History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921 Part 13

THIRTY-FOURTH DERBY 1908

Louisville, Ky., May 5, 1908.--Weather cloudy, track heavy. 1-1/4 miles.

Time 2:15-1/5. Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300.

Stone Street, 117, Pickens 1 Sir Cleges, 117, Koerner 2 Dunvegan, 114, Warren 3

Synchronized, F. Burton; Banridge, V. Powers; Milford, Minder; Bill Herron, J. Lee, and Frank Bird, J. Williams also ran.

Good start. Won easily by three lengths, heads each next four. Mutuels $123.60 for $5.

Owned by C. E. Hamilton, trained by J. Hall.

Stone Street, b c, 3, by Longstreet--Stone Nellie.

DESCRIPTION OF RACE

Stone Street, a despised outsider, carrying the blue jacket and white sash of C. E. Hamilton, the popular Latonia turfman, and ridden by Jockey Pickens, walked away with the thirty-fourth Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, with the pride of Louisville, Sir Cleges, the public's choice, in the place. The $5 mutuels paid $123.60. Three lengths in front of the favorite, Stone Street crossed the wire a pretty tired horse, but the others were more so. Sir Cleges got the place by a neck and Dunvegan got third place by an eyelash from Synchronized, which was added at the last moment. It was a clear-cut victory and an instance where condition won over cla.s.s. It was also an instance where a colt that was at home in the going beat a better horse, which besides being a bit short, the condition of the track precluding the chance to give him a final good work, did not fancy the stick track, and labored all the way. Stone Street by heritage comes of stout stock, his sire being Longstreet, son of Longfellow, a family noted for endurance rather than speed.

After the bugle called the horses to the post there was not much time wasted on instructing jockeys. Paddock Judge John Walsh called out: "Lead out, Powers," and the eight Derby horses were on their way to parade past the judges' stand and clubhouse and then to the post. There was no time lost at the barrier, where Judge Will Sh.e.l.ley presided in the absence of Jake Holtman.

The crowd rose as the horses swept past the stand, and when the field reached the line the first time Banridge forged to the front, after crowding Sir Cleges out. Stone Street was second. Dunvegan third and the favorite fourth, with Frank Bird last of all. Around the lower turn they went in the same order. When straightened out on the back stretch, Banridge opened a streak of daylight on Stone Street, while Sir Cleges pa.s.sed Dunvegan. The rest of the field was not out of the running and it was also noticeable that while Sir Cleges gained ground that it was with an effort, as the colt was laboring and climbing. At the far turn, Banridge's lead was cut down and Stone Street and Sir Cleges, the latter under urging moved up on the leader. Round the stretch turn came Banridge and at his heels were his relentless pursuers. Stone Street nailed him when straight for the wire and the shout went up, "Sir Cleges is beaten."

Koerner was hard at work on him and he held his place with bulldog courage, but the lack of condition was telling on him and Stone Street which raced at New Orleans and was fit, drew away with ease and came under the wire with his jockey sitting still. There was a bitter struggle for the place and Sir Cleges secured this through the powerful finish of Koerner, who never let up until the last two strides, when he had second position safe. Synchronized and Dunvegan finished almost on a line a neck behind the favorite and the latter got third place. Banridge was fifth many lengths in front of Milford, which beat Bill Herron home for the distinction of having finished sixth by a head and away back came Frank Bird.

THIRTY-FIFTH DERBY 1909

Louisville, Ky., May 3, 1909.--Weather clear, track slow. 1-1/4 miles.

Time 2:08-1/5. Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300.

Wintergreen, 117, V. Powers 1 Miami, 117, C. Shilling 2 Dr. Barkley, 117, 3

Sir Catesby, Friend Harry, Direct, Michael Angelo, Warfield, Campeon and Match Me also ran. Betting $5 mutuels paid $14.80 straight. Start good, won easily, second and third driving.

Wintergreen, b c, 3, by d.i.c.k Welles--Winter. Owned by J. B. Respess, trained by C. Mack.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RACE

Wintergreen, an Ohio-bred colt, carrying the colors of Rome Respess, ridden by V. Powers, galloped away from his opponents to-day in the race for the thirty-fifth Kentucky Derby. Four lengths behind him came Miami, which carried all the hopes and money of Central Kentucky, and he was three lengths in front of Dr. Barkley, a despised outsider, which beat Sir Catesby a head and gave the latter the place of honorable mention.

Wintergreen hardly left the outcome of the race in doubt after the barrier rose. His backers had a moment of anxiety when he was b.u.mped by Miami right after the start and once in the final furlong, when Powers laid the lash on the big bay colt. The rest of the race was play for the son of d.i.c.k Welles and Winter. Miami ran a good game race, Direct and Warfield failed to show anything much and Campeon and Match Me were outcla.s.sed. Sir Catesby ran the best race behind the winner and would have been second but for bad racing luck. The going made Friend Harry stop.

For a horse that was born and bred in the Buckeye State to win the Kentucky Derby is a new feature in the history of this cla.s.sic event.

California, Eastern horses, and in the majority of cases, Kentucky and Tennessee have furnished all the Derby winners.

Slowly and with Wintergreen in the lead, they filed past the stand and clubhouse and, turning, galloped to the starting point, where Jake Holtman was ready to send them away. The field got away quickly to a good start.

Wintergreen and Miami came together as the barrier went up, but the son of d.i.c.k Welles was not to be denied and he at once went to the front and there he stayed. Coming past the stand, he had a clear lead, with Miami next and Dr. Barkley and Friend Harry close up. Sir Catesby was on the inside and was apparently trying to run over horses. Going up the back stretch Powers took a nice hold on Wintergreen and the great colt just skimmed along p.r.i.c.king his ears. Friend Harry made a determined effort pa.s.sing the half-mile post, but it was just a flash in the pan, for scarcely had the cry "Friend Harry is catching him" rung out before the crowd was yelling Friend Harry is beaten, as the Alvey colt's stride shortened. Miami, which had clung tenaciously to second place, also under restraint, was now sent after the flying pacemaker with a will. But Shilling could not rally his mount and the farther the field went the easier was Wintergreen's task. Nearing the eighth pole Powers got a little uneasy and gave Wintergreen one good crack with the whip and he bounded away like the others were standing still. Miami was just as easily second and Dr. Barkley just managed to beat out Sir Catesby, the latter coming through the worst going. The rest were pretty well scattered.

THIRTY-SIXTH DERBY 1910

Louisville, Ky., May 10, 1910.--Weather clear, Track fast. 1-1/4 miles.

Time 2:06-2/5. Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300.

Donau, 117, Herbert 1-1/2 length Joe Morris, 117, 2-h Fighting Bob, 117, 3-n Boola Boola, 117, 4 Topland, 114, 5 John Furlong, 107, 6 Gallant Pirate, 117, 7

$5 mutuels paid $13.25. At post one minute. Start good, won driving second and third same.

Donau, b c, 3, by Woolsthorpe--Al Lone. Owned by Wm. Gerst, Nashville, Tenn., trained by G. Ham.

DESCRIPTION OF RACE

An enormous crowd gathered from all points of the compa.s.s saw and cheered the victory of the bay colt Donau in the thirty-sixth running of the Kentucky Derby, now truly the "Blue Riband" of the American turf, at Churchill Downs this afternoon. It was the largest crowd that ever graced this historic battle ground of the thoroughbreds and that crowd saw the keenest contest and the most thrilling finish that ever attended the winning of the prize, which has been annually coveted by owners of three-year olds in all the land since Price McGrath first took it with game Aristides in 1875.

The winner is owned in Tennessee, but he was bred in the Blue Gra.s.s of old Kentucky, as were also each of the half dozen that went to the post with the son of Woolsthorpe and Al Lone and came back behind him.

Derby Day dawned clear and warm. There was not a fleck in the sky when the sun peeped over the Eastern horizon. The track had dried out rapidly after the severe rain of Sat.u.r.day and was fast.

When the bugle called the horses to the post, Donau, accompanied to the paddock gate by his piebald pony companion was the first to step on the track. He was No. 1 on the program. After the post parade, the horses cantered to the starting point one quarter of a mile up the stretch.

Starter Milton was ready for them, and after they had lined up about twenty yards behind the barrier, gave orders to walk up. They came in good alignment and sprung the barrier at the first attempt. They were off to a good start four minutes after they left the paddock.

Joe Morris was first to show and Donau next, then Boola Boola and Gallant Pirate, Fighting Bob fifth, John Furlong sixth and Topland last.

Herbert had Donau well in his stride and he lost no time sending him to the front and when they pa.s.sed the stand at the end of the first quarter of a mile in :24, he was leading Joe Morris by half a length and was at the rail with Topland third a head back and the others close up. Around the clubhouse turn, Joe Morris swerved outward and carried the others with him, giving Donau a lead of about three lengths as they straightened out for the run down the backstretch, having pa.s.sed the half in :48-4/5. Joe Morris was here two lengths in front of John Furlong and Topland, they on nearly even terms, with Fighting Bob two lengths back of them, a length in front of Boola Boola and Gallant Pirate a neck apart.

Herbert took a restraining hold on Donau, pa.s.sing the three-quarter ground in 1:14 and steadied him around the turn out of the backstretch still three lengths in front of Joe Morris. Here Stanley Page made his move on Fighting Bob. The son of Knight of Ellerslie was in third position in a jiffy and less than two lengths back of Joe Morris. Coming around the turn into the homestretch, Boola Boola made up ground rapidly and the pace seemed to quicken. At the end of the mile in 1:39-4/5, and heading for home, Donau led by half a length, with Joe Morris a head in front of Fighting Bob, and he four lengths better than Boola Boola, the others clearly out of contention. There it looked as any one of the first four might win, for Boola Boola was carrying the Camden colors with the speed of the wind and loomed up big and strong. Down the stretch they came, whips whirling and resounding even above the roar from the stand and the field, and those jockeys rode desperately for the prize that hung at the end of the tiring, heart-breaking journey now less than a sixteenth of a mile away. On and on they came near to the black mark of the white board that should proclaim the finish; flying, yet struggling gamely and determinedly under the punishment of the bending striving riders to be first to that goal where hung fame, glory and gold.

Donau though tiring fast, was still able to hold the lead. Unshaken, his nose shot first past the finishing mark, with Joe Morris at his withers, Fighting Bob at Joe Morris' throat-latch, and Boola Boola beaten only a nose for third money. Topland was fifth five lengths back, and two lengths in front of John Furlong, eight lengths better than Gallant Pirate a trailing last.

It was a great finish and any human being with a drop of sporting blood in his veins was to be excused for giving over for the moment to the feelings of ecstasy that well up from the soul of man at such a contest. It was beyond question the most thrilling finish ever seen in a race for the Kentucky Derby.

THIRTY-SEVENTH DERBY 1911

Louisville, Ky., May 13, 1911.--Weather clear, track fast. 1-1/4 miles.