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EASTERN TURF TALK. Of affairs recently engaging the attention of turf men and turf followers in New York the Sun of Sunday says: "The days of the high salaried jockeys are numbered. Present signs would indicate that the time is not far off when the million- 1 aire turfmen will dispense with 0,000 riders and will engage jockeys for certain mounts at good pay. W. C. Whitney not long ago released Burns from his contract, and it is now said that Redfern will not receive the j princely salary in future that he has been drawing in the past. That a reform of this 1 kind is near at hand was shown yesterday, I when it was announced at Jamaica that Mr. j Whitney, through an agent, had signed for j next year the lightweight jockey R. Roman- elli, who came here from the west several weeks ago and has been riding with fairj success since then at local tracks. Roman-elli is 25 years old, and can ride at 94 pounds. J He came here from Italy in 1S94, and was ! Tony Astes jockey for three years. Then he entered the employ of Pittsburg Phil for a year and a half, afterward going west. He i 1 came into prominence a year ago, when he rode an alleged ringer at Detroit, although he was exonerated by the stewards. He has had plenty of experience and was delighted yesterday when he learned of his new engagement. Romanelli will receive a salary from the Whitney stable of about 3,000 with the privilege of accepting outside mounts when not needed by his regular employer. "Contrary to general expectation, there may be serious trouble over the Lord Badge case which cropped up at Aqueduct last week. W. S. Vosburgh, who acted as one of the stewards at Aqueduct, said yesterday that after a thorough investigation of the two races run by Lord Badge on Wednesday and Thursday, which included a close scrutiny of the layers sheets, the matter had been referred to the stewards ofthe Jockey Club with a recommendation. " I do not care to say what that recommendation is, said Mr. Vosburgh in answer to a query, but as the Aqueduct stewards jurisdiction ended yesterday, Ave felt that the matter would best be settled by the Jockey Club. All of the evidence has been submitted and there will be some more on Monday. "The fact that a recommendation of some kind has been filed with the Jockey Club stewards is taken to mean that somebody will be punished. Jockey Fuller has been accused of a poor ride on Lord Badge on Wednesday, while it is known that Pittsburg Phil was a heavy winner on the geldings victory on Thursday at long odds, when a form reversal caused the stewards to take up the layers sheets. W. L. Oliver, the owner of Lord Badge, stoutly maintains that there was nothing wrong, but the turf officials evidently think otherwise. "The agitation which has been going on among horse owners favoring the appointment of a board of handicappers, to consist of three members, may bear fruit. It was learned on excellent authority yesterday that several members of the Jockey Club who favor the plan have determined to make a powerful effort to have it adopted. David Gideon, the veteran turfman, is one of the strongest advocates of the proposed change. He says that the present handicapper, W. S. Vosburgh, excercises despotic power, though he concedes his ability and fairness. Mr. Gideon declares that owners should have some redress, however, and believes that a board would eradicate all Chance for dis satisfaction. James McLaughlin is of the opinion that if the matter were put to a vote S5 per cent, of the horsemen operating on the eastern turf would show a preference for a board. Charles Reed, who bought St. Blaise for 00,000 several years ago, is another warm advocate, also Judge Post of the Toronto track, Alex. Shields, Sydney Paget and many others. "Starter Fitzgerald said yesterday that in view of the success achieved by Mars Cas-sidy with his new method of allowing the horses to line up and then walk to the gate for a break he had been requested to try it. Mr. Fitzgerald believes that the old method produced plenty of satisfaction, but he states that he will give the new scheme a thorough trial, and that if it proves to be the better it will be permanently adopted on all metropolitan tracks. But the boys must be made to walk up to the gate, not run at it, said Mr. Fitzgerald. That is the secret of success, to my way of thinking. We want to give the horsemen and the public the best starting possible, and to that end I shall do my best. "Already there is some talk about the in-troduction of a bill at the next session of I the Legislature calling for an extension of , the racing season. It is said that if such a I bill is introduced it will stipulate that the I season here shall open on April 1 and extend to December 1, or even later. The Aqueduct . and Jamaica tracks are supposed to be the j chief beneficiaries, as both are suitably equipped for cold weather sport. "With the completion of Belmont Park and the possible retention of Morris Park in the metropolitan circuit, a longer season, it would seem, would be desirable; with plenty , of dates for all. It is pointed out that the , state tax on racetracks, which is devoted to up the state agricultural societies, would thereby be materially increased so that there could be little objection to an amendment of this kind to the present law. It is on the cards that the Metropolitan Jockey Club, which operates the Jamaica track, and in which T. D. Sullivan and P. H. McCarren are big stockholders, will ask the Jockey Club for a longer meeting next year, possibly with j dates in August, when the sport of kings is I usually transferred to Saratoga. Political j influence, it would seem, is bound to cut a j figure in racing affairs in the future."
