The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-28
ons Take Fourth Straight From PeLs
Riding Nearly p Years,
7roxler Still Turf Star
Ordinary Life of Jockey Is Six Years Roscoe's First
Important Race Brought Him 'In Bad"
Only Two Riders Have Surpassed
Troxler In Service
BY JAMES J. CoRBETT


Roscoe Troxler is still one of the rid
ing stars of the American turf-after
nearly % years in the saddle.
When one takes into consideration the
fact that about six years is the life of
an ordinary jockey and that few have
ever been able to hold their jobs after
ten years on the turf, the achievement
OF Troxier is all the more remarkable.
For a ball player to survive % years as
a diamond star, for pugilist to be
in the topnotch ranks after quarter
of a century of battling is feat that
year record a jockey.
For an American jockey must keep
within riding welght-must fight off the
efforts of nature to fatten his frame
beyond lis pounds. If he gets much
heavier he is through and there is
no comeback for him The racing
weight limit in America automatically
bars men who notch beyond 12o or 125.
But ,Troxler, who began plotting thor
oughbreds in the far back days that M
mediately followed the Spanish -Ameri-
can war, is still lightweight rider. And
il is due to the fact that he has lived
clearly and guarded his health against
the rise of flesh as a stage celebrity
guards her beauty.
And now, in his 21st year of service.
he is stu bringing home norses in 'front.',
still riding in way that adds lustre and
fame to his name. He's the veteran of
the American turf-but he is still one of
the greatest riders of them all.
GETS I'm BAD"
Oddly enough, the first really impor-
tant race of Troxler's career brought
him temporarily lin bad" and if it
hadn't been for the leniency of the
judges over the mischievousness of the
kid Troxler might have been barred right
then and there for all time from per-
forming on the race ira cks.
Troxler, on March s. 1899. hal the
mount on Freylnghuysen, a 2-year-old
running on the New Orleans trach. Vim
ME O'Connor, a jockey, who then was
also a mere boy, but later gained much
in racing glory, was assigned to Alex,
owned by Frank Regain. There was a
boyish rivalry between Troxler and
O'Connor which manifested itself before
that race to the extent that Troxler bet
O'Connor a bottle of pop that he would
beat him home.
Whirling into the stretch Troxler was
ahead of O'Connor, but nearing the tape
O'Connor brought Alex along.s4d and 1T
looked as if he would get to the wire in
front of Troxlers mount. Troxler sensed
this, remembered the bet and then, in
effort to "cinch'' it. learned over,
grabbed the bride of Alex, jerked It,
threw him off strickland SO got Frav-
linghuysen home ahead of Alex, although
DR.. Riddle, owned by George Odom, now
a trainer won the race.
That was the first known instance in
American racing history where such a
trick had been tried during race and
although Troxler was set DOWN for a
while, it was decided that his act was
not really serious enough to warrant the
taking away of his license.
Troxler's specially is getting young
sters away from the barrier. His ability
in that line is reminiscent of Walter
Millere, ranked as the best breaker in
all racing history. Troxler always man
ages to keep his horses true at the post,
and, with the lift of the barrier, he has
them away winging. His success in that
art has won for him innumerable races.
FOUR IN ONE DAY
Twice during his career Troxler has