Lovers of the Horse 89 



of these two papers, ]\lr. liynii was sent to the south again to do the turf work for 

 the Xeiv York- Telegraph, with which pa])er he remained until lie went as assistant to 

 Jolni Hoch'u. who liolds the position of racing- secretary of the Brighton Beach 

 Racinii- Association, the Marvhind Jockey Club, the Montreal Jockey Club, and the 

 State Racing Commission of Ne\y York. 



Dui-ing a meeting at Providence the matter of forming a new jockey club to fill up 

 time between the closing of the Canadian tracks and the opening of the American 

 tracks was discussed, and Mr. Ryan immediately saw a chance and suggested 

 Montreal as the jjiace. 'i'he idea was not any too well thought of at first, but he 

 decided to go ahead alone. 



In the year 190.) Mr. Ryan came to Montreal for the purpose of organizing a 

 jockey club. Montrealers took hold of the idea readily, and proyed so anxious for 

 the chance that Mr. Ryan's yenture proved successful. He worked hard to secure 

 the land and the charter, and after the Club was organized, floated the stock among 

 Canadian and American sportsmen, crowning himself with glory. 



lie was elected (ieneral ^Manager of the new Club, which position he now holds. 

 .Mr. Ryan was never given to riding, but spent his energy in encouraging the breeding 

 of thoroughbreds, and has the credit of jnitting many a horseman into prominence on 

 the American continent. Mr. Ryan is of a genial disposition, and has many friends in 

 the racing world. He is a handicapper of some repute, and knows the executive 

 part of racing thoroughly, having been an apt pupil under such well-known men as 

 John Boden and Christopher Fitzgerald. His work as a newspaper correspondent 

 gave him a wide acquaintance among turfmen, and he is equally well known in New 

 York. Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Washington, New Orleans and San Francisco. 

 It is owing perhaps to this that he has always been able to gather large numbers of 

 horses to the meetings of the Montreal Jockey Club. In New York Mr. Ryan is pei-- 

 haps best known as a story writer. He is the author of •• Manuela,"" " Cleophus," 

 " The Race that AYon a Bride," " The Land of Mesqua Ukee."" " The Legend of the 

 Lotus," and other clever hction, and when the more strenuous work which now 

 occu])ies his time has been completed, he will, no doubt, return to the field of litera- 

 ture. His plans for the future include the building of two more tracks and the 

 establishment of a National Breeding Bureau. He has extensive mining interests in 

 northern Quebec. 



His hol)by is music, and he can sing the tenor solos of eleven grand ojieras. In 

 the early nineties lu- was a singer in St. Michael's Cathedral, Toronto, and in later 

 years sang in the Jesuit Cathetlral, New Orleans, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, New 

 York. 



