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STEEPLECHASE RIDERS. "The setting down of steeplechase jockey Mara by the Wiaener stable, and the refusal to allow him to accept outside mounts last week, barely created a ripple of interest in racing circles, yet it meant a very great! deal to Mara. More ,than any one might suppose," says Morning Telegraph. "The lot of the steeplechase jockey is very much misunderstood anyway, and the generalpnblic is sublimely ignorant as to the surroundings of I the cross country riders who practically take their lives in their hands every time they ride across the ridiculously crabbed fences dignified by the name of Liverpool, etc., by the National Hunt and Steeplechase Association. "A jockey on the flat is paid 0,000 a year to ride for a prominent .stable,. this not, including 5, ;fqr all winning mounts, and 0 for all losing mounts, for the stable, and what he gets for outside mounts. The steeplechase jockey gets 0 for winning mounts, and 0 for losing mounts except at Ben-nings, where he received 0 and 5, but never again so little and unless he has some contract with a stable to retain him, he absolutely cannot live unless he is dishonest. That is a strong statement, but it is the truth, and the facts indorse it. "On the flat, in 1901. at the metropolitan tracks, there was something over 800 races, averaging nine horses to a race, or 7,200 horses to be ridden. In the steeplechase and hurdle races at the same meetings there were fifty-nine races, with 404 horses engaged. There is the whole thing in a nutshell. The total salary of 0 for every horse that won only amounts to ,360, divided among how many boys? "Take this year to the close of Brighton Beach meeting. There have been sixteen steeplechases and twelve hurdle races, and in these 226 horses have started, carrying forty-four jockeys trying to make a living. As twenty-eight horses naturally won, if any single boy had ridden them all, he would only have received ,020, but unfortunately eight jockeys rode winners. What magnificent salaries for three months work ! "These winning boys rank as follows: Jockeys. Monnts. Wins.PerCent. Barry 17 9 53 Mara 20 8 40 Ray 10 6 60 Mr. Clarke 5 2 40 Fry 4 1 25 Carson 10 1 10 Veitch 17 1 6 Finnegan 9 1 11 "On this basis, Barry has earned 00; Mara, 80; Veitch, 60; Ray, 20; Carson, 20; Finnegan, 00, and Fry, 00. Mr. Clarkes earnings are not worth figuring, although as a man with an income of hundreds of thousands, no doubt, they gave him great satisfaction. "What of the other thirty-six riders? "Taking them in block, Hoider rode seventeen unsuccessful mounts, earning 40; Green had eleven, earning 20; Donoghuo had ten, earning 00; Monaghan had nine, earning 60; Parson and Dayton had eight, earning 60 each; Hewitt earned 40; Houlihan, 20; Pines and Higgins, 00 each ; Saff el. Pending, Bernard, Thomas and ONeil, earned 0 each; Wilson and Stewart earned 0 each ; Callaghan and Murphy, 0 each, and ODonnell, Johnston, G. Smith, Herting, Dehl-ing, Gallagher, Raymond and Brown earned 0 each. This in three months around the metropolitan tracks. "Then it is wondered that occasionally a crosscountry jockey is accused of fraud, and the general public decries them all as crooked. That this is hot so, will ba vouched for by any prominen steeplechase or hurdle owner, although there are, of course, black sheep in the fold. " Compare the steeplechase jockeys chances with those of his brother on the flat, and the wonder is why on earth he remains in a calling where there is so little to be made. Well, it becomes ingrained. He takes to it early and the fascination never leaves him, although the ability to ride may do so. There is scarcely a croBS-country jockey who is able to live bh his earnings. He is, in a sense, dependent upon what his employer may do for him, and, as a rule, these said employers are very good to their boys. "Therefore when one conversant with these facts saw Mara set down by his stable, with orders to ride for no one outside, it became rather a serious matter for Mara. Especially when his exceedingly good riding this year rendered him in demand by any one with a good horse who was looking for a jockey. Mara has had nothing to say in the matter beyond taking it before the stewards, which was an eminently wise thing to do, and the proper course to follow. "Aside from putting Mara straight and enabling him to continue earning his living, it has brought to light a rather curious state of things. The contract with his stable had never been filed with the stewards of the N. H. and S. Association, as it should have been for the mutual protection of both parties."
