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ONE GREAT HORSE OF OTHER DAYS Story of Proctor Knott, the Superb Racer, Which Brought Sam Bryant Fame and Fortune. In a business sense a Rood race horse well engaged is a gilt -edged investment. To an owner of moderate means the possession of such a horse results in a speedily acquired competence. The ease of 1ructor Knott is in point. Sam Bryant had owned various horses prior to acquiring Iroctor and had enjoyed the pleasures attending on winning races aud the disappointment following defeat, hut never before had he iKtssessed a racing jewel of the first order. Iroctor Knott made the eccentric, good hcurted Keutuckian a rich man in two years of running and was a racer to rejoice in. He was a big chestnut gelding by Luke Blackburn — Talla-|mmis,i and a worthy son of that most famous son of Connie Nc-otland. As the winner of the first Futurity his uame is familiar to ail who are versed iu the afTairs of the track ami it is doubtful if tlicr.- was ever a more popular horse with the horse-loving Kentuckiaiis. To them it seemed a disaster of national importance when Kpoknne defeated him in the Kentucky Derby of 1*8J». Proctor Knott ran his first race in the West Side Stakes at Nashville. April 30, 1SS8. The track was slow, the distance five--eighths, and Proctor vw in 1:03*4. cantering, with Fan King second and Utterly third. Fan King was the favorite and in sulise iueiit years was a noted sprinter. Liberty was a fine Leonatus colt that afterwards won several important stakes. Madstoue, afterwards a crjck racer over New York tracks, was unplaced. Proctors next start was in the Alexander Stakes at Iiouisville: distance, five-eighths, track heavy. This lie won by eight lengths with Once Again second and Liberty third. Among the unplaced ones were thanipague Charley, which subsequently, that year, won ten races for W. P. Maxwell and was a fine colt. The time was l:04 i. After these two victories he was beaten three times straight. In tin* Kiinnyincde Stakes at the same meeting, distance three-quarters of a mile, he ran unplaced to The Lioness. Chamnugue Charley and Outlioiinil. He was the favorite and ran fourth. In the Harold Stakes at Litonia. he was again unplaced. Once Again winning with Gymnast second and Hindoo-craft third. In these two races he was suffering from a temporary indisposition and a few days later showed* he was regaining his true form when lie ran second to Kasson iu the Sensation Stakes. Kasson carried 103 pounds to his 118. and beat him a length in l:lfi"for the thri*e-quarters of the race. His stahlcmatc Come to Taw, which could run a bit himself, was third. That was his last defeat when a two-year-old. CABBIES OFF JTJNIOB CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES. From Latonia he was brought to Chicago and at Washington Park. Juue 9. won the Kenwood Stakes at five-eighths over a heavy track in liOfii. with Bootmaker second aud Monsoon third. Heron, Once Agaiu and Caliente. all ,ood ones, were in the unplaced division. Then Bryant took him east to fly for high game. He was given plenty of time to iM-come acclimated and was not started until August 11 at Monmouth Park. Here he made his eastern debut in the rich Junior Champion Stakes. Dwyer Brothers Oregon was the favorite at 2 1-2 to 1 ;;nrt Proctor Knott was at 10 to 1 in the betting. Pike llarnes rode him and. taking the lead on the stretch turn, the westerner won by three lengths, running the three-quarters in 1:14 and enriching his owner to the tune of 0,785. The unnamed Sensation — Faverdale colt was second and Fresno third. All carried ll." pounds with the usual sex allowances and the unplaced ones wen* Salvator, Diablo. Oregon, Caliente. Eric. Lady Marguerite, Tli»staff, Tom Ochiltree — Cyclone colt. Sorrento, Verdeur and UejHirter. Xo better field of youngsters ever started in this, country, nearly every one here beaten figuring afterwards as winners of imiHirtaut stakes. At Saratoga. August 2."i, he defeated Seymour, tlipsy Jnceu and Vendetta in the Equity Stakes at three-quarters of a mile, cantering all the way in 1:0%. This was by way of preparation for taking part iu the first running of the Futurity, in which he made his next and last start of tin- year. Naturally the institution of such a rich event had engaged the attention of horsemen all over the country. Here iu Chicago the fast colt tialeu had a great following and there is no doubt he would have won with a good rider up. He had won the Quickstep Stakes at Washington Park and was given a special preparation for the Futurity at that track. The then secretary of the Washington Park Club. Johu Brewster, took the greatest interest in his training. His trials wen- of the most sensational order and Mr. Brewster strongly advis?d sending the colt east in a special car by express and the employment of a crack jockey. But "Incle Jim" tlray distrusted other riders than his own. Enoch Turner, and stubbornly despising shrewd advice. took his colt east in a freight car over the rough Baltimore A Ohio road witli the result that he was in a high fever and had to be given a steam hath the night before the race. Inder such disadvantages Galen darted into the lead at the start and set the iiaee to and into the straight stretch, seeming all over the winner. But Turner became rattled and senselessly took the colt diagonally across the track and lost all of four lengths by doing so, the result lteing that in a des|ierate drive on the inside. Proctor Knott got up and boat Salvator by n half length with Galen a close third on the extreme outside. If ever a race was thrown away by lack of judgment. Jim Gray threw the first Futurity away and thereby gave Sam Bryant the 0.!KK that went to the winner of the great race. The starters were: Iroctor Knott. 112: Salvator, 108: «;a!en. 115; Senorita. 109; Ladv Pulsifer, 105; Eric. 115: Auricoma. 112: Forest King. 108; Prints* Howling. 114: Tipstaff, 115: Philander. 108; The Lioness. 115; Limbo, 108 and Village Maid, 105. Iroctor Knott was the favorite and the race was run iu 1:15 4. MET HIS WATERLOO IK KENTUCKY DERBY. Proctor Knott started his three-year-old career by running second to his stable mate Come to Taw. in the Two Thousand Stakes at Nashville, being pulled up to allow the latter to win. Then he met his Waterloo in the Kentucky Derby. The starters were Spokane, Proctor Knott. Once Again. Hiudoocraft. Calssius. Sjiortsaian. Outbound and Bootmaker. In the minds of his ardent admirers Proctor Knott was practically invincible and he was sent to the |»ost at 1 to : favorite. Pike Barnes was his rider. Tom Kiley rode Sjtokanc. Isaac-Murphy was on Once Agaiu and Fred Taral on Cas-sius. so famous riders were as much iu evidence ii* famous horses. Proctor took the lead at once and led at a killing pace for a mile and a quarter, but at the head of the stretch Spokane challenged and at the end of a tremendous drive to the finish, won by a short head amid indescribable excitement. The Derby was then a dash of a mile and a half and in running it in 2:34V;.. Spokane cut the record of the race down two and one-half seconds. The two mighty rivals met again in the Clark Stakes five days later and. not believing in the correctness of the Derby winning. Proctor, collided with Come to Taw. was backed into 1 to 2 favoritism, but this time S|Mikaue settled all doubts bv winning decisively by three lengths. The distauee was a mile aud ii quarter; the race was run over a heavv track, aud the time was 2:12.. At Latonia Proctor Knott ran third in the Ilim-yar Stakes, won by his stable mate Come to Taw, and w;:s then brought to Chicago to run in the American Derby. He set the pace for a mile and a quarter, then shortened his stride and finallv brought up unplac-ed to Spokane, Sorrento and Be*-trieve. In the Sheridan Stakes he at last had his revenge on his thrice conqueror. Spokane was the favorite at 6 to 5. but the Kentuckiaiis backed Proctor Knott loyally and recouped some of their previous losses. He carried 115 pounds to J25 on Kmfcane and taking the lead at the fall of the flag, was never headed and won by two lengths, with Spokane second and Retrieve third. He won but one more race that year and that was a purse at Morris Park. His really great career practically tlniinated with his defeat of Spokane ill the Sheridan Stakes. He fell lame and was only started once as a four year old and ran unplaced. Careful handling brought him around in a measure so mat when a five-year-old he ran fairly well and won several races, but none of great importance. In all his racing record was as follows: Jjgf- Sts. 1st. 2d. 3d. Unp. Won. J"** • « i o 2 .7.»s»o *ss» » 2 4 1 2 9.500 1800 1 0 0 II 1 l**! 7 3 1 | y • H.S60 Totals 28 11 a 4 5 30
