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THE EPSOM OAKS AND ITS WINNERS. Striking Incidents in the History of a Race Longer Established Than the Epsom Derby. Like the Epsom Derby, the Epsom Oaks of this year was marked by an accident and. as in the case of the Derby, it was the favorite that was the vie Mm. But Eleotra. the Oaks favorite, did not stumble, as Sir Martin did. She was simply left at the post anil deprived of any chance of winning. She went after her opponents and ran a capital race from where she got off. but it was a hopeless case. Originally founded in 1779 by the twelfth Earl of Derby, who in the following year inaugurated the Epsom Derby, the Oaks once was second onlv in popularity to the Blue Riband of the Turf. The first Kpsom Oaks was run on Friday. May 14. 1779. as a sweeactakea of 50. for fillies: the distance, as now. was over one and a half miles. In those far off days the weights were but 116 pounds; now. however, the starters have to shoulder 126 pounds. For the first Oaks there were seventeen subscribers, from which twelve starters carried silk, the race going to the founder by the success of his lordships filly, Bridget. She was a daughter of the celebrated Herod: starting favorite at 5 to 2. she gained immortal fame by beating a fillv of that name. Mr. Vernons Fame, third place going to a daughter of Eclipse. The subscribers fell to sixteen when Faith 1781 won: in fact. It was not until Wings 1825 year that the number reached fifty. Only once sinee Crucifix 1840 won |ias the number fallen below three figures: the year referred to was Poisons 1843. and then ninety-one subscribed. The record as regards subscribers was 250. when the American-bred fillv. Cap and Bells won for Mr. Foxhall Keene in 1901; the stakes then reached 6,525. In the long list of Epsom heroines there is no owner that has gained the unique position obtained by the Duke of Grafton. During a period of less than thirty years his fillies were victorious on no less than nine occasions; thev were Pelisse 1804. Morel 1808. Music 1813. Medora 1814. Minuet 1815. Pastille 1822. Zinc 1823. Turquoise 18281, and Oxygen 1831. Lord Grosvenor won the Oaks five times, as did Lord Egremont. who was racing about that period. The former nobleman won with Faith 17S1. Ceres 1782. Maid of the Oaks 1783. Bellina 1799. and Meteora 1805. while Lord Kgromi.nts colors were carried In the van by Nightshade 1788. Tag 1789. Platina 1795, Ephemera 1800. and Caroline 1820. In modern times the Duke of Portland has been successful with Memoir 1890. Mrs. Butterwick 1893. Amia ble 1894. and La Roche 1900. Previously the magpie jacket of Lord Falmouth had been made famous by its prominence on a remarkable quartette of high-class fillies. First came Queen Bertha 1863, which in later life gave Lord Falmouth a l,.race, "f, ,aks winners in Spinawav 1875 and Wheel of Fortune 1879. which followed Jannette 1878 as the heroine on Epsom Downs. Famous horsemen that have won the ladies race are ruanv. Even Chifney. senior, was successful four times — on Ceres 1V82. Maid of the Oaks 1783. Tag 1789. and Hyppolita 1790; while later voung "Sam" Chifney carried off the race five times — tin Briseis 1807. Sorcery 1811. Landscape 1816, Shoveller 1819, and Wings 1825. These records were surpassed by Buckle when he rode in all nine winners of_the great classic, viz.: Nike 1797. Bellissinia 1798, Bellina 1799. Scotia 1802. Theophanla 18031. Meteora 1866, Neva 1817. Coi-inm-1818. and Zinc 1823. Another famous name worth mention is that of John B. Dav. the rider of Turquoise 1828. Oxygen 1831. Pussy- 1834. Deception 18311 1. and Crucifix 1840. He was followed after a brief interval bv F. Butler, the rider of Poison 1843 and The Princess 1844: then later be had the leg up on Lady Evelvn 1.8491 U,oe,d,vclU11 ls50 - Lis 1.851. and Songstress 1852— these four winners, it will be noticed, won in successive years. One of the most famous mans that ever won on Eiisom Downs was Crucifix 1840. Bred by be* owner. Lord George Bentinck. she was the marvel of her decade, and bad an unlieaten career during her short period on the race course. As a two-year-old she carried, off nine races, including the July Stakos. Chesterfield Stakes and Criterion Stakes, which brought her owner 2,935 in stakes— poor in comparison with the 7,475 which Prottv Polly won In the same number of races during 1903. As a three-year-old Crucifix started but three times winning the One Thousand Guineas. Two Thpaaaad Stones* and ■pabai Oaks. In the latter race the Iiitsis were delayed an hour at the post through no fewer than sixteen false starts. "She can afford to flirt with the best of them for lialf a dav." her owner remarked, as she eventually got left fully BO yards, a distance she could have made up four turns, so absolute was her superiority over her rivals on that day. On the Oaks Lord George Ben tinck won 00,060 and alKiut three times that amount over her other victories. At the stud Cm cifix gained further celebrity through her son. Surplice, the Derby and St. Leger winner of 1848. There have been few men in the world that have filled so very many stages in life as John Gully, the owner of the Oaks winner. Mendicant, the heroine of 1846. John Gully started life as a butcher, and at the age of twenty fought Pearce. the "Game Chicken. for the imgilistic championship of Eng laud. He was then defeated, but later won the laurels, which he defended by beating iregson in two different lights. With these victories to his credit lie resigned the title of champion of England and left the prize ring forever. He afterwards became a leading bookmaker, and at different patted* owned many great race horses. Twice the Derby fell to his animals, first Pyrrhus the First 1846. then Andover 1854. Previously Margrave 1832 had carried off the St. lger. After Mendicant won the Oaks Gully disposed of her to Sir Joseph Hawl.v for 0,000. At that time the price was "verv large." but in the end tamed out a verv tacky bargain. At the stud she produced Beadsman, which won the Blue Riband of 1858 and landed for Sir Joseph about 00,000 in bets alone. In fact. Mendicant was the foundation stone of Sir Joseph Haw-leys remarkable successes: through her famous son. Beadsman, she became the granddam of the celebrated Blue Gown, There was BO mare during the sixties that was such a public idol as Colonel Pearsons Achievemeni. During her wonderful two-year-old season 1866 she won the Woodcote Stakes. New Stakes. July Stakes. Chesterfield Stakes. Champagne Stakes and Criterion Stakes, after having suffered defeat but twice. In Hie Clearwell Stakes she succumbed to Plaudit, then The Rake lowered her colors in the first Middle Park Plate. When Achievement made her reappearance on a race course for the One Thou sand Juineas she was but half the fillv that had romped home under all the penalties for the Criterion Stakes the previous year. However, she won then in a field of eight runners, with odds of 8 to 1 laid on her. But at Epsom she was out of all form and was defeated by Hinpia. running a dead heat with Romping Girl for second place, naturally starting a hot favorite. At Ascot she went under twice to Vauhan. but. regaining her form, won the Great Yorkshire Stakes at York in a canter. Achievement then went to IKincaster. where she won the St. Leger and old-time Doncaster Cup. beating Hermit, the sensational Derby winner, in both races. Bred at the Hampton Court Stud. La Fleehe was purchased as a yearling by Baron de Hirsch for ■27.600. The own sister to Memoir won all her two-year-old engagements, including the Champagne Stakes, lieating Sir Hugo. As a three-year-old she carried off the One Thousand Guineas the Oaks and St. Leger again floating Sir Hugo. Newmarket Stakes. Nassau Stakes. Grand Duke Michael Stakes, the Cambridgeshire and the then valuable Lancashire Plate. Yet for some unknown reas in s-he was defeated by Sir Hugo in the Derby. The following season she won the Liverpool Summer Cup and the Lowthor Stakes, going still higher in 1894 by winning the Ascot Gold Cup and Champion Stakes, which brought her winnings up to 73. M5 during four years. From the day when her purchaser gave the record yearling acta — 0.000— for Sceptre at the fatno.is Kingsclcre sale of 1900 the peerless daughter of Persimmon and Ornament commenced ■ romantic career. In the following year she made her delm; by easily winning the Woodcote Stakes, a victory she followed up by taking the July Stakos. but was later beaten by Came Tick in the Champagne Stakes. After a sensational defeat bv St. Maol .;i in the Lincolnshire Handicap of 1902 she won the One Thousand Guineas, also the Two Thousand Guineas, heating Pistol and Ard Patrick. Starting a warm favorite for the Derby she was beaten by Ard Patrick. Rising Glass and Friar Tuck. However, later in the same week she won the Oaks in a canter. She then won anil lost in turn, her sue eeaaea being the St. James Palace Stakes. Nassau Stakes and St. Leger. which she won easily fro.n Rising Glass and Friar Tuck. After a fruitless at tempt to win the "Lincoln" in IMS Sceptre was sold to Mr. Bass for 25 000. She then won good roes, including the Hardwicke Stakes. Champion Stakes. Limekiln Stakes. Jockey Club Stakes, under 140 pounds, and the Duke of York Stakes. In the "ton -thousand-pounder" she gave Rock Sand fifteen Mania and the biggest trouneing ho ever suffered. This marvelous mare, the wonder of her time, won in all 03,908.
