view raw text
1 | MERIDIAN WINNER OF FASTEST KENTUCKY DERBY EVER RUN Son of Broomstick and Sue Smith Equals Churchill Downs Record in Carrying Colors of R. F. Carman to Victory in Notable Contest— Governor Gray Makes a Gallant but Unavailing Effort and Is Second f Louisville, Ky., Mav IS.— If yon, dear reader, were one of the many thousands at Washington Park, i bieago, that June day in 1908 when The Iicket raced to victory iii the American Derby, marh .•ii ■•: tie manner of the fox ont/ootlng the pack, or if you were numbered among those other thousands who. at sheepshea.I Bay in June, 1900, saw Kinley Ma.k win the Suburban Handicap, running like the true me horse that he was. you have a clearer mental picture of the scene al Churchill Downs in ihis good and glorious dav of the thirty-seventh running of the fat -famed Kentucky Derby than I am c:i|iab|e of presenting in this limited spa ci . It was the day of all days in the long and honorable bistorj of ihe Derby and the Downs. The weather was ideal. The sun shone brilliantly, not too warmly, from a Beckless -i.» ; a gentle breeae kissed the Bowers on the lawns and all nature smiled in sweei accord. The course, sa oVfl mile of inn. yet light soil, lay as a ribbon of grsy UUOB i in- green of the grass marked out by the white of the rails, and il was in its hist condition. liver the area of green encircled by the track swarmed fully 15,000 persona Who had been ad mltted without price. They were of the great massrn unable to pay the fee to the grandstand across the line marked by the coarse, and ilicv were web. ime guests of the New Louisville Jockey Club and thankful for tiie privilege of freely enjoying a day of the greatest of all outdoor sports. in tiie mammoth grandstand, in the betting ring. restsurants and refreshment places under it. on the roof of tiie ring and the steps id" the vllinl. on tiie l«Sg. broad waik between the stand and the fence, in the clubhouse, on its roof and porch and on iis lawn and in tie paddock, were packed another 30.000 or mere who bad gladly paid the price and they were ihe representative people of Louisville, of Kentucky and of other siale-. Iii a word, all high mails and by ways led this day to Louisville and to Churchill Downs. Krom tiie Chief Executive of the Slate to the humblest laborer in the streets, they were there of every calling. profession, trade and walk in life. It was a niagfil-licent testimonial of the Kentuckians love of the thoroughbred and of the true Americans fondness for the sport that tin- thoroughbred furnishes in Ills racing. It was a rebuke I i those in other states who have perniciously blighted racing and it was a warning to the world that Kentucky will no abide a vicious attack on a pastime thai has been fostered by her people since the days of Daniel Boone and the Virginians who followed him hence to clear Ihe wilderness .and create Ibis gardes -, • as a heritage for their posterity. For the opening race today the favorite was George Odom a Prince Gal and when he passed the indues -Charles I. Price. Charles r. Grainger and W. II. Shelley, frith George .1. Long SS steward representing the Kentucky State Racing Commission -half a length in advance of Elfin Bean, there was a roar of applause that shook the stand. Agsin it was heard when .1. W. Ilsyl Mary Kmily best Az.viade home by a length in the second race and it was even louder when .lack Psrker, Rocky OBrien am! Iollie Levy finished noses and heads apart at the end of a iast five and a half furlongs in the third. Then up from the betting ring came a chorus of surprise laden shouts that set the people in the s:ands to asking what was it.-" li was Hie posting of the pari niuteel pay on .lack Parker, the equivalent to odds of 204.73 to .*!. And now begsa tin- betting activities for the Derby race .iust thirty minutes away. Kama7.au. lap!; in Carmody and Jabot had declined the issue. leaving B. N. Smiths Governor Cray. IL F. Car mans Metidian. W. G. Vankes Round the World. Raleigh Colstons Colston. Woodford X? Bnckners Mud Sill. P. .1. Don- Jack Duncan ami Henderson k Hogans Colonel Hogan to star! for the prize of 1911.sh,000, of which the winners net portion was to Ik- . Sol, with *7 u to the second ami SotWI to the third. Pool suctioaeer John B. McLaughlin, from his stand al the side of the swarming riiir. opened tin market with a request for a hid of |500 for liil choice. J. B. Respess made the first bid at Ailo and was quickly carried no to 1509, at which ttgnre he took Governor Gray. . T. Wortuingtou bid 50 and took Meridian. W. A. Madison go Round Ihe World for 50. "Single D." gave ftSO for Colston. G. Isaacs 1911.sh5 for Mud Sill. Barney Mc Devil I 0 for .lack Deiinian and Andy Weplcr fCti for Colonel Hogan, making a total of !f 1 .li"..". in the pool. The line tints given, the play in the auctions and tnuiiiels waxed fast, until the Beves Starters reached the post at live oclock. They lined up for the start with Colston al the rail and the others :n tiie order named: Mud Sill. .lack Deiini.m. Colonel Hogan, Meridian. Round the World and Hovernoi Cray on the outside. Starter Csssldy released the barrier at 5:02 and they were iwsy to a good start, with Meridian in the had. Round the World second. Governor Gray next, Colston fourth, Cotonel Hogsn fifth, .lack Dl small sixth and Mud Sill Isst. Colonel Hogsn ran out at once and lost much ground befort Jockey Mclntyre could straighten him. Troxler look Coventor Graj back and. passing the stand, was trailing the other five, with Meridian leading In three lengths, with Round tin- World second, Colston third. Mud Sill fourth Hiul .lack l enin:in tilth, .lockey Archibald had Meridian under wraps ami gave an occasional glance backward as the sou ,i Broomstick swcpl around the first turn into tie backMioieh. striding long and comfortably until at the end of the first tbree-qiwrtera be had a bad of four IcnsCis. the order of the running restsining virtually unchanged. With half a mile vet to run Troxler made his novo on Governor Gray and the Garry Herrmann geldiug shot past .lack Denman and Mud SMI. labor inur bead and bead, got to Colston in rounding the far t u;ii and passed Round the World, now rapidly v.. tkening. At about the beginning of tin last qnsrter, with that same admirable burst of speed that has ever characterised his racing when at ins ties, tiie favorite sel sail for Hie flying Meridian. Tie- gelding responded gamely to Trusters nrgenl all. bill Ihe be-l lie could do was to get Ills n - to Meridians llank. and SO they passed the finishing mark, each giving forth the nes! of speed and stamina ilia! was in him. in the track record time f _:i". Josl a minute and a quarter better than Lieutenant cibsons Kentucky Derby record of 2: ltl!. the fsstesl HeC.. prior to todays. Colston wsa third, fifteen lengths behind Governor Gray and two lengths better than Mud sill, a besd in front of .lack Denman, which in turn was a length ahead of Round the World and she fifteen lengths better than Cob.nel lb fan. all tired. Though the favorite was beaten, a deafening roar. emphasised bj sbsrp shouts of exultation, went up from tiie thousands of t boats as Meridian carried the blue and while colors of Richard I. Carman to vie tory. Again there was cheering when Meridian and Governor Gray were returned to the judges, the former to receive the fioral wreath in recognition of his triumph. .Troxler, perhaps, made a mistake in keeping Governor Bray so far back in the early . stages of the join n.y. evidently supposing that Round the World would kill oil Meridian in the first tbrei quarters, but it is my opinion that the In st horse won and that Governor Cray could not have gow onl beau ami head with Meridian from the Marl and beaten him today. Meridian has demonstrated thai lie is a worthy son of his sire and farther honors an- In stare for him. fin Derby over, those who had trains to catch, begsa wending their way from the course, while oiiic tboi -amis remained to see the coin nlet ion of i lie card. lie -nil was low in the western sky when the last of them left tin- grounds. In their memories will long ii ti„. scenes of this, the great. -si of all the dsys o. racing in Old Kentucky. T. R. CROMWELL. Louisville. Ky.. May 13.— Cant. Jim Williams, while taking lie dcfesl of Governor Grsy in stoical fashion outwardly, was nevertheless considerably rankled and expressed his dissatisfaction to intimate friends about tin- bungling tide that Troxler gave hi horse. Iaotaii: Williams was tflit alone in his opinion, many conservstive horsemen believing that wi:h a better ride in- would have reversed the out-i taste. Mr. Cat man was much dated over the success of his candidate and gave Governor Gray credit for being a good rait, but he is steadfast in his opinion that Meridian can beat him at any distance and will do so regularly from now on. Rolla Colston was another of the owni s who had a starter in the race to blunder by putting up an Inferior rider, when he gsve ihe mount p. "Long shot" J. Cooley. His colt raced well, but was not good enough to beat the leading pair. The poor showing of Round the World came as no surprise to eluse observers, she retired after going I !a~! three -1111:11 lei ■, and it is clear that she has trained off. T. 11. Wiiliain-. president of the New California .lockey Club, was it; uli impressed by tin splendid turnout. He also 1,1. rveied at the expeditious manner in which the mntuel machine workers catered to the wants of the speculatively Inclined public and t lie prompt manner in which calculations wero made and tin- last manner in Which winners Were paid. I lie new- style of machines represented a creat Improvement over the former style and whatever doubt was ;it first felt as to their success was dis-pelled after the crowd began betting. Tin- take in the niulueis today established a tee onl. being much in excess over any previous opening day. The moving picture men were active dining lie running d the Derby and got reproductions of every incident preceding the running of the big event and tin contest from barrier rise to finish. Tic pictures will be exhibited all over the ciniutrv as soon a- finished. Mr. Kilto and Mr. Van Home, both of Toronto, and connected with tin- Ontario .lockey Club at Woodbine, arrived today to familiarize themselves with the workings of the inutuels and acquaint themselves witii conditions governing in all depart mcnis. Jin- Woodbine meeting will follow closely the lines of tile muluel system of betting in VOgUC her-. The sale of only five pools on each race by auction caused a bigger market to prevail on all the slart-ers. Tiie choices also brought a greater amount. Don Vnlenio. owned by R. J. Mackenzie, died this morning from congestion of ihe 11110. Jockey Graver Warren was suspended by the lartL fir tin- jest of tin- meeting for misbehavior at the pi st. Judge Charles Price, in speaking of the running ol the Derby, said: "It was a great race ami won by tin- best horse. Governor Cray suffered some in-terli reace, but not enough in my opinion to have changed the tesull." Cnpt. .lames Rees was anion- the visitors and was of the opinion that Governor Cray with a bet lor rider would have given the winner a greater argument. Aiioitt the largest deiegstiou from f%lrago thai has at tended a Kentucky Derby was present. George C. Dennett was among the visitors. He has scleral horses in training under Henri Mi Daniels nut*. M. .1. Shannon has been appelated assistant • paddock judge Dr. Leech. Rccau f fear that it would entail confusion, the machines thai were to have been put on for preliminary wagering on the Derby were not put in use. Manager Winn was highly elated over the gener-0U8 turnout end considered this gathering the largest that ever witnessed a Derby at the track. Jack Parkers sensational victory in the third race over Rock OBrien netted his backers handsomely. His own.r. v. .1. Pons, who arrived this morning from Jacksonville, did not fancy the horses chances, bui had a sympathy bet on bias. Wayne JopBa has sent the two-year-old W. r. Rtovall to the farm, as fie is satisfied the youngster will never make a successful racer. W. K. Stovall is a brother to the grest race horse Henais, which is now in the Stud in I- ranee. Trainer .lames Griffin i- greatli pleased with two reariings that J. s. McCnltough has nl his Illinois breeding farm, one i-. n Hippodrome coll nut of a sister to ora Bqllcy and Ihe other is a colt by Supei man. Among tin- work euis this atoning were the fallowing: Ada . Wall, u Mile in 1:45. Barn Dance rbree-quariera in 1:16. Beach Band Three-quarters in 1 1 P . Ronnie Kelso Mile in 1 :4".t. Campion three quarters in 1 :1b. Canopian — Mile in 1 : Iii. Carlton G. Mile in 1 :49. 1 la ■ Thri c-qnarters in 1 :19. ;•• x Three quarters in 1:17. Crystal Maid Half mile in 52. Dainty Dame Three-qnarten in Co Duval — Half mile in .V.. li . oe -Mile in 1 : It;. ! White Three quarters in 1:18. Chi oak -Half mile in :, . Hal. lent an Mile in i:r:;.. I ii ine three quarters in 1 MT1. Jeanne d* Arc— Half mile in 50 . Joe Morris Hall mile in .",1. Lad] Lightning live 1 Ightbs in 1 : m:. Mary Lee Johaaoa Half mile la 52|. Rogaa Three-quarters in 1 :lfi . 1: yal Captive Iive eighths in 1:05. Siulran Hail mile in 30§. Sister Florence Five-eightha in Loll. .Strike Cut Half mile in P.i-. Swish -Mile in 1 : It;. Walih — Three -quarters in 1:212.
