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j : ; ; I ; ; I CAREER IN RACING OF LAST YEARS SENSATIONAL KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER - Early in the present century Edward Corrigan was inspired with the idea that he would like to try a bit of racing in England. Being at that time in a highly prosperous state financially, the inspiration was put into practical operation. Taking David Waldos two sons, "Jed" and "Willie," as riders and a band of bis horses, he sailed across the big water and bad the experience he sought. Of his racing fortunes abroad this article has nothing to do. But one result of his visit was of decided importance to the breeding interests of this country. While in England he acquired ownership of a number of horses whicli he brought io this country when he returned. Among them were the stallions McUee, Marta Santa and Seintillaut II. Ail three of these raced successfully for bini in this country before being retired to the stud, where McGee and Marta Santa have been signally successful. Seintillaut II. has not as yet acquired fame as a sire, but he was a grand race horse in England as well as in the United States and may presently reproduce his speed in his sons and daughters. McGee was an extremely fast horse and while on the turf made new records over several tracks. He has sired many winners and last year gained an accession of honor when bis son, Donerail, won the fastest Kentucky Derby ever run at its present distance. When Donerail was a two-year-old he did not rank high, winning two races out of ten attempts and being entirely overshadowed by such stars as Helios and Hawthorn, to say nothing of lesser lights of horsc-doni. He was not raced early in the year and made his lirst start in a purse race at the Lexington fall meeting. September 9, 1912, at live and a half furlongs. This he won in such moderate time as 1:09 over a fast track, with Prince Dermis second and Jacob liunn third, each carrying 112 pounds and seven others finishing behind them. Then he was beaten six times before again winning a race, but was placed in three oi them. He was unplaced to Hawthorn. Floral Park and Star of Vanillic at Douglas Park, Septemlter 111; unplaced to Gowell, Itcnanct and Smoke House in the P.eechiuont Slakes. September 21. and unplaced to Nobby, Stockel and Yoikville October 5. All of these races were at Douglas Park. October 10 he did better when he ran third to Gowell and Nobby in the Golden Hod Stakes at Churchill Downs. This race was at three-quarters and Gowell won by a nock in 1:1:5, while Nobby only beat Donerail by a half length. Star of DamilK and four more were behind him. His next start was in the Hosedale Stakes, at Latonia, tober 23, over a heavy track. Gowell won by eight lengths and Star of Danube heat Donerail by a neck for second place. Rille Brigade, Tyree and Sprightly Miss ran unplaced. October 2S, in a purse race at three-quarters, be ran third to Al Bloch and Luther in 1:14 and three days later ran a really good race when at a mile in 1:40 he won front Prince Dermis. Eleusis and seven more. It thus befel that Prince Dermis was his victim in the only two races tie won when a two-year-old. In his next two races ln was unplaced anil went into winter quarters with anything but the reputation of being a prospective Kentucky Derby winner. But you cannot always tell in horse racing. If one could the sport, would be lobbed of its glorious uncertainty," without which it would not exist. Over in England last year they bad a case akin to Donerails when Col. W. Hall AValkers unconsidered 50 to 1 outsider, Night Hawk, not only won the Doucasler St. Leger, but also won it in the fastest time on record for that great race. There is this difference in Donerails favor, that he won races after the Kentucky Derby, while the St. Leger was Niglu Hawks only victory as a three-year-old. That Donerail was such a rank outsider in the betting when he won the Kentucky Derby was due in part to some unpromising racing he did at Lexington prior to the New Louisville Jockey Clubs meeting. There his lirst start was in the Phoenix Hotel Spring Handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth over a heavy track. That much was not expected of him was indicated by the fact that he was the outsider in the betting of the four which contested the race and at its finish lie was last. Flora Fina winning, with Any Port second and the favorite, Princess Callaway, third. The time was 1:49 and he was more than ten lengths behind the winner. His next race was decidedly better, although he was beaten. This was in the Blue Grass Stakes, at a mile and an eighth, May 3. The track was fast that day and the starters were Foundation. Donerail and Lord Marshall, with 122 pounds each, and Gowell carrying 117. Foundation was a 1 to 4 favorite and won like one. He set an extremely fast pace all the way and, running the tirst mile in 1:3S and the distance in 1:."1. won by live lengths. Donerail raced in closest pursuit all the way and beat Gowell by a length and n half for second money. As racing judgment goes this race seemed to indicate that Fouiulatkn must inevitably defeat Donerail in the Kentucky Derby. However, bis own race had leen sufficiently good to make him the favorite for the Camden Handicap, at a mile and a quarter, when that event came no for decision on May it. The starters were I"ora Fina. 103 pounds; Manager Mack. 107; Gowell. 103: Any Port, 10S: Donerail. 103, and Lord Marshall, 105V-. and that was the order of the finish, Flora Fina winning in 2:0."; by a nose from Manager Mack, with Gowe.l third, three lengths back. Donerail was beaten live and a half lengths and so did not run an especially bad race, but at no time did he threaten to become the winner. Thus it came about as the result of these somewhat contradictory Lexington races that when, on May 10. Donerail went to the post for the Kentucky Derby, before a vast assemblage of deeply interested spectators, there were few indeed who had the temerity t: back linn at even weighths to beat, such formidable opponents as Ten Point. Foundation, Gowell and Yankee Notions. Yet he did. Ten Point was the favorite at t! to 5, Foundation second choice at 23 to 50 and Yankee Notions third choice at 49 to 10. while Donerails chances were so lightly esteemed that his mutuel tickets paid at the rate of 1.45 to . Whatever he may have done before anil after the big race there is no gainsaying the fact that he was a nailing good colt that day and won the Derby on his merits. lie was not in any way favored in the running and, while Ten Point was out in front making the pace fast, raced in sixth place to the last turn, from where he came on with a space-devouring rush and, passing the leaders one by one, challenged Ten Point in the; last sixteenth and won by a half length in 2:04, a record for the race and a new record for the track. Gowell ran a superior race and was a good third, only beaten two lengths. Donerails next start was in the Frontier Handicap of a mile and an eighth at Windsor. July 10, for which he was given 110 pounds and ran next to last, First Sight, 504 pounds, winning in 1:51, with Hamilton, 100. second, and Buskin, 112. third. July 23 he did better in the Windsor Special, at the same dist-Mice. The four starters were First Sight, 113 annuls; Donerail, 10S: Bamegat, 104, and Buskin, 110. P.uskin was the post favorite at 9 to 10, but First Sight, won by a half length, with Donerail second a head before Barnegat. Time 1:52. In a purse race at Hamilton, July 30, at seven-eighths of a mile, there was i great finish of heads, necks and noses between four horses, in which Cliff Edge, with 10S pounds, was lirst; Mediator, 95, second; Donerail, 111, third, and Plate Glass. 122, fourth. Time 1:20. At the same track, August I, he won a purse for three-year-olds at a mile and an eighth in 1:52 and, having only Cogs, Fountain Fay and Plate Glass to contend with, was a 1 to 10 favorite and won by six lengths from Cogs, both carrying 110 pounds. In the Dominion Handicap of a mile and a quarter, at Fort Erie, August 0. he ran an excellent race. The starters, weights and order of the finish were. Flora Fina. 102 pounds; Donerail. 10S: Flabbergast. 107; Hamilton. 110; First Sight. 112; Jenny Geddes. 97; Locliiel. 102. and John Furlong, 101. The race was run in such fast time as 2:01 and Flora Fina won from Donerail by a length and a half, while he defeated Flabbergast for second money by three-quarters of a length. In tills race he came oose to reproducing his Kentucky Derby form, but in his next attempt finished last to Buckhorn, Flabbergast and Samuel R. Meyer in a four-horse race. This was in a purse race or a mile and a sixteenth, at the same track, August 9. in slow going. August 13 he reversed his tactics and. with 109 pounds tip, won l lie Canadian Sportsman Handicap of a mile and a sixteenth in 1:45. but only won by a neck from the five-vear old Mediator, which was only carrying 100 pounds. Loehiel. 103 pounds, was third, live lengths back, and the other starters were Calgary, 103 pounds; Flabbergast, 107, and Clubs, 94. This was his last success of the vear. He was unplaced in each of his next three races and ran imoiiv. His last start of the vear was at Douglas Park. October 4. in a purse race at a utile and a sixteenth, in whicli, carrying 10S pounds, he ran a good third to Semprile, 9S pounds, and The Widow Moon, 101, in 1:45. Then he was sent into retirement with the following record and pedigree: Year. Ace. Sts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. Won. 1912 - 1 - O 3 5 ,035 1913 1"" 3 2 7 S.5SS Totals 2 25 r, 3 r, 12 ,023 fSir Hug, j Wisdom An;hoo,ic f White Knight. J I Manoeuvre j Lord Clifden 1 j Quick March I Wen-lock j Lord Clifden t 1 wi.HoiAni- " hiteloclv J , Mineral rSIofjeo J White Heather... . Blair Athol " 1 t May Bell J Touchstone Newminstcr o I riTermP ,,, r""! J j Bees-wing . S t, J I Seclusion J Tadmor S Remorse ,-. -j Miss Sellon s f Vedette 5 Voltigeur S "3 j 1 FIving Duchess.... i The Fly.Dutchman -2 Merope R 5 Virgil j Vandal r. , " Hindoo, f j Hymenia ?. f Hanover J Florence j Lexington j A eatherwitch o "-Bourbon I , i, n j Bonnie Scotland. .. i Iago 5 Belle ! f Queen Mary LAlgie M j I Klla D j Vanal Falcon , i Bonnie Scotland... j Tago Kronihle , Q,iCen Mary Ijohnetta J IvJ" Leaf J Australian j Baytlower v-GUitueau iGuildeau j 5 Bal,inlcel Asteroid Schottische Orphan Girl J Muggins Mare by Wagner
