Imperial Valley press., 1928-08-18
.SANDE'S CAREER
TERMINATED BY
SURPLUS FLESH
BY HARRY FERGUSON
Omitted Press Shaft Correspondent

When Earl Sande boots his final
horse down the stretch at the close
of the Saratoga meeting, it probably
will be the last time the great little
Jockey rides in America.
Surplus flesh is driving Sande
into other fields. He is now 30
years old and no longer finds it
easy to stay around 40 pounds.
Sande hasn't gained weight because
he loafed, for he is one of the
hardest workers on the American
tracks. Recently he took to riding
an electric horse, similar to the one
that President Coolidge formerly
used, in an effort to retain his cor
rect riding poundage.
With the passing of Sande, La
verne Fator will be left almost sup
rene on American tracks. For ten
years Earl has been bringing good
horses and bad under the wire to
get in on the money, and the strain
of his long service has begun to
tell.
Two courses are open to Sandc-
he can 90 to France where they
ride at higher weights or he can
get a Job as trainer in the United
States.
Locking For Job
q always said | would retire
when | found that it took too much
out of me to keep down to riding
weight, - Sandc said. "Of course.
shall keep riding this summer, for
it is easy to take off poundage i'll
! the summer time. But when winter
comes, guess II start looking
around for something else to do.
"What it will be, haven t de.
I cided. | love to ride and naturally
| would rather go abroad than stay
! here as a trainer.
/ II was suggested to Sandc that
j. +. Widcncr, his present contract
/ employer, had large stable in
! France and that Widencr probably
would he glad to have Sandc ride
for him abroad.
''That would be fine, Sande
said, "for Mr.. Widener has a won.
! dcrful place over there, and from
what | saw of racing in France,
liked it lot. .
Not since the days of Tod Sloan
in England has any jockey so en-
deared himself to the racing publ;
as has Sandc. With Earl in the
saddle, racing enthusiasts figure(
they were sure to get their money 5
worth no matter where his hors,
! finished.
Sande learned to ride on tho
ranges Of Idaho where he was born
, On Sunday afternoons he would
ride against other boys and soor
got into the habit of winning a!
most every race he entered. Racinl
was in his blood and three months
later Saude showed up al Ncy
Orleans and got jon exercising
horses. From then ON his rise wa
rapid
Touched Heights in 1928
He touched the heights in 1872;
when he rode Zcv to victory il
ithc Kentucky Derby. the Withcrs
the Belmont and the Lawrence Real
ization. That also was the year wher
IcV, with Sandc up, defeated Papy
rus, ridden by Steve Donoghuc, il
the international match. Sandc anC
Zev also proved an unbeatable com
bination against In Memoriam in ;
match race. In 1923, Zcv won $272,
00S in purses and every time he
started, Sandc was in the saddle.
There aren't many honors lcf
for Earl to win. He has ridden tn,
winner of every important race il
the country with the exception O
the Futurity. Here is his record o
v tories: Belmont, four times
Kentucky Derby, twice; Suburban
twice; and the Metropolitan, thre
times in succession The total win
nings of his mounts are somcwhcr,
in the vicinity of $2,000,000.
In 1924 Sandc suffered brok cl
leg at Saratoga and when he cam
back the next year he rode TO
Widencr instead of the Rancoca
Stable.