Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17
WIN. LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s7Anu
The Kid With The ShiIIe!ooh
By FRANCIS sTANN

MIAMI, FEB. 1.-THE boy has ready grin and
his blue dance but there is hardness of Jaw also
to Johnny Ruane that beSpeaks experience one only
q years old Johnny Ruane is jockey, and if there
were such honor in racing Rookie-of the-Year he
would have won it hands down in 1857
Right now, Johnny is second only to Bill Hartack
among the riders at Haeah He weighs in at 106 pounds
and move over, Ted Atkinson he has a penchant
Tor the whip At the moment he is the ranking
rider nationally and the boy from County Mayo Ireland
IL just starting aaas
"As far I'm concerned" Ruane says I'm Just
like any other rider except that use the whip more
Some people call whp-happy But they were calling
me that on the last day Of January here at Hiaeah
when rode four winners. I'd never have those
four races unless I'd used the old shllelagh."
THIS KID IS A CHARACTER. In the beginning, you
couldn't give him away During the first three months
Of 81 he shut OFT. Then he caught fire and rode
l55 winners and won c528,571 in purses.
I'D rather you didn't mention my name" trainer
was saying, "but / thought Ruane was Just flash in
the pan until saw him ride at Hialeah He's good.
He's positive. NOBODY and horse is going to him."
Nobody in the jockeys seems to be asking for
trouble from Ruane. Before he left Ireland he de-
cded America at the age of 10 and finally made it
at 10 he won 48 out of Sc boxing matches as an
amateur. He hasn't had a fight yet a jockey, but
he isn't ducking any, either.
Johnny Ruane got hit by the America bug early in
life. I'm pretty sure was 10 years old when made
up my mind" he says, but kids that age don't just
pack up and go across the ocean,"
AT H. tommy quit Scnool. He was OF IL KIDS In
the family What good is learning Gaelic when I'm
going to the United States?" he asks
WHEN JOHNNY FINALLY made it to America he
had no idea of becoming jockey, he says II to
join my aunt and three sisters in Elmont, NJ "" he
explains. II began looking for job and all got
the brushof. Finally, man in printing plant said
he would take for $40 week."
Johnny weighed the offer. II thought that in America
one made more money asked the If that $40
take-home pay.
"oh, no. he said You'll take home about SIS Of it,"
$50 what did you do?" Ruane was asked.
II tod the man, Listen I'm hard up but not that
hard up 1t ives easy to turn down the job, but not
So to tell the family and the landlord that refused
The landlord he pretty square. He said
Lock, you weirh "a pounds. You're too little to
try the docks. Why don't get job riding horses?"
GREENTREE STA5LE assistant trainer, George
Poo,e, hired Ruane and sent him to South Carolina
to learn about horses Late in 1856 Johnny rode his
first at Belmont He failed to win. And in IS starts
at Tropical Haleah and Gulfstream he still couldn't win
He broke the ice on April %, 1855, when he won
with Trireme at Jamaica Then he became a hot item.
Johnny Ruane had that one at Jamaica. To It, he
added eight at Pimico 16 at Delaware 20 at Belmont
II at Saratoga 80 at jamaica SO at Tropical and far 20
at Hialeah as these lines written.
The kid who turned down that $20-a-week job to
the CONSERVATION of family and landlord paid FIVE
figure income tax buys tailored suits and orders his
Sizes shoes from special store.
CITIES APPARENTLY MEAN little to Ruane, aside
from the admission that he likes to all Of them he
can Race tracks? II like Belmont because the back
stretch is long you get good position for the
turn In the mud, Jamaica is best. Hiaeah? It's okay
when it's dry"
Most hor5emen divided in opinion to why
Ruane is suddenly successful. One talks gowingly
of his hands, another Of his strength still another Of
his will to win
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, unquestionably Americas
most revered trainer and one who surrounds himself
with Irish put action ahead Of words although he is
on record as liking Ruane's "all-around ability"
Sunny Jim took second call on Johnny in Florida,
and you can't hardly beat that tribute. First call for
, Mr.. Fiz is Eddie Arcaro. who is scarcely Irish.