Noted Racer of Thirty Years Ago, Daily Racing Form, 1921-10-25

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NOTED RACER OF THIRTY YEARS AGO Libertine, bred in 1S91, by Leonatus Falaise, was one of the best race horses of his day, yet he had the misfortune to meet with one of the most peculiar accidents that ever befell a green two-year-old. He started at the St. Louis Fair Grounds in a stake race, his first start; he had been working well and Matt Dunn had him fit and ready. Just as thu horses were going to the post it commenced to rain and for a while it rained so hard that one could scarcely see across the track. Rain fell in torrents. In those days they started by dropping the flag and had no barrier. Amidst the confusion occasioned by the downpour the jockey on Libertine thought the starters flag went down and it was a go, so away he went and raced the colt through the driving rain all by himself .the entire distance and did not know that it was no start until he had pulled up at the stand, when the judges sent him galloping back to the post to start over again. When they were finally off Libertine raced gamely and well; the first three horses were right together at the finish, but Libertine was third, beaten a half length. That was an extremely strenuous performance for a two-year-old in its first race, but he trained on, and the next year, 1894, secured the record for that day, one mile in 1:38. He won during his career on the turf forty-six races and over 0,000, aud ultimately became a successful sire.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1921102501/drf1921102501_10_3
Local Identifier: drf1921102501_10_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800