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MCLAUGHLINS IMPRESSIONS Once Great Rider Considers Luke Blackburn the Champion Hindoo Kingston and George Kin Kinney ney Banked Next Present Presentand and iPast Jockeys James McLaughlin now a patrol judge for the Jockey Club was the greatest rider of his day He had the mount on the best of the Dwyer thorough ¬ breds during the years they were making turf his ¬ tory and when asked to give his impressions of racing conditions past and present had some inter ¬ esting comments to make on the sport and the horses which have played their part in the develop ¬ ment of the breed in the United States StatesMcLaughlin McLaughlin a pupil of Father Bill Dalys school had the mount on the best horses that raced be ¬ tween 1878 and 1S92 In the former year lie went to the Dwycrs and the foundation of the fortune gained by the Brooklyn turfman was laid with the Hartford rider piloting such horses as Luke Blackburn Hindoo George Kinney Bramble and Miss Woodford all of which were trained by James Kowc The late Philip Dwyer always main ¬ tained that Luke Blackburn was the best horse he had ever owned or seen and his brother Michael was equally positive in liis claims for Hindoo afterward destined to give the turf Hanover a good race horse but whose fame will endure because of the family he founded a tribe whose lustre cannot be dimmed neglected though it may be by the British turf authorities despite the fact that a daughter and a granddaughter each threw a winner of the Epsom Derby DerbyLUKE LUKE BLACKBURNS GREATNESS GREATNESSWhen When asked to give his opinion as to the best horses he had seen during his long connection with the turf McLaughlin said saidBlackburn Blackburn vras the best race horse I ever saw Tremont was the best twoyearold I won thirteen races on him and never touched him with the whip Hourless was as good a threeyearold as we have had I liked him because of his great speed and the ease with which he could be placed He could stay too As a campaigner season after season Roamer would get my vote as the best of all time Firenze would be my choice of all the mares anil I rode many good ones onesBlackburn Blackburn could run fast and far He wasnt a tall horse not more than 152 hands but he had a big strong body and thick neck like Ben Brushs He was a free runner and would jump off and make his company dizzy He had a fine temper and was a prime favorite both in the cast and in Kentucky When we won the Stallion Stakes at Louisville Gov Blackburn made him a present of a suit of clothes I always worked Luke and he wore quarter boots as he would rap his heels if you pulled him about Hindoo was of a different type He was a long strider and a real stayer In appearance he was much like Billy Kelly Like that good twoyearold he could be placed handily and as a rule he had to be ridden I generally waited with him himUpon Upon being asked which of the great horses he preferred after Luke Blackburn and Hindoo Mc ¬ Laughlin replied Kingston He could beat any of the sprinters and could stay up to a mile anil a quarter He was a perfect horse in temper action conformation and all that goes to make a great horse A child could ride him I know that it will shock some people to have me declare Kingston the superior of Hanover but I rode both of them and must favor the brown over the chestnut Han ¬ over was done if you dropped his head He had to go off with the track and run his competitors into the ground His high rapid action was undoubtedly against him himGEORGE GEORGE KINNET AND MISS WOODFORD WOODFORDGeorge George Kinney I would place after Blackburn Hindoo and Kingston He was a big lazy fellow that wouldnt do anything unless you got after him Kinney beat Iroquois in the special which was arranged at the old Monmoutli Park course when Mr Lorillards horse returned from winning the Epsom Derby The Dwyers started both Kin ney and Miss Wpodford and wanted me to ride the mare I thought Kinney the better of the pair and had the satisfaction of winning the race by four lengths Iroquois was second Miss Woodford was a good mare of the sturdy masculine type but Firenze in my opinion was a greater performer than the daughter of Billet Firenze could run all day dayWe We had many great horses in my time as a rider continued McLaughlin I think that Mr Bolmonts plea for longer races will benefit the turf Most of our good tests were at a mile and a quarter and upward and we had lots of horses that could stay You cant develop the staying qualities of horses unless sucli races are made a feature of every racing program and enough of them are given to make it worth while to train and prepare horses for them themThe The riders of my time didnt have the liberties of those of today When I was at the top of my form I lived at the stable I slept at the stable and couldnt leave without Mr Rowcs permission 1 thank him at this late day for the discipline he meted out to me I walked two horses as well as helped to work them Yes and sometimes I helped to rub them If the riders of the present time were compelled to follow this system they would be bet ¬ ter in every respect Every apprentice should have at least a years experience before getting a chance to ride in public He should be taught the rudi ¬ ments of his profession and above all should have some knowledge of pace Longer races would be helpful i development of our riders In my day we had a dozen grown men who could ride at 105 pounds Among them were Hayward Murphy Hol loway Spellmaii Hughes FCUKCS Barbee Blaylock and Duffy AH were first class horsemen horsemenMcLaughlin McLaughlin never won an entire program but on one occasion at old Monmoutli Park he scored in five successive races
