History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921 Part 12

DESCRIPTION OF RACE

In the presence of one of the largest crowds ever seen at Churchill Downs race track the thirtieth renewal of the Kentucky Derby was decided on Monday. The winner turned up in Elwood, a son of Free Knight and Petticoat by Alarm, and the outsider in the betting. Elwood was bred by Mrs. J. B.

Prather, Marysville, Mo. Proceeds, the favorite, took command just after the start, but began to quit before five furlongs had been negotiated. The Talbot horse, Prince Silverwings, who had been in second place, now took the lead and led the way until well in the stretch, where lack of condition told and he gave way to Elwood who had trailed the field to this point. Ed Tierney joined Elwood at the paddock gate, and from there on the race was between the two, Elwood winning by half length. Elwood was a seasoned horse and this probably gave him the race. According to our way of thinking, Prince Silverwings would have won easily had he been fit.

While a small horse he is well made and showed he possessed more speed than anything in the race. Take it all in all, one cannot help but say that they were a bad lot of Derby horses, and if such a horse as Ben Brush, Ornament, Halma or Alan-a-Dale had been there they would have looked like $200 selling platers. It was a nice race to look at, every horse looked to have a chance the entire route, well bunched they struggled hard and did their best. The time, 2:08-1/2, was good when you consider the time made in previous Derbies. Judge Himes won the Derby in 2:09, Alan-a-Dale in 2:08-3/4, His Eminence in 2:07-3/4, Lieut. Gibson in 2:06-1/4, Plaudit in 2:09, Typhoon II., in 2:12-1/2 and Ben Brush in 2:07-3/4, all carrying the same weight, 117 pounds.

THIRTY-FIRST DERBY 1905

Louisville, Ky., May 10, 1905. Weather clear. Track muddy. 1-1/4 miles.

Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300. Time 2:10-3/4.

Nominations (----).

Agile, 122, J. Martin 1 Ram's Horn, 117, Lyne 2 Layson, 117, D. Austin 3

Betting 3 to 1 on Agile, 2 Horn, 15 Layson. Won by three lengths, ten lengths between second and third.

Agile, bay colt, 3, by Sir Dixon--Alpena. Owned by Capt. S. S. Brown.

DESCRIPTION OF RACE.

Today is Derby Day in Louisville and the thirty-first running of the Kentucky Derby was won by Capt. S. S. Brown's Agile, with Ram's Horn in second place and Layson third. The attendance was the largest in the history of the famous track and the twenty thousand people who stood and watched the race looked like a solid ma.s.s of humanity. At 1 o'clock the track was a sea of mud, but after an hour's working it had dried out considerably and was in fair condition when the bugle called the Derby candidates to the post.

The crowd waited patiently for the Derby, which was the fourth race on the card and at 15 minutes past 4 o'clock the three colts pa.s.sed from the paddock out into the broad, heavy path. A cheer that is almost a roar goes up from the crowd. The parade takes but a few minutes and they pa.s.sed on up to the turn, where Starter Dwyer gives the boys a few words of instructions and almost before the crowd has had time to realize it, they're off to a beautiful start, and here they come on the trip that means so much to the admirers of both star performers.

Jockey Martin has his orders regarding Agile, and obeying these instructions to the letter, he starts out to show Ram's Horn a merry time, because it is a well-known fact that the son of Bute is unable to do himself justice in the mud. They pa.s.s the stand with Agile a length in front, while Jockey Lyne, on Ram's Horn, is trying to rate his colt and keep him within striking distance of the leader. Even at this early point in the race Layson is hopelessly beaten and even to the most inexperienced, he is merely running for the money that goes to the third horse. The cherry jacket and blue cap which is on Agile's back bobs up and down like a cork in a choppy sea. The black silk on Ram's Horn's back moves through s.p.a.ce with very little motion. A long roar like the snarl of a mult.i.tude of bulldogs comes from the stand and spreads itself over the crowd in the infield and reverberates from the whitewashed barns on the other side of the beautiful course. This is the cry of the people from the Blue Gra.s.s land, friends of Ram's Horn, the poor man's horse. The real race has only begun.

As they round the first turn, Martin lets out a wrap and Agile shoots forward like an arrow from a bow. Ram's Horn is too close for comfort, and the boy has orders to keep the lead. Then they turn into the back stretch, and here Ram's Horn runs his race. With whip and spur and with his knees digging into the satiny sides of Ram's Horn, Jockey Lyne asked the question of the son of Bute. Instantly the game colt responds, and before the half-mile pole is reached Ram's Horn has cut the lead down to one length and his nose is very close to Agile's tail.

The positions do not change for a quarter of a mile. Then the favorite gradually begins to move away from Rams Horn in spite of the vigorous efforts of Lyne. But its no use--the track is muddy and sticky and slippery, and this son of one of the best stallions any American ever brought to this country from England is unused to the going and does not like it. And so they turn into the home stretch, with Agile two lengths in front and galloping with his mouth wide open, while Ram's Horn is laboring many lengths in front of Layson.

The shouting and the tumult die and Martin, realizing that his victory is now a.s.sured, eases his mount to an ordinary gallop, while Lyne, on Ram's Horn, also refuses to drive Jim Williams' colt, because he knows the case is hopeless. They pa.s.s under the wire in a straggling procession, with little excitement or applause. The time, 2:10-1/2, shows the condition of the track.

THIRTY-SECOND DERBY 1906

Louisville, Ky., May 2, 1906. Weather fine, track good. 1-1/4 miles. Time 2:08-4/5. Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300. 110 nominations.

Sir Huon, 117, Troxler 1 Lady Navarre, 117, Burns 2 James Redd.i.c.k, 117, Dominick 3

Hyperion II., Debar, Velours also ran.

Betting 6 to 5 Huon, 9 to 5 Navarre and Redd.i.c.k coupled 7 to 2 Debar; 8 Hyperion, 40 Velours. Good start. Won easily by two lengths, 3 between second and third.

Sir Huon, b c, 3, by Falsetto--Ignite. Owned by George J. Long of Louisville, Ky., trained by Pete Coyne.

DESCRIPTION OF RACE.

Sir Huon, carrying the colors of George J. Long, one of the most popular breeders of Kentucky, won the thirty-second Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs on May 2, before one of the most representative gatherings that ever witnessed this cla.s.sic event.

Guided by Roscoe Troxler, he crossed the finis.h.i.+ng line two lengths in front of the gallant little filly, Lady Navarre, which beat her stable companion, James Redd.i.c.k, by three lengths. Five lengths behind came Hyperion II, which had set a heartbreaking pace, and a dozen lengths behind the latter was Debar, which carried the hopes and money of the Lexington contingent, and last of all, practically beaten off, came Velours, from Sunny Tennessee.

Sir Huon did not win easily, for he was a very tired horse at the finish, and it required great skill on the part of his jockey to nurse him through the final furlong; at the same time, it might be said that those behind him were more tired. Sir Huon was by long odds the best looking horse in the race; in fact, he looked the Derby horse all over, and he is the first real Derby horse that has crossed the wire in front since Alan-a-Dale struggled home on three legs.

Considering that Lady Navarre was conceding five pounds to the winner, a good deal of credit must be given to her. She ran a great race, but that was today, and in the opinion of many, she will never be able to get that close to Sir Huon again.

It was a great day for Louisville, and everyone with a trace of sporting blood in his veins was out to see the Derby, and when a home-bred horse won, the crowd demonstrated that the victory of Mr. Long was a most popular one. They cheered him from the time he left the paddock until he crossed the wire, only to renew it when the usual formalities were gone through with at the judges' stand.

There was no delay at the post, and as the barrier was lowered, the horses came walking up and Starter Dwyer gave the word. "They're off!" yelled the crowd with one accord, and down the stretch came the s.e.xtette in pretty close order. Nearing the eighth pole, Hyperion II drew clear and by the time the judges' stand was reached he was three lengths in front, with Velours and Sir Huon next in order. Then came Lady Navarre and James Redd.i.c.k, and Debar brought up the rear. As the club-house turn was rounded, Sir Huon dropped in behind Hyperion II, and there he laid all the way up the back stretch. Velours was done when the field straightened out in the backstretch, and James Redd.i.c.k, which showed unexpected speed, moved up behind Sir Huon. Out in front Hyperion II was still sifting sand, Troxler sitting still and holding Sir Huon well in hand. Lady Navarre, who had suffered a little interference on the lower turn, was being whipped to keep up and Velours was now the trailer.

As they approached the far turn, Hyperion still had a clear lead, but now Troxler had gone to work on the son of Falsetto and it took considerable of an effort on his part to run the flying Hyperion down. He caught him and pa.s.sed him on the stretch turn and then the Ellison pair closed, as the rest were beaten. Straightened for home, Troxler plied his whip and then sat down to ride. Dominick was busy on James Redd.i.c.k and Burns was putting forth his best efforts on Lady Navarre, but it was to no avail, for the big colt had enough left to stall off the efforts of the tired pair behind him.

Sir Huon broke a tradition in the race, and that was that a colt which had not previously started the same year that the Derby was run always got beat, no matter how good his work might have been.

THIRTY-THIRD DERBY 1907

Louisville, Ky., May 6, 1907.--Weather bad. Track heavy. 1-1/4 miles. Time 2:12-3/5. Value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300. 128 nominations.

Pink Star, 117, Minder 1 Zal, 117, Boland 2 Ovelando, 117, Nicol 3

Redgauntlet, Austin; Wool Sandals; Koerner; and Orlandwick, J. Lee also ran.

Betting 6 to 5 Redgauntlet; 3 each Ovelando and Sandals; 8 Zal, 10 Orlandwick. Good start. Won easily by 2 lengths; 1 between 2nd and 3rd.

Pink Star, b c, 3, by Pink Coat--Mary Malloy. Owned by J. Hal Woodford, trained by W. H. Fizer.

In the presence of an enormous crowd, J. Hal Woodford's Pink Star won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Monday, the opening day of the New Louisville Jockey Club's spring meeting. Behind Pink Star were Zal, Ovelando, Redgauntlet, Wool Sandals and Orlandwick.

Redgauntlet was made favorite. Pink Star's victory was not a popular one.

The public had no confidence in the flashy grandson of the great Leonatus, which won the same event in 1883, and neither did his owner Hal Woodford of Paris, Ky. But his trainer, W. H. Fizer, fairly bubbled with enthusiasm over the chances of his colt. "So these are the Derby horses?" said he.

"Well, if they are Derby colts, Pink Star will walk in." So he did.

The race itself was robbed of a great deal of interest by the withdrawal of Arcite, which did not start on account of the going. His owner, George J. Long, waited until the last moment before scratching him, chiefly on account of the sentiment that has marked his career on the turf. Mr. Long is a Louisville man, he takes great pride in her inst.i.tutions, one of which is the "Darby", and he felt as if he were duty bound to run the colt, but after consulting with his trainer, decided that the going was impossible.

After the parade pa.s.sed the grandstand and clubhouse, the horses cantered to the post, and it was but a moment before Starter Holtman sprung the barrier and the thirty-third Derby was on. As they swept past the stand the first time, Zal was leading, with Ovelando second and Wool Sandals third. Around the clubhouse turn, it was quite noticeable that Pink Star, with his pink-coated jockey was bringing up the rear. Round the lower turn they went and now Zal had a clear lead and was running freely. Ovelando was under restraint and was a good second, next to the rail. Redgauntlet had dropped to the rear and Austin was busy with the whip but there was no response. Up the back stretch they went, Zal with gigantic strides, still in front and Ovelando was going easily close up. Redgauntlet moved up a bit and Pink Star was last. As the three-eighths pole was reached, Nicol went up to Zal, and it looked as if he could pa.s.s the Gerst colt any time he wanted to. Pink Star was moving up on the extreme outside. Nicol rounded the stretch turn on even terms with Zal and the cry went up, "Ovelando walks in." But the jubilation was too early, for Zal drew away a bit as the field straightened for home and Nicol drew his whip. Pink Star was still coming. At the eighth pole the positions were still the same, but here Ovelando began to hang out signals of distress and he was done.

Pink Star by this time had gotten on almost even terms with Zal and, as the sixteenth pole was pa.s.sed, he was slowly drawing away from the fleet-footed chestnut. A few strides and it was all over, for Boland began to ride Zal, but he was done to a turn and at the end Pink Star was under wraps. Ridden out, Zal finished a little over a length in front of Ovelando, and quite a piece back came the favorite.