History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921 Part 8

NINETEENTH DERBY 1893

Never since the Spokane-Proctor Knott Derby, in 1889, was there such a crowd gathered at Churchill Downs as that to-day.

The weather and the far-famed Kentucky Derby were the cause of it, greatly augmented by the fact that the field was free. It is a time-honored and commendable custom of the Louisville Jockey Club to give a free field on Derby and Clark days, and the a.s.sociation lost nothing by it to-day, as every inch of s.p.a.ce on the grand stand side of the track was filled, and no more could have been accommodated.

The weather was simply delightful, and this with a strong attraction on the programme is what is required to draw a large crowd to a race-track.

It is no easy matter to estimate such a gathering with any degree of accuracy, but there must have been at least 25,000 people on the grounds.

They began to arrive before 11 o'clock, and from that time until 3 o'clock in the afternoon the streets leading out to the track were lined with street-cars, vehicles, equestrians and pedestrians. They came in all sorts of ways, from the dusty and perspiring footman to the elegant and flashy tally-ho, drawn by four prancing horses. It reminded one of the Irishman's witty paraphrase of an old couplet,

"Some ride in chaises, And some walk, be-jases."

Long before the hour for the first race the grand stand and surrounding grounds were a solid ma.s.s of restless but good-natured humanity, all on the qui vive for the sport so near at hand. Locomotion was the next thing to impossible, and those not content to remain in one place had a formidable undertaking in trying to get around. Over in the center-field a similar condition of affairs existed. For more than a quarter of a mile fronting the grand stand the inner rail was hugged by a heterogeneous ma.s.s of humanity, made up of men, women and children, white and blacks all bent upon getting the best position possible under the circ.u.mstances irrespective of the rights of others. Further back, a line of vehicles, every available inch occupied by a sightseer, extended nearly the entire distance of the back-stretch, so that only occasional glimpses of the horses could be caught by the occupants of the pressstand, upon whom those not present depended for an accurate description of the races.

And it might be appropriately asked, what was the attraction that drew all this concourse of people to the same spot? What was it that made them endure for five hours all the discomfitures that surrounded them? It was not for the purpose of speculating on the results, for not one-tenth of those who were there, bet, or attempted to bet, or had any desire to do so. It was that inborn love of sport, that can be found in the hearts of the majority of men. It is the greatest compliment that can be paid to a racing a.s.sociation for that kind of a gathering to attend its meetings. As a whole, it was not there to speculate but prompted by a feeling of admiration for deeds of prowess and with an earnest desire to see the best horse win.

This was the kind of an audience that witnessed the nineteenth renewal of the Kentucky Derby. The event itself might be regarded as somewhat of a disappointment, in the fact that the winner so far out-cla.s.sed his field that he had too easy a thing of it. With Lookout eliminated, the contest between Plutus, Boundless and Buck McCann was a stubborn one, and not until very near the wire was the issue settled, as to who would get second place. There was no trouble about who would get first place; that was settled shortly after the flag fell. There were six starters in the Derby, namely: Cushing & Orth's pair, Lookout and Boundless; Scroggan Bros.' Buck McCann; Bashford Manor Stable's Plutus; J. E. Pepper's Mirage, and C. E.

Railey's Linger. Kunze rode Lookout; R. Williams was up on Boundless; A.

Clayton on Plutus; Thorpe on Buck McCann; Isaac Murphy on Mirage, and Flynn on Linger.

Cushing & Orth's pair was odds-on favorites and the bulk of the big speculators' money went on the entry. There had been a great air of mystery about the preparation of Plutus for the Derby, and the talent appeared to be at a loss as to how to estimate him. His race showed that Trainer John Morris has been doing some good work with the colt and has a stake-horse in his stable. Plutus and Buck McCann were about even second choice, both to win and for place. Mirage, with Isaac Murphy up, found some followers, but princ.i.p.ally "pikers," for the place on which odds of 3 to 1 could be had. There was a long price about Linger's chances with few takers. There was a general impression abroad that Railey's colt could not take up the weight and go the distance, and all who reached such a conclusion had it down just about right. But neither Linger nor Mirage will ever be able to beat Lookout at any weight or distance when the great son of Troubadour is at himself. They don't belong in his cla.s.s. The others in the Derby are nearer his cla.s.s, but it is my opinion that he will always hold them safe, under anything like equal circ.u.mstances. He won the Derby so easily that it places him clear out of the reach of anything but a high-cla.s.s horse.

Coming on the track, all the horses paraded in front of the grand stand and were vociferously applauded. The enthusiasm which the two previous races had in no wise affected, broke out in uproarous demonstration. Some yelled for one and some for another just as fancy or interest suggested, but the keen eyed judge of a race-horse could see the winner only in the big, graceful chestnut, who apparently oblivious to the excitement of which he was partially the cause, galloped quietly to the post.

It was comparatively a small field but starter Pettingill had to line them up several times before sending them away in a bunch. In the break Lookout and Linger went out in the lead, heads apart, followed closely by Mirage, Buck McCann, Boundless and Plutus in the order named the latter getting a little the worst of the start. Lookout shook off Linger in a few strides, and at the quarter was an open length to the good, with Plutus and Linger second on even terms, Buck McCann fourth, Mirage fifth and Boundless last.

Going under the wire for the first time, it was Lookout, by two lengths and running easy, Plutus second, a head in front of Linger, Boundless and Mirage about on even terms, with Buck McCann about a half length behind them. At the first quarter, past the wire, the order had changed little, except that Lookout had increased his lead and Buck McCann had moved up to fourth position. At the conclusion of the mile the order had not changed materially, but the scene shifted in the next quarter. Linger dropped out badly beaten and Mirage, on whom Murphy was working with all his might and main, began to go back to the trailer. In the meantime Lookout was romping down the stretch, five lengths ahead of Plutus, Boundless and Buck McCann, who were having a desperate fight of it. In the order as named last above they came under the wire.

SUMMARY

The Kentucky Derby, for three-year-old colts and fillies, foals of 1890; $100 entrance, half forfeit, $10 if declared on or before May 1, 1892, $20 if declared on or before May 1, 1893; money to accompany declarations; with $3,000 added, of which $400 to second and $150 to third, fourth to save stake. One and a half miles.

Cushing & Orth's ch c Lookout, 3, by Troubadour, Christina; 122 lbs., Kunze 1

Bashford Manor's ch c Plutus, 3, by Blue Eyes, Sungleam; 122 lbs., A. Clayton 2

Cushing & Orth's br c Boundless, 3, by Harry O'Fallon, Endless; 122 lbs., R. Williams 3

Scoggan Bros.' ch c Buck McCann, 3, by Buchanan, Mollie McCann; 122 lbs., Thorpe 4

James E. Pepper's ch c Mirage, 3, by imp. Deceiver, Uproar; 122 lbs., I. Murphy 5

C. E. Railey's ch c Linger, 3, by King Alfonso, Wait-a-While; 122 lbs., Flynn 6

Won easily by five lengths in 2:39-1/4, same between second and third. The stake was worth $4,090 to the winner.

Betting--7 to 10 Cushing & Orth's entry, 3 to 1 Plutus, 4 to 5 place.

TWENTIETH DERBY 1894

It was Derby Day at Churchill Downs this afternoon, and the enclosure was crowded as it had not been for a long time previous. It was an ideal racing day, the hard rain of the morning thoroughly laying the dust. The rain made the track just a bit slow but this was more than compensated in the absence of dust. The good people of the Falls City were hungry to see a race and they turned out in large numbers, irrespective of color, cla.s.s or circ.u.mstances. A free field made it possible for those who were unable to pay the price of admission to see the racing at little or no cost at all. There was an immense crowd in the infield, and the fence from the head of the stretch to the clubhouse turn was lined with a dense ma.s.s of humanity, each moity of which was struggling to either gain or maintain his position.

The Derby of 1894 had not about it quite that glamour and fascination that has characterized several former contests for this event perhaps because there was no horse in it of particularly high-cla.s.s, and of such individual prominence as to attract and absorb public attention for weeks prior to the race, which reaches the public thru the medium of the press.

Horses are something like men in that some of them possess a kind of magnetism that draws around them a coterie of admirers, who become as much infatuated with him as does the most ardent admirers of a political leader. Such a horse was Proctor Knott, and never before nor since in the West, was as much written about and as much attention paid to a horse as was to him. The press teemed with articles about him from day to day, for weeks prior to the Derby of 1889, so that when the great day rolled around thousands of people went to the track impelled by an uncontrollable curiosity to see the horse that had been written so much about. Well, every one who went on that day, saw a race, the like of which they never saw before nor since. The idol was dethroned but even in defeat he was greater in the hearts of his admirers than was the winner.

But the Derby this afternoon presented none of the attractive features of that great event won by Spokane. The horses trained here and, of course, around whom most of the local interest would naturally attach had not shown any trials upon which to place much faith in their prowess, with the possible exception of Pearl Song. The others had been tried and found wanting, and, as a matter of course, the public could not make an idol of common clay. Along up the line from Memphis to this meeting came a horse that had run races at three other tracks with considerable success, and whose muscles had been hardened for a journey of a mile and a half by actual racing, which is admitted by all trainers to be a better conditioner than private work. This horse is Chant, and he won the Kentucky Derby this afternoon just as he pleased. There may have been horses in it that will be better than he later on, but there was nothing in it that was within ten pounds of him to-day. There was nothing in it that could make the son of Falsetto stretch his neck and think seriously that he was running for a stake or merely out for an exercise gallop. The time was exceedingly slow, and this was partially due to the soft condition of the track, but more particularly due to the fact that there was nothing in the race that could make Chant run any faster. Chant was a strong favorite in the betting, his odds being uniformly 1 to 2, but after viewing his easy victory one was impressed with the idea that those odds were really quite liberal. It was only a matter of loaning one's money to the bookmakers for a little while, to be taken back shortly with fifty per cent interest. There were five starters in the Derby all with the same impost--122 pounds. Goodale was on Chant; R. Williams on Pearl Song; Overton on Sigurd; Ray on Al Boyer, and Irving on Tom Elmore. As remarked before Chant was a strong favorite, and Pearl Song was second choice. Not a few backed the latter to win, and as is always the case in every race, straggling bets went on each of the others to win, acting under the idea, it is supposed, that lightning is likely to strike anywhere. While Starter Pettingill had considerable trouble with each of his other fields, it was quite an easy matter to send off five well trained horses on a line, hence, with little delay, the flag flashed on the Kentucky Derby of 1894.

Sigurd was the first to show in front, and he held that position for a quarter of a mile, but apparently on probation, for when he pleased Chant pa.s.sed him and he pleased to do it coming down the stretch the first time.

Pa.s.sing under the wire at the completion of the first half mile, Chant was leading by two lengths, and to the practical eye of the turfmen it could be seen then that he had his field beat, as he was running very easily, with his mouth pulled open, while the others were struggling behind him in vain efforts to catch up. To make a long story short, it is only necessary to say that Chant led all the way and won simply without an effort. It was about as badly a strung out field as was ever seen. Pearl Song came in ten lengths behind Chant; Sigurd was about the same distance behind Pearl Song; Al Boyer was twenty lengths or more in the rear of Sigurd, and Tom Elmore was beaten off and his jockey pulled him up half way down the stretch.

May 15, 1894,--The Kentucky Derby, for three-year old colts and fillies (foals of 1891) $100 entrance, half forfeit: $10 if declared on or before May 1, 1893; $20 if declared on or before May 1, 1894; money to accompany declaration; with $2,500 added, of which $300 to second and $150 to third. One mile and a half. Closed with 55 nominations.

Leigh & Rose's b c Chant, 3, by Falsetto, Addie C.; 122 lbs., 1 to 2, Goodale 1

C. H. Smith's ch c Pearl Song, 3, by Falsetto, Pearl Thorn; 122 lbs., 3 to 1, R. Williams 2

Bashford Manor's ch g Sigurd, 3, by Pardee, Lady Salyers; 122 lbs., 20 to 1, Overton 3

Anderson & Gooding's b c Al Boyer, 3, by imp. Deceiver, Bayadere; 122 lbs., 5 to 1, Ray 0

S. K. Hughes & Co.'s br g Tom Elmore, 3, by Julien, Ems; 122 lbs., 20 to 1, Irving 0

Time--2:41. Won by six lengths, fifteen lengths between second and third.

Value to winner $4,020.

TWENTY-FIRST DERBY 1895

The Kentucky Derby this year went to a Lexington owned and trained horse.

Halma, the black son of Hanover and Julia L., owned and trained by Byron McClelland and ridden by Perkins, won the cla.s.sic event Monday, in the easiest kind of style, going the mile and a half journey in 2:37-1/2. It was the slowest race of the day, and it looked like Halma could have gone the distance at least a second and a half faster had he been pushed to it.

The a.s.sociation was especially favored with good weather Monday, and a lovelier day for racing could hardly have been made to order.

The story of the Derby is quickly told as there were no sensational features about it. Only four horses started, Halma, Ba.s.so, Laureate and Curator. Halma was a 2 to 5 favorite, but even at this short price he was pretty heavily backed. Mr. Nick Finzer's colt Laureate, was heavily played for the place at 3 to 5, especially by the Louisville contingent, who were patriotic and backed their home horse for the position at the finish that seemed possible for him to obtain. Ba.s.so was held for the place at about the same price as Laureate, and the Chicago owned horse was pretty heavily played for the place. The matter of starting the field of four was soon disposed of and the quartet went off well together. Curator took the lead and quickly separated himself from his companions, holding the lead for nearly half a mile, but only on sufference. Coming near the wire for the first time, Halma took the lead, and to make the story short, held it easily to the end. Ba.s.so trailed all the way until entering the stretch for the final home run when he came up and challenged Laureate who had been in second place since the end of the first half mile. Ba.s.so took second position half way down the stretch and thus they finished, Halma easily by three lengths, Ba.s.so second by a length and Laureate third by five lengths.

The Kentucky Derby, for three-year old colts and fillies (foals of 1892); $5 to accompany the nomination; $10 to be paid May 1, 1894; $20 to be paid May 1, 1895; $100 additional to start, with $2,500 added, of which $300 to second and $150 to third; fourth to save stake. One mile and a half.

B. McClelland's blk c Halma, 3, by Hanover, Julia L; 122 lbs., 1 to 3, Perkins 1