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SON OF FAMOUS JOCKEY Young Tommy Burns, Riding at Havana, Reminds Old Timers of Noted American Rider. HAVANA, Cuba, Dec. 19. One of more than seventy jockeys at Oriental Tail: course is Tommy Burns, son of a rider of international renown, a man "whose record of over 1,500 victories will stand as an achievement on the turf in America, Canada, France and Germany. At 22 young Tommy Burns bears no resemblance to his father except in his slight-ness of build. He has the features of his mother, daughter of James McLaughlin, himself a great rider. Young Burns, genteel and mild, says he hopes to do a few of the tilings his father did. When he stepped into the office of judge W. IT. Shelley, racing secretary, several old-timers, sizing up the lad, began talking about the Tommy Burns who dazzled the followers of the thoroughbred from 1803 to 190J. Injuries sustained at Fort Erie in the year last named ended his usefulness as "a great rider. In a jam his collar bone was. broken. "That boy hasnt the same kind of a ncse which caused many a man to think when Burns began riding that he was Jewish The speaker was Roger. Clinton, an official of the Cuba-America Jockey Club. He continued : "I saw him when he began riding in St. Louis for John W. Schorr and Charley Ellison. He was a whirlwind at the post. How he could beat the barrier. Burns was the bane of the existence of "William Bruen, father of Frank Bruen, general manager of the Cuba-America Jockey Club. Starter Bruen never felt at case when Burns faced the barrier." Judge Shelley, smiling broadly as he recalled the characteristics of Burns, said: "Captain Jim Williams had his troubles with Burns, always caused by the alertnes? of Burns at the post. One day, cautioning Burns, he said with unusual emphasis: " If you beat the barrier again I I will fine and suspend you. "Burns, undisturbed, answered: " All right. Captain Williams. "Burns beat the barrier. Afterward Captain Williams, walking up to me. began talking about Burns. The captain was chewing his tobacco very fine. That he was perplexed was evident. He said he had warned Burns, had even ordered him back from the barrier, his command being obeyed instantly. Up went the tape. Burns mount was far in the lead when the tape was. released. "The Captain mumbled to no end about Burns beating the barrier., but he was a long time plastering a line on him. "One day 1 asked Burns about how he managed to put the bee on Captain Williams. His explanation revealed his natural keenness, furnishing in part the reason for his ability to get away from the post. This is what Burns said to mo: " I study my man. I get his characteristics. In the case of Captain Williams I observed that invariably, at the instant he was ready to release the barrier he would frown. His jaws tightened, his eyes seemed to close. Thus the Captain telegraphed to me his intention. It was my business to catch the first sight of the frown. I need not say that I was away winging before the other boys knew what was happening. I am certain, the Captain had no idea that he made it plain to me when the field was about to be sent away. " The success of a rider is to gst off and keep in front, or hold a position enabling him to get to the front. "In these words the great Burns disclosed the rule that will enable any boy to ride successfully." Young Tommy Burns, scaling around 103. rode his best race when he won the Thanksgiving Handicap at Bowie. On Bonnie Omar he upset calculations, winning in a drive, the mutuel price being 527.90.
