History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921 Part 1

History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921.

by John Lawrence O'Connor.

PREFACE

With no pretense to authors.h.i.+p or claim for originality on the part of the compiler, this work is offered as a reference book. For many, the plain facts of each year's Kentucky Derby will be of sufficient interest. To the countless followers of Turf happenings the material herein will refresh the memory and awaken happy reminiscence.

This compilation is made mainly from the columns of _The Thoroughbred Record_, a Kentucky publication, and I am indebted to the graciousness of its editor, Mr. John E. Rubbathan, for the privilege to use the material from his invaluable repository. Mr. Douglas Anderson, author of "Making the American Thoroughbred," by his encouragement has made light the labor incident to compilation. To Mr. Gurney C. Gue, of the _New York Herald_, I owe a debt of grat.i.tude for his helpful advice.

In conclusion, if these efforts prove acceptable to my brethren of the Turf and tend in any degree to promote and keep up the spirit of Racing, the object in giving as much time to the subject as I have done, will be accomplished and my end attained.

WHITE PLAINS, N. Y.

APRIL FIRST, 1921.

FIRST DERBY 1875

To-day will ever be historic in the turf annals of Kentucky, as the first "Derby Day," of what I hope to see a long series of turf festivities. If the officers of the a.s.sociation could have had the pick from the calendar of the year, there could not have been a more delightful and charming day.

The morning broke without a cloud visible in the heavens, while a cool breeze was wafted over the course, tempering the increasing rays of the sun. It was just such a day in May

When the sun is rejoicing above in heaven, The clouds have all hurried away.

Down in the meadow the blossoms are waking, Light on their twigs the young leaves are shaking, Round the warm knolls the lambs are a leaping, The colt from his fold o'er the pasture is sweeping, But on the bright lake, The little waves break, For there the cool west is at play.

The course was in splendid order, and all the appurtenances requisite for the comfort and convenience of racing was ready to hand. In company with a friend we started early for the course, thinking that we would reach it before the crowd, but by half past eleven o'clock we found enough people to make a respectable show. As the hour approached for the opening of the ball, every avenue leading to the course was thronged with people making their way to it. It was indeed a Derby Day in all respects. With the two railroads leading to the course, the street cars, hacks and private vehicles, when the first bell was rung for the riders, the Grand Stand presented one solid ma.s.s of human faces, while the quarter-stretch, the public stand, and a portion of the field was covered with people. There could not have been less than 10,000 persons on the course, composed of all grades of society, the banker, the merchant, the gentleman of leisure and pleasure seeker, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, _et id omne genus_. That portion of the Grand Stand devoted to the ladies was one grand bouquet of beauty, refinement and intelligence. The ladies in the various costumes looked like so many parti-colored b.u.t.terflies, balancing themselves on their wings, in the slanting rays of the bright sun. At one time you met a beauty with such sweetness in her upturned eyes, such as fancy lends to the Madonna; at another point, one on whose lips the words laugh, and whose stately steps

Are light, as though a winged angel trod Over earth flowers, and fear'd to brush away Their delicate hues.

All the shades of beauty is fully represented, from the blonde to the brunette, from the matron, whose hair is threaded with the silver, to the young girl just blus.h.i.+ng into womanhood, whose cheeks are as ruby red as a peach that has been kissed by the sun.

The Derby came next, and fifteen finer or handsomer youngsters never faced a starter. McGrath's entries had the call in the betting and many thought he would win with Chesapeake, but Aristides, the son of Leamington, carried off the honors, and worthily earned a chaplet, one of the best three-year-olds ever stripped for a race in this country. It was extremely gratifying to the friends of the liberal Laird of McGrathiana, and will be doubly gratifying to Aristides Welch, the owner of Leamington, after whom the colt is christened. This is the best race at the weights ever run by three-year-olds in this country, and cannot fail to make Aristides a still stronger favorite for his Eastern engagements.

SUMMARY

The Kentucky Derby, three-year-olds; $50 play or pay; a.s.sociation to add $1000; second horse to have $200. Dash of one and a half miles. Closed with 42 nominations. Value $3,100.

H. P. McGrath's ch c Aristides, by Imp. Leamington, out of Sarong; 100 lbs., Oliver Lewis 1

Geo. H. Rice's b c Volcano, by Vandal, out of Iodine; 100 lbs., H.

Williams 2

C. A. Lewis' ch c Verdigris, by Versailles, out of Belle Brandon; 100 lbs., H. Chambers 3

H. P. McGrath's b c Chesapeake, by Lexington, out of Roxana; 100 lbs., W. Henry 0

Robinson, Morgan & Co.'s br c Bob Woolley, by Imp. Leamington, out of Item; 100 lbs., W. Walker 0

J. B. Rhodes' b c Searcher, by Enquirer, dam by Imp. Bonnie Scotland; 100 lbs., R. Colston, Jr. 0

Wm. Cottrill's ch f Ascension, by Imp. Australian, out of Lilly Ward; 97 lbs., W. Lakeland 0

Stringfield & Clay's gr c Enlister, by Enquirer, out of Crownlet; 100 lbs., Holloway 0

A. Buford's ch c McCreery, by Enquirer, out of Ontario; 100 lbs., D. Jones 0

Stringfield & Clay's ch c Warsaw, by War Dance, out of Sister of Charity; 100 lbs., P. Masterson 0

F. B. Harper's b c Ten Broeck, by Imp. Phaeton, out of f.a.n.n.y Holton; 100 lbs., M. Kelso 0

S. J. Salyer's br c Bill Bruce, by Enquirer, out of Aurora Raby; 100 lbs., M. Jones 0

Allen Bashford's br c, by Baywood, out of Lute; 100 lbs., J. Carter 0

A. B. Lewis & Co.'s b c Vagabond, by Vandal, out of Gem; 100 lbs., J. Houston 0

J. A. Grinstead's ch f Gold Mine, by Imp. Australian, out of Income; 97 lbs., C. Stradford 0

Time--2:37-3/4

Betting--McGrath $260, Ascension $150, Searcher $120, Bill Bruce $80, Verdigris $70, Volcano $60, the field $50.

THE KENTUCKY DERBY

The fifteen youngsters a.s.sembled at the half mile pole. Little or no delay took place under the able directors.h.i.+p of Col. W. H. Johnson. When they were marshaled into line, he tapped the drum to one of the most capital starts I have ever seen, the fifteen going away like a platoon of cavalry, except the Baywood colt, who hung at the post. Volcano jumped away first, with McCreery second, and Searcher third, the remainder bunched, coming round the turn to the quarter pole 25-1/2 seconds. They came at a rapid rate down the stretch and past the stand in 50 seconds, McCreery first, Volcano second, Searcher third, Aristides fourth, the others pretty well bunched. Before they had reached the quarter, 1:17, Aristides had gone to the front and opened a gap of two lengths down the back stretch, Volcano second, Searcher third, the mile 1:43-1/4. The pace was so hot that it began to tell and the field was stretched over a good deal of ground. The race from this point home was never in doubt, Aristides winning by two lengths with something in hand, Volcano second, a length in front of Verdigris third, who came rapidly on the home stretch inside the distance.

Bob Woolley who was caromed against on the lower turn a good fourth. Ten Broeck fifth, the Baywood colt sixth, Bill Bruce seventh, the remainder were scattered at wide intervals, and the dust was so great that I was unable to place the others. Time--2:37-3/4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE WINNER

Aristides is a chestnut colt, with a star, and two white pasterns behind.

He stands fifteen hands, one and three-quarter inches high. He has a neat head and neck running into rather a straight shoulder, with great length, good barrel, excellent hips and stifles, sound feet and legs well under him. He has fine turn of speed, and from the way he finished up the Derby to-day gives every evidence of being a good stayer. He was bred by Mr. H.

P. McGrath, at McGrathiana Stud Farm, near Lexington, Ky., and is by Imp.

Leamington, out of Sarong, by Lexington, her dam The Greek Slave, by Imp.

Glencoe--Margaret Hunter, by Imp. Margrave--Mary Hunt, by Bertrand--Betty c.o.o.ns, by Hephestion--by Hampton's Twig--by Imp. Bedford--by Harlequin--by Imp. Fearnaught.

SECOND DERBY 1876