZ per cent
of favorites won, and first and second
choices figured I'm the three money po-
'sitions no less than 81 per cent. a cir
cumstance which gives rise TO the opin-
ion that II a player fails to beat the
horses here In California he might as
well give up the attempt. for he never
VIII enjoy a better or a fairer Oppor-
tunity. Just remember that but q per
cent of favOrites went through from
June Is to September 10 on the New
York turf and you'll appreciate what
the New York public. patrons OF the
betting ring, encountered last season.
After all. clean racing means bigger
gate receipts for the racing association
and faster play in the market for the
boOkmakers. Probably S2OO.OO0 was
brought from the NORTHERN circuit, the
East and the Middle West by the book
makers at the inception Of the Oakland
session As soon as the public com
menced TO take away a fair proportion
of the gold in circulation the attend
anCe picked up. Martin Nathanson is
now associated with Ed. Hopper and
w. H. PettingiH In the stewards stand,
while out in the paddock DR.. J. f. Say
ior is the running mate of the paddock
Judge. The noted veterinary expert is
there to catch the needle and the
syringe men,"
Mature Jockeys on Coast.
ising boys at New Orleans, the cream
of the mature Jockey material is now in
commission at Oakland Take look
down the winning riders here and you'll
think so. One day last week Mar
velous' Miller. Eddie Dugan. Guy
Burns, "Bin" Knapp, and .'Heine"
Radtke were all up the field.
The real sensation Of the jockeys
room so far is little Charlie Ross.
This boy will be remembered as having
ridden in the East two years ago. Suf-
fering series of accidents. he slumped
90 nothing and soon returned West. A
years remuneration has given him back
all the confidence and budding style
which marked his early appearance at
Saratoga He has grown and become
stronger. No one here can outfinish him.
Many a good judge declares Ross to be
the very best boy in the country today
He has beaten both Miller and Dugan
while riding an inferior horse more than
once this past week. Mark down Ross
as worthy Of a nigh rating from now
on.
Miller's Best Thick.
Miller holds on yet 70 that remarkable
faculty OF making bad horse improve.
Tod Sloan could do the same thing in
llis day. II is the touch OF the master.
the artist, and the wizard. II is only
possessed by the jockey genius. and you
know he is a rarity. This subtle art
Sittle Ross does not display. but Il may
come to him in time. For instance. the
bookmakers cut Rapid Water at least
1.-TWO points with Miller In the saddle
Ask any one of the price-makers the
why OF this, and he'll explain that "the
Shorse does better for Miller"
At that. Miller is not riding like the
Miller OF old. He is feeling the effects
of four years grind, summer and win
i6er. for his style just now is slow and
.aistless. Naturally. he is winning a lot
sgnounts. bv< he is not the same hustiing
Kid OF two years ago.
Getting Ready for Finish
Miller has developed into a gIlt-touched
sport In the evening hour you may see
him saunter into ThOmpson's swell res
tau-ant on O'Farrel street accompanied
by some young millionaire cut Of the
sown. Miller dresses in the latest mode.
while this penchant for diamonds Is the
reigning gossip Of his fellow-riders. He
wears a 8. 800 diamond ring the gift of
Blair Painter. OF New York, while Tod
Sloan may be outdone in sartorlal effect
by the Marvellous One" in due course
.Of time.
Miller Is be ginning 10 feel the lure Of
Ehe gay white night lights or course,
that is the signal for four bells on his
Jockey career.
Radtke looks more like a steepIechase
Jockey now than a race rider. His old
ambition has simUered down, while his
paunch has swollen with the good
things Of the table and the bar. Radtke
likes the prize fighters. Back OF
Frankie Neil's corner In the recent
Dioran-Neil fight. sat Radtke. He won't
work fer a firm which requires his ser
vices III the early morning sanop hours
Dugan Tries Hard
Little Dugan is trying hard. Next to
Ross he is the best light boy around
here. For a 1O2-pound Jockey he is a
veritaole Samson. He can make a
heavy-headed horse believe he's a five
furlong Splinter IN that last stretch
furlOng.
Burns is anxious and enthusiastic. but
he has to learn lot when he flies along
with Knapp, Miller, and Dugan- They
say he is inclined to scare when they
pin him on the rail He differs from
his brother Tommy i'm this respect.
for the elder Burns stands as the jockey
daredevil Of the age.
". w. Finn. OF St. Louis. has A fine
light boy in Heatherton. II an Eastern
owner wants TO pick up a find, grab
HeathertOn-
Harry Stover's boy. c. Post. is a rare
promising youngster, too Lynch ard
Buxton are the best Of the rest.
A BRIGHT IDEA.