Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1918 — JOHNNY M’TAGGART MADE GOOD QUICKLY [ARTICLE]

JOHNNY M’TAGGART MADE GOOD QUICKLY

Jumped From Messenger to Great Jockey in Short Order. Famous Little Rider Quit Delivering. Messages to Mount Horse When Older Brother Was Incapacitated—Won His Race. Little Johnny McTaggart, considered by many followers of racing the best jockey since the great Tod Sloan quit riding the gallopers, began his struggle in the big work-a-day world as a messepger boy. Johnny was born on Manhattan Island, and from an humble beginning: as an A. D. T. Mercury he drifted into the racing game, where in four years’ time he has worked his way into the jockey major league. .Johnny* of course, got his inspiration to become a jockey from his brother, Tom*, and although Tommy is a great jock* liis younger brother has passed him in the matter of riding winners. The old saw about good horses making good jockeys may be all right, but according to Johnny McTaggart, the good jockeys can ride poor horses to victory, as he has done so many times.

Riding under the colors of R. T. Wilson, and piloting such horses as the great Campfire, which won nearly $50,000 for his owner last year, McTaggart holds the hopes and fears of those who follow Wilson’s colors every time he mounts a horse. He was seventeen years old when he first started out as a jockey, and he scaled at 99 pounds. Today, with four years added to his age, he can make 103 pounds and still be strongHis first race at Belmont Park, will always stand as one of the most remarkable performances. Johnny was at the track with his brother, Tommy, who was to ride August Belmont’S' Mission. For some reason Tommy could not. ride that day, and Johnny put on the colors to see how he would look in them. Louis Fuestal, trainer for Belmont, Intended to scratch the mare* when he spied Johnny and when Johnny pleaded to be allowed to take his brother’s place Fuestal consented and sent him to the post with the remark that “she has no chance, anyhow’.” One of Whitney’s horses, Prince Eugene, was a 1 to 8 choice in the race* and the Belmont mare was quoted in the 10s. When the horses dashed under the wire there was little Johnny, riding Mission at the front of the bunch, and then and there the A. D. T. lost a mighty good messenger boy and the racing world won a star jockey. The following year Johnny McThggart ranked first among the winnings jockeys of the country, and, although he fell down in 1915 and was second to Frank Robinson in 1916, he piloted Igs mounts to victories which brought the total of his winnings to $156,000.