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AMERICAN COLT THAT WON THE DERBY. The year 18.K1 was rendered notable by the victory in tin- Derby of an American-bred colt, the animal to so distinguish himself being Iroquois, the property of Mr. Pierre I/orillanl. This particular year indeed was a great one from an American standpoint, for it was during that season that Foxhull, which also hailed from the land of Stars and Stripes, carried off the Cesarewiteh and Cambridgeshire for Mr. Ke.no. Foxhall was uiiques tionably "some" hors but he has already had an article to himself, ami it is now the turn of his idsssie compatriot. Iroquois was a brown colt by ljcnmiugtou out of a mare named Maggie B. B.. and first beheld the light of day not far from Philadelphia. Iroquois, with other of Mr. Lorillards budding thoroughbreds was sent across the Atlantic in 1879, and made his first acquaintance with an English track in the May of the following year at one of the Newmarket meetings. His reputation had preceded him. and he started favorite for his first race, which, moreover, he won easily. He failed to finish among the leading trio in ids next race, the Woodcote Stakes, among the runners for which was Voluptuary, which later in life won the Grand National. The American had no difficulty, however, in defeating his only opponent for a minor stake two days afterwards, but was among the "others" in the New Stakes at Ascot. Then in the July Stakes he got the worst of a fine tussle with Bal Gal. Lord Falmouths filly winning by a head, but in the same week he easily won the Chesterfield Stakes. Odds were laid on him for the Great Kingston Two-Year-OId Mate at Sandown Park, but once again he was unplaced. At Goodwood he won the Lavant Stakes, but met more than his match in Wandering Nun — belonging to the late member for Wimbledon — in the Findon Stakes. It was not expected that he would seriously trouble Bal Gal, which had been displaying great form, in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, in which he was unplaced; while he also ran poorly in the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket in the autumn. His final effort of the season was made in the Clear well Stakes at the Second October meeting, in which he again ran up against the almost invincible Bal Gal. It will thus be seen that Iroquois altogether ran a dozen times as a juvenile winning on four occasions. Iroquois opened his second season in the Two Thousand. He was in anything but good condition, and it was not astonishing in the circumstances that 50 to 1 was offered against him. What was astonishing was the bold bid which he made for victory, the only animal to finish in front of him being Peregrine, which had not run previously. Peregrine subsequently became a warm favorite for the Derby. Among those who favored the chance of Iroquois, however, was Fred Archer, who had ridden a horse belonging to Lord Falmouth, known as Golden Plover, in the first of the classic races. The famous jockey, indeed, went so far as to ask Pincils, who trained Iroquois, to let him have the mount at Epsom, and not unnaturally the request was readily granted. A victory in the Newmarket Stakes, in which he was opposed only by Lennoxlove, was followed by a "walk-over" for the Burwell Plate. Then came Epsom, by which time Iroquois had improved considerably and had developed into a pronounced fancy, though Peregrine maintained his position at the head of the market right to the end. Just the barest shade of odds were obtainable by friends of the Two Thousand hero. Iroquois being second in request at 11 to 2 against. It may here be noted that America supplied two other candidates in Don Fulano and Marshal Macdonald, both of which carried the colors of Mr. Keene. The contest attracted numerous Americans to Epsom, though Mr. Lorillard was not of their nnm-l er. The race itself does not require much notice. Peregrine had been lying handy during most of the journey, and eventually joined the leading band, but when asked for a greater effort he swerved. This gave Iroquois his opportunity and he drew up on the inside. A furlong from home the issue rested with the two favorites; but it was soon decided. Once Iroquois gained the lead he refused to be deprived of it. and passed the winning post a half length ahead of the favorite. Lord Rose-berys Town Moor being third, two lengths away. The victory created great satisfaction in America, there being rare jubilation in Wall street. Much of the credit for the victory went to Archer, who had ridden one of his best races. In which connection an amusing story was going the rounds at the time. On the day following the race the successful jockey happened to be in the weighing room enclosure when an enthusiastic American whom Archer had never seen in his life addressed him thusly: "Look. here, Mr. Archer; if you will come over to the States with me and allow "yourself to be exhibited for two months you can have ten thousand pounds before you start." Archer, however, stayed in England. At Ascot Iroquois won both the Prince of Wales Stakes and the St. James Palace Stakes, though in the latter he only beat Leon, to which the opposition was confined, by a neck. He was not seen out ag::in until the St. Leger, for which he started favorite at 2 to 1 against. This he won by a length from Geologist, with Lucy Hitters third, among those in the rear being his old opponent, Bal ial. A -couple of months later he took part in the Champion Stakes, in which the Derby winner of the previous year. Bend Or, also compd.d. Odds were laid on the four-year-old, which won by three-quarters of a length from Scobell, Iroquois filling third place. With a victory over Ishmael and a couple of others in the Newmarket Derby, the racing career of Iroquois came to a close. Subsequently he returned to the land of his birth and entered upon stud life. If he achieved nothing sensational in his new sphere he was anything but a failure. — "J. F. P.," in London Sporting Life.
