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CONSIDER YAGER GOOD RIDER Horsemen Believe Covington Boy-Will Become a Leading Light of Saddle in Future Years. SAN BRUNO, Calif., April 3. Apprentice Edwin Yager, good-looking, dark-haired lad from Covington, Ky., sought to wind up his apprentice career in a blaze of glory when he accepted mounts on eight horses at Tan-foran Wednesday afternoon. It was the last time that the capable young pilot had the benefit of the five-pound "bug" allowance and he intended to make the most of it in an effort to increase his advantage in the Tdrley-Hickox jockey contest. Yager was good Tuesday afternoon. He rode no less than four winners and emerged from the days racing with a lead of twelve points over Basil James in the jockey race. After being disqualified into a victory aboard Bon Mint, Yager rode three other winners Tuesday, despite the fact that he had injured his leg aboard the two-year-old. That horsemen consider Yager a valuable lad to have on their horses regardless of the five-pound allowance was shown when he was engaged to ride six horses Thursday, the first day on which he performed as a regular jockey. Many boys who have shone as apprentices are "all washed up" when they lose the five pounds allowance, but not Yager, who is considered just about the best rider, young or old, at the Tanforan track. Yager arrived on the West Coast practically unheralded last fall after the Bay Meadows meeting was well under way. Bing Crosby, the crooner, was giving a prize for the leading jockey on a point basis and Russell .Sperry, who had led the riders at Tanforan, was favored to take the money. Yager was given but little thought until about a week after his arrival and then the patrons started to sit up and take notice. The boy rode winner after winner and finally collected the prize when he overtook Sperry to win easily. Following his success at Bay Meadows, Yager was signed to ride for the stable of Miss Aileen Pendergast of Kansas City, arid went to Santa Anita. At the famous southern California track he held his own against the best jockeys in America and since coming to Tanforan has been performing well. . His only serious rival for the Tanforan jockey honors and the 00 first prize that goes to the winner is Basil James, young apprentice under contract to L. W. Kidd. James will have the apprentice allowance until next spring.
