view raw text
! 1 1 ■ I 1 I - , I I . . j . I ; [ j " 1 r 5 1 s , I I I I I I r j ■ s " 1 1 J 1 r 1 ,j r I lj j y - s e -1 - e DANNY MAHER IN PRECARIOUS STATE. "Skeets" Martin Leading- Exemplary Life in England — John Sanford Optimistic. By Ed. Cole. New York. Dec. 16. — Friends of Danny Malier. American jockey who earned an euviaide reputation on the English turf, will lie sorry to hear he is afflicted with consumption, according to Tod Sloan, who was with him a few days before he returned to America. "I am afraid he will succumb to the-disease in a short time," said Sloan, "and what is also to be deplored is the illness of his wife, who recently underwent an operation. Mrs. Maher was in a hospital when I left aud Dan in his hotel. neither lieing in a condition to see the other. Friends of Maher gather about him every day to try and cheer him up. but he is in a bad way. He thought he was cured after he went to Africa, but he was evidently deceived. Possibly steady reduc-1 iug to get down to riding weight had much to do with his present condition." Regarding Mailers financial condition Sloan said he no doubt had some money, but not as much as generally believed, his illness having cost him heavily. "Skeets" Martin has done well in England. Sloan says, because he has always attended strictly to his work. "He leads a home life," continued the ouce premier jockey, "aud is content to jog along with his horses and dogs as boon companions. Thats the right way anyhow. The great trouble with most successful riders is that they are pushed into an atmosphere of egotism aud suffer in con-j sequence. They are bullied into the belief that their successes will last for ever. It is a mistake." Sloans description of Paris and London during these strenuous times is weird. In Paris there ar« few men left who could be of service to their cotm-• try. The streets are traversed by old men. children. women and hundreds of women soldiers. Life s made as cheerful as |iossihle under existing i-ondi-J tions: but after dark things are mighty quiet ami illuminations have been cut out altogether. The race courses have been utilized for various purposes, and while racing will be resumed as soon as possible after peace is declared, it will take years to bring the sport back to its normal condition. Sloan concluded his conversation by referring to the fact that he rode five winners at Epsom a short time ago with nine starters in each race. "Just a moving-picture stunt." said he, as he pulled one of his noted six-inch cigars from his pocket. "I had to do something for u living and receiving an offer to appear in a picture I accepted. I think it will be shown in this country shortly." Turning to the brighter side of racing and its future, John Sanford is of the opinion that the sport of 1910 will be of great importance to this country. "Tlie number of imported horses brought here will add zest to the sport and do a world it good in the way of breeding hereafter," declared the owner of the Hurricana Stud Farm. Mr. Sanford will have a string of twenty-six racers the com- lug year, about one-third of them coming from his French establishment. This will 1m- the largest string Mr. Sanford has raced, and that their pros-s pects are bright is gathered from the fact that many of them will take part in the classics of tho year. Mr. Sanford is one of the few owners who never started a two-year-old until the Saratoga meeting in August. He is a great believer in the thorough development of the two-year-old before it is sent to the post. It is more than probable, however, that his colors will be seen earlier next year, owing to the number of horses in his collection. In fact, lie has entered George Smith. St. Isidore and Quartz for the Metrotsilitan Handicap, usually run on the opening day of the season at Belmont Park, and George Smith and St. Isidore iu the Suburban Handicap, which will also be decided at Belmont Park next year, the race having been transferred by the Coney Island Jockey Club to the Westchester Racing Association. Making entries in these early classics indicates that the Sanford colors will also be seen in races for younger horses owing to tlie number he has in his possession. C. K. G. Billings, owner of some of the most celebrated trotting horses in the world, and also a partner with Fred Johnson in several thoroughbreds. met with an accident recently. He was riding when his horse stumbled and fell. As Mr. Billings was arising the fallen horse, struggling to regain his feet, kicked him. fracturing his leg just tielow the knee. While the injury is not serious, it will probably necessitate the use of crutches for a month or s-x weeks. Charles Patterson has charge of the Billings-Johnson yearlings at Curls Neck Farm in Virginia, and so promising are they, that out of fourteen Pattersun advised entering eight for all the available stakes. Seven of the eight are imiiortod horses, the remaining one having been bred by Mr. Johnson. "It is natural for nil owners of yearlings to be optimistic at this season of the year." said Sir. Johnson, "but 1 feel convinced that we have some mighty good racing material. Yet we never can tell how they will turn out when asked the serious question." T. W. Chicago OBrien has a fine looking bar weanling filly by his stallion Pluvious, out of Ossa- bar. She is at Walter S. Paynes farm in Kentucky. Captain P. M. Walker was a visitor from Virginia yesterday. "I have a little business with the Jockey Club." said he. "then I hike it back to the farm as soon as p.issible. This snow and slush and blizzard weather is too much for us Virginians to battle. We have hot biscuit, home cured ham and .piail brensts on lap always in Virginia and some sun- shine almost every dav. Thats pretty good for winter diet. New York is all right to visit once in a while, but winter on a Virginia farm will take a lot of beating."
