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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. The veteran jockey, Charlie Thorpe, whose contract with Burns and Waterhouse expires December 1, is talking about going to England to ride, and it is reported that that other veteran .of the east, Fred Taral, will accompany him. Thorpes reason is because of his wifes health, which is very poor, and which he thinks may be improved by the trip. If these two go they will help to complete the English idea of what constitutes the American jockey. They have had the "young-old" Mr. Sloan, the midget Johnnie Eeiff, and if they get the two best of the old school, Thorpe and Taral, they wiil have seen every typo of tho successful American jockey. Both Thorpe and Taral are men of strength.and brains, admirable judges of pace, quick and alert at tho starting post, and ferocious in finishes. Both are riders of integrity who have maintained their good standing for years. As far as a means of livelihood are concerned, there is no reason why either should continue riding. Both are very well-to-do, Thorpe being worth something like 00,000. He seems to be in lovo with riding, however, as here all summer hs used to work like a day laborer to keep down to weight. Every morning clad in four or five sweaters, he would walk eight or ten miles, then play ball and ride a bicycle tbe balance of the morning. Even with all these efforts, supplemented by vigorous dieting, he found it hard to keep to weight, and it seemed that with his wealth he would be ready to retire. His salary from Burns and Waterhouse, however, was a very large one, reported to be 0,000 a year, with the privilege of accepting outside mounts. Sporting News,
