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VARIATIONS IN FORM OF HORSES. Injustice of Hasty Criticism Which Overlooks Natural Infirmities. New York, November 11. During the Jamaica meeting the racer Don Creole one day ran what was deelaied a remarkable race, because, after being shut olt on the first turn to last place, lie- raeed up to the lead in less than a furlong and, for the greater part of the struggle, he was a keen contender, though he did not win. The experts declared that a more patient ride might have landed him first home. Very soon afterward Don Creole again apieared in a race, in which, to judge from his recent great effort, he should have had a lirst-class chance. He warmed up so badly, however, changing his stride and palpably flinching from tenderness or pain that none of the rail-birds would bet on him. In the race he was so slow in getting in motion that he was out of it all the way and, though toward the end he began to make up some ground, there never vas a time when he gave encouragement to his backers. "Wait until lie runs tomorrow," exclaimed the shrewd division. "He had up 121 pounds today and there was nothing doing. He will carry only ninety-teven pounds tomorrow in the Aqueduct Handicap, and if the going is soft he will walk in." Thus the cynical race-goers talked. Well, Don Creole started jn the Aqueduct Handicap, won by Brookdale Nymph, and he was last all the way. He could not get into his stride-in other words, he couldnt stride over a straw. The trainer of the colt is Con Leighton, a man who once trained for Hon. William L. Scott, when that noted statesman and turf patron was very prominent in racing. It was Con Leighton who sent Chaos to the post for and won the Futurity of 1SS9. He was a son of Rayon dOr, which French stallion was imported by Mr. Scott in 1SS3 at a cost of 0,000. Leighton was. at the top of the heap at that and a subsequent period, but because of some disagreement with one of his patrons involving the payment of forfeits, he could not for years obtain a license. It seemed a great injustice, but little publication was ever made of it. Two years ago, through the intervention of John E. Madden, Leighton received official permission to resume Ills profession, and with a small stable which races in the turf name of Mr. Earle," he has from time to time run them with more or less success, Don Creole is one of these. He has, Leighton says, given him a great deal of trouble all year because of lameness or soreness, which, as in the races above quoted, have operated against anything like consistent racing. The veteran horseman thought the trouble was in the ankles and paddock frequenters said 1hat the colt bore evidence of treatment there, fut the ailment is more deep-seated, and If certain remedial treatment now being used on him is successful, do not be surprised if he should come out and run a good race. Should this prove true, there is sure to be a loud outcry from public and press, the trainer will fee like hiding his head and the owner will be ii no jj I a a s 1 r t t 13 r i t , j I i . doubly glad that he races under a nom do course, which he does, for he will thereby avoid public obloquy. Yet, as a matter of fact, there will be guilt or sharp practice in the matter. Any man who could trust his own eyesight saw for himself in Don Creoles last two races that he was physically not the same horse which just before that had run so well. The trouble is that lookers-on do not trust their own eyesight. They look at race, see a horse beaten and have nothing to say, because they saw the jockey do his best. But a few days later out comes that horse and reverses the running for which there might be the same good excuse as is now shown in behalf of Don Creole, and then those critics who had nothing to say on the first day are hard in denunciation on the second day, though they could not take their oaths that the rider did not do his best on the first as well as the second day. The men who were most dangerous to a jockeys reputation and earning ability in this sort of inconsistent criticism in the. old days were the influential bookmakers, who vigorously asserted that from the character of the betting on both occasions, they were in a position to know that there was something wrong because "the right people" did not bet the first time and did the second time. There is no more compulsion on a trainer betting on his horse than there is for the race-goer to do so. With what supreme confidence do we see each day red-hot favorites served up and bet on by the public, while the second, third or fourth choices do not carry anything like the money that the first choice does. The majority of the public ignore all but the favorite, and in about forty per cent, of the races their judgment is sustained. Yet it often happens that the trainer of the favorite fears some other in the race and bets with timidity, or perhaps not at all. He will not risk his money because of the doubts of. his horses ability to win, but because the trainer does not bet it is surely a bold thing for any critic to say he has given orders to a jockey not to try to win. That outrageous presumption is libelous and there is a remedy for such an insulting statement if made in print in a reputable journal. That is one reason why the careful turf reporter does not load up his column day after day with loose charges which he possibly could not sustain if brought to book. The charge of dishonesty on the turf should not be lightly made, any more than dishonesty in any other walk of life, and the editors of the metropolitan journals are very careful in this respect. Referring to the case of Don Creole, which begins this letter, he is now under treatment for rheumatism by no less a personage than "Patsy" McDermott, that jockey who won the Suburban of 1S93 on Lowlander, and who rode Dobbins for Richard Croker the same year, when Domino and Galilee beat him about twenty-four inches in the Futurity. McDermott has since then been all over Europe, riding, training and acting as horse expert. He owns a liniment which obtained great vogue, and has letters from Lord Carnarvon, George Chaloner and others, French, Belgian and Russian turfmen of prominence, praising the liniment. So successful was he with it that iu England one season lie bought horses as low as 0, then won races with and sold them for ten times as much. McDermott, now in his fortieth year, recently said I some interesting things as to preseilt-day jockeys. After paying tribute to Danny Mabcr, who, he t says, is the best jockey in the world, McDermott : goes on to recall the following riders who came , from New Haven, his birthplace. Ma her, the lurcell boys, Moriarity, Haggerty, "Snapper" Garrison. Andy McCarthy and others. "The boys now . riding in America could not compare with those of ten years ago," said McDermott. "Any one . of the old school could easily beat Miller. He is , a good boy, but he hasnt had the experience which i was necessary iu the old days. Now riders are ; made in three weeks. Iu my days they were three ; years in a stable before they were entrusted with i any horse to .exercise, to say nothing of riding . in a race. In these days knowledge of pace seems 3 dead." The once successful jockey is now the owner of f a large piece of ground at Orange, Conn., where he says he will establish a fair and will open iu i June with a card of six races. J. J. Burke.
