When Uncle Bob Won the Derby, Daily Racing Form, 1913-11-23

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WHEN UNCLE BOB WON THE DERBY. No class of siiort has ever been more popular any countrv with the general public than has been the different kinds of horse racing. Aside from millions of dollars it brings into the country from the sale of good horses, enhancing the value of farm lands bv the equipment of-up-to-date stock farms, anil giving employment to a multitude of working people all over the country, lis a siwrt and recreation it holds first place in the hearts of the people. person who has not thrilled with excitement at witnessing a bunch of thoroughbred horses battle for supremacy down the homestretch, as head and head, stride for stride, they come on, valiantly contesting everv Inch of ground, has missed some of the jovsof life. and. while watehin" would not become enthused, has something missing in his make-up and shows a lack of capacltv to enjoy one of most pleasant, sweet and joyous things of world that makes life wortli living. No one who attended a popular race course on a big day ever forget, and doesnt want to forget, the occasion, treasuring it up in the memory as a delightful, happy experience to be told and retold to the children and grandchildren of the day when some famous horse won the Derby. The employees that for and work with the horses are just as loyal iii in eIl the be !1U ,m on The f ,," !l ni oi real ,! the 11, 1,1 this U has 1 can aU , 1 Id is caro iro and nil sentimental alxnit the horses under their charge. The dav that Uncle Bob won the American Derby of 1S!0, a"t Washington Park, Chicago, the news was immediately telegraohed to Nashville, Tcnn.. to the beautiful Belle .Meade stock farm, where the colt was bred and raised, owned at that time by General Jackson. Uncle Bob, General Jacksons old colored head stud groom, for whom the horse was named, soon learned that his namesake had won the big race at Chicago. He at once had the great dinner bell rung in the negro quarters, sent out messengers and soon had all of the negroes assembled on the plantation. Then Uncle Bob made them a speech. lie. told them that one of his "chillun" had gone up to that big citv, Chicago, and won the great Derby: beat the New York Wall street mens horses, beat the Chicago Board of Trade mens horses, beat the horses ot all the rich northern white folks. Then they had a jollification, the like of which they had not seen since "befo de war." It was the same sporting spirit that prompted a prominent Kentucky breeder to have posted up at his gate at the entrance to his stock farm, the following: "No liook agents, sewing machine agents, peddlers or solicitors allowed on this farm. Nothing required or wanted but a good race horse." The malefactor on the turf is certain to get caught and receive punishment. The judges 011 the running tracks ere sharp, shrewd, conscientious men that wilt frown on anything that has even the appearance of evil. It has been the custom among some professional men to sneer and speak slightingly of a judge "at a race track, and imagined that it required no special ability to satisfactorily till such a position. They forget or arc unaware that thousands of dollars per day depends upon the decisions of any judge upon a first-class race track, and there Is scarcely ever a murmur as to the justness or fairness of a decision. Take them all in all, they will compare favorably as to ability, independent integrity, watchfulness and absolute fairness of decision with the Judges on the licnch in any minor court hi the land, and the money value that follows such decisions far exceeds that that follows the dicisions of most of the civil Judges. C. E. Brossman in Cincinnati Enquirer.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1913112301/drf1913112301_3_7
Local Identifier: drf1913112301_3_7
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800