The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-02-22
eddie DUGAN IS
WORTH 100000

| From an Oakland A. d. r. messenger
boy, with a IS per week salary at
tached, to the premier jockey Of the
country, is the brief achievement Of
Eddie Dugan in four short years. Dur
| ing that time he has built up rep
utation that reaches i'm nearly every
quarter of the globe where the sport
of the thoroughbred holds sway, and
he has earned q fortune estimated ap-
proximately at over 100000.
This 1S-year- old boy is put forth
today as one of the most finished artists
America has developed in the saddle,
and his performances at Emeryville
are certainly in a class by themselves.
The reason for Dugan's brilliant sue
cess on the turf is very simple, when
the little fellow tells you that he loves
the sensation of race riding for his
own pleasure. The fascination Of the
turf has taken hold of the clever pilot
and he goes about his work with a de-
termination and earnestness that is
really more a recreation than a stern
money making occupation.
Though Dame Fortune is smiling on
Dugan now In all her .brilliancy. there
was a time that the messenger boy
was treading a thorny path on his way
to success. He had to work hard to
learn the art of handling a thorough
bred. When Eddie was serving his
apprentice days he very often discour-
aged his admirers by his ungainly sad
die work, and at least two stable own
ers passed him along the line after
coming to the decision that he never
would amount to anything as a Jockey.
Never Liked Books.
II think 1t was more the tricks Of
fate than anything else" began Du-
gan, fumbling with his blouse. that
landed me in the saddle. My parents
wanted me to be a business man and
with that end in view started me in
the Oakland public schools. l was a
good scholar for a spell, but along
about the time l reached the sixth
grade | grew tired of books and musty
volumes of wisdom and ran away.
landed a job in Oakland as a messen-
ger boy, and it was quite a long time
before the folks learned Of the switch.
II slipped in the gates at the track
one morning bright and early, and the
first man | struck was Babe O'Con-
ner. / gave him a big talk, for / was
pretty breezy as the result of my mes
senger force experience and went to
work galloping horses. nearly bounced
off the first morning out, but l got
onto a lot of tricks, and was doing
nicely, when a month later / switched
over to Keene Bros stable
L. I. Lee took me down TO his
ranch shortly afterward, and / picked
up deal of valuable information. He
promised to give me my first con-
tract. which called for three years.
never will forget my first mount,
when / was. only beaten a nose. |
have never been so excited since that
time. / cried as ! was being weighed
in after coming back to the stand, and
| can remember plainly how all the
fellows laughed. learned rapidly,
though, and the first Year when Lee
took me back TO New York, l rode
over 100 winners.
my tuition under my older broth
err Willie. had much to do with my
success. Willie displayed high class
horsemanship for several years when
riding for Barney Schneider on the
western courses. At Sheepshead Bay
his ride on Nealon had a lot to do
with the victory of this cracking good
son of Sain.
II think have two more good years
of usefulness in the saddle / will ride
for Mr.. Belmont next season around
New York, and the year after I intend
to 20 to England to try my hand. Then.
/ guess, / will be too heavy for the
saddle and will have to step down and
out and give way to some OF the as
piring youngsters"