Part 16

TWENTY-FIFTH DERBY 1899

The twenty-fifth Kentucky Derby was run on Thursday, May 4, and was won easily by A. H. and D. H. Morris' Manuel, ridden by Fred Taral, who had come on from New York expressly for the mount. The weather was warm and pleasant, though cloudy, and the track deep with dust. The race was a poor one from the standpoint of time and would seem to indicate that with the single exception of Manuel there was not a horse of Derby class of ordinary years in the field. Some excuses could be made for Corsine, as he traveled from the Pacific Coast and was giving from five to twelve pounds to his opponents. But the son of Riley showed no speed at any part of the journey, though he seemed to be in fine form, and will have to improve remarkably to win rank among the good horses of America. There is not much to say about the others, except that they finished behind Corsine. Mazo will probably do much better at shorter distance, but Fontainbleau and His Lordship seem to be counterfeits. The latter was trained to the hour by his trainer and part owner, Mr. John Smith, who showed his skill in the development of the crack McIvor in his first year on the turf, but he shut up like a jack knife when collared and dropped out of it. But few words are needed in addition to the form-sheet in describing the race. His Lordship took the lead before reaching the grand stand and going down the back stretch seemed to be leading easily with his mouth wide open. Taral had Manuel under a wrap close up in second place and approaching the turn from the backstretch he nailed the leader. There was a moment's struggle and His Lordship fell back sulky and beaten and was no longer a contender in the race. Coming into the homestretch Corsine made his run and half way home came up under the whip and for an instant had his head at Manuel's hips. But Taral shook up the son of Bob Miles and the latter springing away, came on with Taral looking over his shoulder, and won without farther urging.

Although the race was by no means a sensational one, yet it was the Kentucky Derby, and an immense crowd, estimated at 20,000 people, saw the race. Of this number, probably one-third were ladies in their spring toilets and presenting a scene of beauty which is equalled at no other race in America save the great Kentucky classic.

There were eighteen bookmakers in line. The executive officers were as follows:

Presiding Judge--Charles F. Price. Associate Judge--Lew Tarlton. Timers--Arthur Newsom, Pat Dunne and Charles McMeekin. Starter--Morgan Chinn.

Manuel is a bay colt, sired by Bob Miles, son of Pat Malloy and Dolly Morgan, by Revenue; dam Espanita, daughter of Alarm and Outstep, by Blue Eyes. He is owned by Messrs. A. H. and D. H. Morris, and trained by Robert Walden, son of Mr. Wyndham Walden, one of the greatest of American trainers. Manuel was bred by George J. Long, Bashford Manor, Louisville, Ky., who raced him in his two-year-old form until October, when he was bought by his present owners for $15,000. Last year he started twenty-one times, winning three races, second three times, and third six times.

The Kentucky Derby; for three-year olds; guaranteed value $6,000 1-1/4 miles. Fractional time, 0:25-3/4, 0:50-1/2, 1:17-3/4, 1:45-1/2, 2:12. 151 nominations.

Starters Jockeys St. 1/4 1/2 3/4 M. S. F. Betting Manuel, 117 Taral 1 3 3 3 2 1 h 1 2 1 2 1 2 11 to 20 Corsine, 122 T. Burns 5 5 5 3 h 2 3 2 4 2 5 3 to 1 Mazo, 117 Conley 4 4 1 4nk 4 1 4 3 3 3 3 6 8 to 1 His Lordship, 110 Turner 2 1-1/2 1 1 2 1 3 h 4-1/2 4 2 12 to 1 Fontai'ebleu, 117 Overton 3 2 1 2-1/2 5 5 5 5 50 to 1

Start good. Won easily; place same. Post 3 minutes. Winner, b c by Bob Miles--Espanita. Value to winner $4,850.

TWENTY-SIXTH DERBY 1900

Louisville, Ky., May 3rd, 1900, weather fine, track fast. One mile and a quarter. Time 2:06-1/4. Value $4,850, second $700, third $300.

Lieut. Gibson, 117, D. Boland 1 by 4 lengths Florizar, 122, Van Dusen 2 by 2 lengths Thrive, 122, Winkfield 3 by 1 length

Highland Lad, His Excellency, Kentucky Farmer, Hindus also ran. Betting 10 to 7 on Gibson. Good start. Won easily, place same. Gibson made his field look common.

Lieut. Gibson, br c, by G. W. Johnson--Sophia Hardy, owned by Charles H. Smith, trained by Charles Hughes.

There was little delay at the post. To a perfect start, His Excellency was the first to show, closely followed by Lieut. Gibson and Kentucky Farmer, with the field well bunched. When all were straightened out and the race had begun Lieut. Gibson took command from the momentary leader and began nodding off fast quarters with wonderful regularity. The pace rate of speed was terrific the first quarter, being run in :24-1/4, at the end of which the gallant pacemaker let out a link and running the third eighth in 0:11-1/2 was at the seven-eighths pole in :35-3/4. Boland now steadied the big colt by letting him rate right along. The fourth eighth in :12-1/4 carried him to the three-quarter pole in :48, a heart-breaking clip of the first half-mile of a mile and a quarter race.

Carrying 117 pounds as lightly as a feather, Lieut. Gibson still going easy, traversed the first three-quarters in 1:13-1/2. The conservative element among the backers of the favorite became uneasy at this stage of the race, fearing the horse would be unable to withstand the tremendous strain of the fast pace. A second time Boland took hold of the flying leader that with measured strides seemed to be annihilating distance and defying time.

A second glance at the field and all cause of doubt as to Gibson's ability to live at the flying clip was expelled. He was going easy, much easier than any horse behind him, and seemed only a horse out for a good stiff breeze. Passed the mile ground in 1:40-2/5, he was only rating along three lengths in front of the tired His Excellency, with Scoggan's pair Florizar and Highland Lad, going well, but in no danger of overhauling the galloping leader.

Into the stretch, a novice could see that Gibson was going easy, and coming on the gallant colt passed first under the wire by four lengths in front of Florizar that Van Dusen had most sensibly not driven to his limit when he found it impossible to overtake the great son of G. W. Johnson.

The time was 2:06-1/4, one and one-half seconds faster than the Kentucky Derby had ever been run.

TWENTY-SEVENTH DERBY 1901

Louisville, Ky.; April 29, 1901. Weather fine; track fast. One and one-quarter miles. Time 2:07-3/4, value to winner $4,850, second $700, third $300. 134 nominations.

His Eminence, 117, Winkfield 1 by 2-l Sannazarro, 117, O'Connor 2 by 2-l Driscoll, 110, Boland 3 by 2-l

Amur and Alard Scheck also ran. Betting 10 to 7 Scheck; 3 His Eminence. Good start. Won easily, place same.

His Eminence, b c, by Falsetto-Patroness. Owned by F. B. Van Meter.

DESCRIPTION OF RACE

His Eminence, a beautiful bay colt by Falsetto-Patroness by Pat Malloy, foaled in the Blue Grass and trained at Churchill Downs, won the twenty-seventh renewal of the Kentucky. Sannazarro, the brown son of imp. Pirate of Penzance--Roseola by Duke of Montrose, was second, while Driscoll, Woodford Clay's bay colt by Dixon--Merry Maiden by Virgil was third. The time was 2:07-3/4. Alard Scheck, the odds-on favorite, the property of John W. Schoor, of Memphis and the pride of all Tennessee, finished absolutely last, five lengths behind Amur. It was a truly run race and His Eminence outclassed his field.

Twenty thousand people saw the Derby run. The grand stand was a monster hillside of beautiful costumes and shining faces.

They were at the post only a short time--four minutes. There was a little jockeying for positions, one false break; they were called back and lined up again. Then there was a flash of yellow and red, a long hoarse roar from the thousands packed in the stand and here they come, five good colts closely bunched, with the black nose of Alard Scheck showing slightly in front.