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JOCKEYS AT FAULT. Concerning a disagreeable incident of the recent Aqueduct meeting in which T. Burns was a prominent factor The Spirit of the Times says : "It is not well to discuss disagreeable matters while they are hot. Therefore the awful start in the sixth race of the eighth day at Aqueduct has been allowed to simmer down. "It is rather astonishing to find many public critics have laid all the fault on the barrier and the system, and cooler judgment should show them that thiB is a great mistake. The barrier is a bad one, but it bad nothing to do with the issue. .Neither had the method, The whole thing hinges upch the inBubordiua- tion of the jockey. If he had been properly un- der control it would not have occurred. He knew perfectly well that the barrier was smashed, not Bnapped by the star tar; it was his businosB to note that the timing flag was still standing, and his turning round at the lower turn with a smilo of deriBion at the boy who pulled up there obedient to the call of the stewards showed that he was perfectly alive to what he was doing. Ho is no preen boy, there is little excuse for him, the only tangible one being that be had ridden three winners that afternoon which made him rather elated. His percentage of winners since May 1 waB only 15, or about one-half that of Shaw, yet when he likeB he is a capable jockey. "In this case he let his head run away with his judgment. He wanted four straight wins, and when the barrier was smashed he thought he saw an opportunity to make a runaway race, and did not succeed in so doing. Ho looked remarkably foolish when ordered again to the starting post. "That the barrier now in use is crude ia granted, but it could easily be improved by an advance flag to fall when the barrier was Bnapped, and not otherwise. This flag, still standing at a broken barrier gives no room for Buch regrettable occurrences. Just the same, the barrier cannot justly be blamed in this caBO, and the starter must be exonerated. It might be suggested that the bell be hung within easy reach of the judges and stewards, as a warning from it would have undoubtedly brought the three boys back at once. Buch glaringly bad starts and the consequent publicity accorded them and what is eaid of them, have a very iojnrious effect upon racing gen-e tally. Many prejudiced people use them as an index finger to fraudulent manipulation, etc., which of course is entirely wrong and out of the question. J j 1 j j 1 j I j 1 j j ; 1
