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MCAHEY GOOD NATURAL RACE RIDER. Tricks at Post a Treat to Spectators — Rode for Many Fashionable Owners. By Ed Cole. New York. March 20.— The death of little .Too Mei brings to mind memories I ahey of nearly ten | I years ago whin Joe Used to trot along aide of his I employer, the late Tom Mannix. who helped to lay i the foundation of McCaheys success in the saddle. I It was quite some time before Mr. Mannix could get horsemen to listen to his plea to give Met a ley a chance. He was aa small, weighing coiisiderabl. I ss than ninety pounds, that horsemen could hardly believe in his ability to hold a horse together and do him justice. "Hes just a good natural race rider." is what Mannix would plead when trying to get him engagements. It was as Mannix said, he was a natural rider with brains enough to attend to his work in every pari of a race. His thoughts never wandered from the time he reached the starting point until the race was over. To watch McCahey at the post, jockeying for any advantage he might gain, was a treat. If horses were crowding him he would immediately back out of the ruck and cause the starter to order the field to spread out. This would giv Joe the possibility of learer sailing when the barrier was raised. If he did happen to get packed in he would fight himself lear when his mount had speed enough. In so doing he was a bit of a rough rider, but if he found the pace too keen, his next move was to duck to the rail and come the nearest way home, taking a chance that he would get an opening later on. Many races he won by this method and his delicate hands did much more to reserve a horse for a finish than the whip. The latter implement was of little ser ice to Mil ahey. He could use it. but in no sense could he be termed a whip rider. He depended more upon hand riding. "Silent Joe" a Fitting Name. "Silent Joe" was a appropriate sobriquet for McCahey. He rarely spoke unless spoken to and received his orders with silence, but absorbed instructions how to ride a horse to tlia most minute details. For the past years he was tutored ami looked after by James Fitzsimmnie. and being so light in weight, was rarely without a mount. Tom BeaKy, who trains for R. T. Wilson, gave him many opportunities as did other fashionable owners and trainers when riding a light weight. Last year McCahey rode many horses for Gifford A. Cochran and it was due to his alertness at the post that McCahey placed many purses to the Cochran account. Once in a while he would be reprimanded by a starter, but these occasions were rare and only once was he under the ban of the stewards. This occurred at Jacksonville, but apaaj investigation the inconsistent running of a horse was found to be due to natural causes and McCahey was quickly restored to good standing. Inlike many of the present-day jockeys. McCahey saved as much of his earnings as possible. Hi nry J. Morris, for whom Joe rode many winners, often said that McCahey had the first nickel he ever earned and praised him for his thrift. He rode many races after he knew he was going lata a decline and his ambition and outdoor life unquestionably added to his years. Joe put up a good battle against the inevitable, but finally had to succumb. His thrifty, straightforward life can be pointed to as a good example for other jockeys to follow.
