The sun., 1909-05-30
JOCKEYS WASTED CHANCES
CRACKERJACKS WHO DON'T
KEEP THEIR WINNINGS.

|
Wrecks Hanging About tho Racetraok'
Who - Lads Earned Fortunes ant
squandered Thcm-An Exception Il
the Rule In chicago Bet
A turfman. the owner Of an important
stable Of thoroughbreds. was talking the
other day about Jockeys.
sOne afternoon at the recent Piniice
nesting he said, y was maoed for
two spot by sad little hash Of mar
who only q very few years ago was having
columns written about his midget per-
sonahty In the newspapers.
Il made 1t a sawbuck because the sish'
Of the dreary little chap down to that
pass got me going . bit. know that
he'd moooh right away TO the bookies'
ooops and slough OF the ten spot In
two bean instalments. but I couldn't
help feeling sorry for him all the same.
He bet 1t all right In the two bone allot-
ments. and he didn't cop bet
THAT OF COURSE isn't the story.
The nub of It is that that dismal mite
OF a man-he's still under 25-was one OF
the real good jockeys Of few years ago
and q retainer Of $4,000 or $4,000 for
first call on his services wasn't anything
unusual for him, leaving out Of considera-
tion his money for mounts and the bets
he yanked down through his inside con-
neotions.
He belonged to the kind that
wouldn't behave. When he was on top
Of the money wave he fell to kidding
with the old Juice that throws 'em all.
high and low, highbrow and lowbrow
alike, II they stick along with 1t.
He got his monkey eyes focused on the
shapely members Of the choruses. He
drifted into shady turf company and the
hotsam and jetsam characters OF the
game showed him the advantages Of the
strong arm thing.
He began easing 'em up in races.
discreetly at first and then in a pretty
raw kind Of way. or course he got the
mallet. After repeated warnings from
the turf authorities he was finally set
down permanently, and there never
was any chance for him to be reinstated.
even il his habits hadn't become i'm
possible.
$50 there be was at Pimlioo, seedy.
mottle faced. rum soaked. cigarette
eating, miserable little runt Of man,
shambling wraithlike around the track.
boning old friends for small notes-this
boy who In his four or FIVE years Of riding
could have put away perhaps $4,000.
and who had lifelong comfort, not to say
opulence. as firmly in his grasp as any
railroad president ever had it..
.Of course here and there you see
another side of the ex-jockey thing.
For example. on my way to New York
from California. whore raced during the
winter. dropped OF at Chicago for a
couple OF days. and there I met up with
another Jockey OF the former time. He
was riding around here till about nine
years ago.
This man was never exactly premier.
either. but he was q boy that any wise
owner liked to see atop Of his horse when
business was meant. He had during his
riding career picked up about the same
amount Of ooin a. the down and out jock
I met at Pimlico. but he'd been COM
PEELED to quit the saddle on account of
increasing weight.
This jock in Chicago was riding |
around the boulevards Of that town, In
bright yellow town car OF about the size
Of an Erie canalboat. He wore q fur
coat that would have made q Russian
Grand Dukes eyes stick out. and he was
living in house Of his own, over on the
south side Of Chicago. that reminded me
Of magazine pictures.
Besides the works Of art end bric-a-
brac and bijouterie and things, this house |
contained as neat little wife as ever you
clapped an eye on and four or five ruddy
little younsters pranking around the
had never known in his own kidhood.
Well. maybe that wasn't by way Of
contrast to the dismal little moocher
ran into little later on at Pimlico!
This man who. after quitting the rid
ing thing. settled In Chicago. where he
wad he earned in the saddle. and he's
there. I'm told. with something close to
half a million.
Hes in business he has q rent roll. he |
takes little vichy and milk for his'n. |
thanks. when he gets out with the 'openin'
wine push, and he has polished up. his
mind and has learned how TO dip into
books intelligently. Before the unavoid-
able rapid taking on Of weight forced him |
from the pigskin he hadn't made q cent |
more than the shabby little ex-jock
began by talking about.
DO68 TINS 0X-lOCk O0t on tho nOrBoo!
Well. just for the fun Of it ! said to him:
kid, I'm taking my string on to Bel
mont. and reckon insiders OF your kindrl |
be able to get little change down there
without any bother. I've got two or three
good thin gs in pickle thatare going to force
me to hire furniture vans to carry the duff
away that I'm going to pick up with 'em.
Better pack your bag and trudge along
East with me. TIN be all kinds Of lArks
for you coping the large ksle. eh?'
As say, only made these observa-
tions to that shrewd little ex-hder for the
fun Of listening to what be would have to
say by way OF reply; but his reply was
more diverting than had expected 1t
would be.
.'Say.' he said to me. twisting around
In his automobile seat and pointing fore
finger at me, let me tell you something
like I'd toll 1t to an old mstey and boss OF
mine. both Of which you are.
Say. boss. wouldn't bet on . horse
race II the head Of the JOCKEY. Club and all
of the stewards were TO visit me at my
house 10 the middle Of the night for the
purpose OF swearing TO me that they would
disqualify every mutt that dniehed ahead
of the 900 to 1 shot that I'd have my
coin down on.
.'Say. guv.' and he became even moro
with that pointing forehnger. IL
there'd be at Belmont . match at q mile
between Slr Martin carrying . seventy
six pound boy and no lead pads. and the !
worst old ossified sausage Of . badge
horse in or out Of training carrying
4 ton o. coal and two member0