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GOSSIP OP THE TURF. Word comes from the east that jockey Harry-Michaels practically stands suspended by the Jockey Club. He has broken with A. L. Aste, who had a contract with him, and he cant ride for anybody until he makes up with Aste. In the current issue of the Bacing Calendar the authorities give notice to owners and trainers that they muBt not employ or harbor Michaels. Thus is the little jockey ineligible to ride for anybody. His father, Simon Michaels, has Berved notice on the Jockey Club and on A. L. Aste, who holds a contract with the boy, which, has nearly three years yet to run, that hs Michaels considers the contract void, inasmuch as Aste did not fulfil its requirements in. the matter of monthly payments. ,Aste denies that ho has failod in any particular to carry out his agreements, and says that if the paymenta wore not made on the first day of each month it was because MichaelB assured him there was no hurry about it. During the latter part of the race meeting at Washington Aste says he read, many reportB criticising the riding of the jockey, and he went there to eeo how much truth there was in the reports. It was after he had made inquiries that he informed the elder MichaelB that he would not permit the boy to go to either New Orleans or San Francisco, as he feared that without some one to protect and advise him the boy would get into trouble with, the racing officials, and as he he could not leave his business he thought it best to keep tho lad at the racing stable. Then it was that Mr. Michaels made a claim of nonfulfilment of contract. The stewards of the Jockey Club havo been asked to decide the case. Meantime Michaols is at his fathers home, near Brighton Beach. That Winnie OConnor does not like to ride on muddy days is evidenced by the f ollowing taken from the San Francisco Examiner of December 4: "A week ago OConnor announced his retire-ment from tho saddle until after the muddy track was gone. " Im no mud rider, he said. Nearly all my races I win from behind. I cant do this in the mud, because I cant rate a horse behind a bunch. If I do he gets a lot of dirt and water kicked in his face and he sulkB. If, I turn wide I throw away the race, and I know I cant rida in front, so Ill reBt awhile. "But yesterday he was up on several horses and despite his assertion that he is not a front rider, he got off in the lead with LapiduB and. Dunblane, from the Jennings stable, and kept them both in the lead until the end. Lapidus was 15 to 1 and he showed a great improvement over his previous races. He outran his field every inch of the way." Active operations on the new track being constructed by the Saratoga Bacing Association at its Union avenue running park, were affected in a measure by the snow and severe cold wave that have visited Saratoga in the last day or so. Many of the laborers havo been temporarily-laid off, but will resume work in a few days. The preliminary grading is virtually finished. During the winter months upward of 12,000 yards of clay will be spread over the track to the depth of about five inches. Borne Bespaas is making arrangements for a six weekB stay at Hot Bprings. He will leave Cincinnati about the 15th of thia month and return the 1st of February, when he will take up his residence at the Duhmo farm near Glendalar. His horses will be removed from Latonia to the. farm December 9. i
