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OAKLAND RIDERS AND THEIR WORK. In commenting on the riders on the coast, an eastern writer declares that the best work just iiow 1s- being Hone" "by "Charles" Ross, who rides for bookmaker Roy Offutt. Ross will be remembered as having ridden in. the east two years ago. Suffering a series of accidents, he slumped to nothing and soon returned west. A years recuperation has given him back all the confidence and budding style which marked his early appearance at Saratoga. He lias grown and become stronger. No one here can outfinish him, while his judge of pace is excellent Many a good judge declares Ross to be the best boy in the country today. He has beaten both Miller and Dugan while riding, au inferior horse more than once recently. The same writer opines ithat Miller is less than at his best and says: "Miller is feeling the effects of four years grind, summer and winter, for his stylo just now is slow and" listless. Naturally he Is winning a lot of races, for he Is getting the pick of the mounts, but he is not ;the same hustling kid of two years ago. Miller has developed into a gilt-touched sport. In the evening hour you may see him saunter into Thompsons fashionable restaurant on OFarrell street, accompanied by some young millionaire of the town. Miller dresses in the latest mode, while his penchant for diamonds is the reigning gossip of his fellow riders. He wears a ,500 diamond ring, the gift of Blair Paynter of New York. Tod Sloan may be outdone in sartorial effect by the Marvelous One in due course of time. Miller is beginning to feel the lure of the gay white lights. Of course, that is the signal for four bells on his jockey career. Radtke looks more like a steeplechase jockey now than a race rider. His old ambition has simmered down, while his paunch has swollen with the good things of -the table and the bar. Radtke likes the prize fighters. Back of Frankie Nells corner In the recent Moran-Neil fight, sat Radtke. He wont work for a firm which requires his services In the early morning gallop hours. Little Dugan is trying hard. Next to Ross, lie is the best light boy around here. For a 102-pound jockey he, is a veritable Samson. He can make a 1 heavy -headed horse believe lie Is a five furlong sjiiinlor in that last stretch fuHoug. G. Burns is anxious amt enthusiastic, but ho has to learn a lot when he files along with Knapp, Miller and Dugan. They say he Is inclined to scare when they pin him on the rail. He differs from his brother Tommy in tills respect, for the elder Bums stands as the jockey dare-devil of the age. W. W. Finn of St. Louis lias a fine light boy in Heatlierton. If an eastern owner wants to pick up a find, grab neatherton. Harry Stovers boy, C. Tost, is a rarely promising youngster, too. Lynch and Buxton are the best of the rest.
