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MIDGET GILBERT IN LUCK EVIDENTLY DEVELOPING SKILL LEADS TO HIS TRANSFER TO THOMAS H. WILLIAMS. Fred Bent Defeats Raleigh in the Main Race of the Afternoon — Roulon Wins Through a Bad Start — Oakland Track Improving. Oakland. Cal.. February IS. — Thomas H. Williams paid Jflo.OOO today for .1. F. Cliffords four-year tontract on the services of apprentice jockey Clifford Gilbert, the lightweight jockey find of the present local season of racing. G illicit is pronounced by experts to be one of the l est lightweight riders ever developed on the California race tracks, which have been a prolific school lor jockeys for the past fifteen years. Gilbert is sixteen years of age. hails from Iowa and can ride at eighty-five pounds. He was developed by J. F. Clifford, a well-known horseman of this city and will do the lightweight riding for his new employer whenever Walter Miller is unable to make the weight. Mr. Williams will invade the east witli a powerful stable of racers next rammer and it will be equipped with the best jockeys available in the country. Gilbert will not sever his present connections with Barney Schreiber until April 1. next. Prospects are good for a continuance of the present spell of fine weather, and despite todays poor card a big crowd witnessed some interesting sport. The track has dried out rapidly and promises to be good for the running of the California Derby next Saturday. Ipscts were again frequent, only one favorite making good. and. that was in the last race, when Ruth W. wou. Tlie usual surprise at the start developed in the two-year-old nice. It was responsible for the fluke victory of the outsider. Roulon. at odds of Si to 1. To the majority of the sjiectators it looked as if Jack Keenes colt was sent away alone, and when actually in front of the barrier. This opinion was partially shared by several of the jockeys in the same race. The fact remains that Roulon was given an overwhelming lead at the start and by it was enabled to beat the big field of juveniles opposed to him. Fred Bent, which, is beginning to be taken seriously, captured the feature race, tlie Antioch Handicap, at a mile, from one of the best baud of horses that has been out here recently.
