How Ogden Came to Win Futurity: H. I. Wilson Aided in Influencing Shipment of Colt from Montana for Race, Daily Racing Form, 1909-08-06

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; HOW 0GDEN CAME TO WIN FUTURITY. H. I. Wilson Aided in Influencing Shipment of Colt from Montana for Race. H. I. Wilson, president of the Butte Racing Asso elation. -"was a close personal friend of the late Marcus Dalv during the latter years of the life of the copper king who built and maintained the magnificent thoroughbred breeding establishment known as the Bitter Root Stud, in Montana. During an idle hour nt the Bufte track the name of Ogden was mentioned bv one of the party of which Mr. Wilson was a member, nnd this brought from him the following story: . . r . ,,,,... "That the name of Ogden is enrolled In the lis! of Futurity winners might be termed a scratch. It was only after days of rlersuasIon. almost of entreaty, on the part of Johnny Campbell, who ha. I been engaged to handle the western division of his stable, that Daly consented to send Ogden east after the big two-year-old race. .... "As usiiaf. .Matt Bvrnes -had come out to the ranch Bitter Root Stud in the spring of 1S90 and. after trrlng out all tlie youngsters, had selected foi the eastern division of the stable all that he considered good enough to race on the big tracks, and Ogden was In the discard, when .the famous trainer took his departure for New York. ... "A few days later Campbell put in his appearance to take up the horses Hvhich were to carry the Daly colors at Butte. Anaconda nnd other minor tracks in this section, and during the winter at San Francisco. He was stopping at. my hotel and one evening called me to one side and said: .Mr. Wilson. I want you to try and berUadc Mr. Daly to let me take Ogden east to mil in the Futurity. I know this is a great colt: the best I ever saddled. I can drop him off at .Saratoga for a few weeks, take him down to Sheepshead Bay" Tft" couple of days In advance of the runnlngTif the Futurity and win tin big race with him just as sure as your name is Wilson. I want you to go and see him work tomorrow The colt was then with others of the Daly horses at our track and. in fact, had already won a race there, beating the subsequently famous May W. Aftcr--you see him work I know you will uSe your influence to have him sent east. "The next morning I drove out here to the track with him. In those days the Parrot smelter was down In the valley, not far from the track, and when Ogden was brought outito work seven furlongs the smoke , from the smelter was so thick a person could hardly discern objects across the track. In that stilling smoke the colt,with,125 pounds up ran the first half mile In 4S. the, five-eighths in 1:01. the three-quarters in 1;141 and the seven furlongs in 1:2S, according" to Cnmpbeir,s watch, but a shade better as 1 caught it. with his head swinging. That, of course, would be considered wonderful work Ifor a two-year-old late in tlie season; and .under the" most favorable conditions, but as it was It was littltf short of marvelous. "That night I saw Daly and spoke to him concerning Campbells desire t6 have a try for the Futurity with Ogdcii, but did not say anything about the work I had witnessed, as L. did not want to n:u airy risk of compromising , the trainer. Campbell is crazy. said Daly; Byrnes tried out all my stuff ;ovpr at the ranch, and if this colt was a New York Hiorse" he would be there now. "I concluded to let the subject drop for the time being. A few days later Campbell came Into the liotel, about noon with a smile on his face that could Almost: be heard. We leave for the east tonight. :jvaS his greeting, and" Ogilen ahd Ttibervllle. , go with us. Jbhriny.Lamle aiid Tiibervillc. the Dalv Jockeys. . were both stopping; at the house at the .tluie. Campbell had woi-ftp.d the colt for, Daly that morning", "and had .6h.verteilhiin to his way of thinking. Haye a, nice bet on this colt In the. big race; for he will win as "sure as he starts, barring cclOent,? was his parting advice, and I took his tip. When Diily left to Vee the running of the Jracle 1 gave him irtoney to bet on Ogden. and so did Several othets.i . Wh,en, the report came to .us. out, licre at the track Just after the running: of the race that Ogdoh liad won. pandemonium broke loose, for tua rurally there was much looal pride in the qolt. - "When IJaly returned to-Butto, I asked him why ;hq had .started Scottish Chieftain in. the race with OgUOn, ,forMt seemed to me that a better price could iiiive. bceu had against the, winner had not Scottish ;ChietaIn been coupled- with hiih in the betting. His reply showed, Iiow.f0xy thi millionaire Irishman was. ?My bo-; be said, you have. yet. got much to learn. ;r started both colts, for the very reason you imagine H should, have started Ogden alohfe to get a gOod .price for all: the money 1 should wager. If Ogden ihad goiieNhMhc.S0t6 .1 might have been quoted iigulust him; but the first 100 I bet would have caused ,a cut - to .40., My ,niVxt 110. would have sent the odds ihiwn to 30. ami after that the bookmakers -would have refused my money. as they would not want to take a chance oh being burnt up ou an to them unknown horse with an unknown jockey up. "As "it was", they supiioseTI "it was Scottish Chief tain, with" tlieugreati Garrison-oahoard. on which I was betting, and as they did not have too much respect for the Chieftain, they probably thought Poor, foolish man. "and let me get a cluink on at from 20 to ""DaIy would not teli at; the time how much he had won on the nice. but Said that the bookmakers were still settling with hhh on the Tuesday following the running of the race.,. He subsequently told Kinleii that he had taken" close to 80,000 out of the -ring ojcr Ogdens Victory1."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1909080601/drf1909080601_2_11
Local Identifier: drf1909080601_2_11
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800