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FAMOUS ROBERT WADDELL ; "Pa" Bradleys American Derby Winner Was Popular Racer. Custom of Bradley to Begin Season at Bcn-I ning Robert Waudclls Debut at Aqueduct Track. - ! . American Derby winners were always for"a time greatly admired by Chicago patrons of racing, but from Modesty in 1SS4, down to Highball in 1904, none of them possessed quite the measure of popularity awarded to Robert Waddell. His breeder-and owner, "Pa" Bradley, was an eccentric in some ways, but his horse generally had a loyal following here. It was his custom for a number of years to begin his annual racing campaigns at "Washington and from thence go on to Pimlico and Aqueduct. From the latter track he would come to Chicago and remain through the local season. He had a farm at "Wilcox Landing, on the James River, Virginia, and most of the horses he raced here were bred there. As far back as 1S91, he was out here with the good colt," Blitzen, a colt whose exploits were such as to earn for him the appellation of "The Iron Horse." The fact was that any horse that endured "Pa" Bradleys rigorous training and racing methods was justly entitled to the same sobriquet. Robert Wad-dell was a son of Aloha, which horse was himself long a Chicago favorite and a capital race horse of high breeding, which made his start in racing at the old "West Side track, afterwards called Garfield Park. Judging by the racing of Robert "Waddell, Peter Paul and others of his prcgeny, he would have made a great name for himself as a sire had he been located in the blue grass region of Kentucky instead of being buried in the comparative obscurity of Bradleys farm. DEBUT AT AQUEDUCT. Robert "Waddell only raced two years, but what he did in that space of time was a plenty. Departing from the usual Bradley practice, he was not introduced to racing at Benning, but was reserved untii the Aqueduct meeting came on.. There, on April 20, 1900, he made his first bow to the public when he ran third to Glenwood and Gracious at four and a half furlongs in 57. Before he was sent into winter quarters he had started in thirty-three more races, of which he only won seven and altogether did not seem to present the credentials of a future American Derby winner. Robert ran three times at Aqueduct without winning and then was brought to Chicago. Here he ran in thirteen races before he finally scored a win, but in these defeats was frequently second or third. His first victory was in a five-eighths of a mile dash over a heavy track at Harlem, October 22, in which he defeated Quarterback, Krewcr and seven others, one of which, Guy IT., actually finished first by a nose, but was disqualified for fouling him. Time, 1:05. He won again the next day at a mile, for all ages, ran the distance in lzUYs and defeated Al Brown, "Wall, Norford, Nona B. and Hurry. Al Brown was at 9 to 10, nut Robert defeated him easily by three lengths. The track was slow. October 2, he kept up his winning streak by finishing first, at a mile for two-year-olds, in doing which he defeated Tyr, Benckart, Wall and Fancywocd in 1:40 on a fast track. In his next race he was beaten at a mile and a sixteenth in a race for all ages by the three-year-olds, The Unknown and Obnet, in 1:50 over a muddy track, but ran a good race in finishing third. October 31 he won from Benckart, Al Brown, Fancywood and Hampshire, at five and a half furlongs in 1:11, the going being quite heavy. November 3, at Lakeside, The Unknown defeated him by a nose in a mile dash in 1:43, Scarlet Lily finishing third; but two days later he won at three-quarters and defeated Possart, Fancywood and four others in 1:15. That was his last victory in Chicago that year, but he won two races at "Washington later on. The first cf these was ; at five and a half furlongs, November 21, and in this he defeated the 3 to 5 favorite, Mc-Addie, Isla, Spark and Ruth Park in 1:09. His other success there was achieved December 1, in a dash of three-quarters, in ! which he defeated Pigeon Post, Moor, Ama-rita, . Rabunta, Ginki and Snark. In his last : three races there he was unplaced. BACKED PERSISTENTLY. "When the American Derby nominations . were published early in 1901, it was found that Robert Waddell was one of the nominees. At that time future books on the big race were common. Those making them did not think well of his chances and laid 100 to 1 against him. For some reason not apparent in his record the brown gelding developed a remarkable array of admirers on the part of local moderate bettors. There were other horses in the race at 100 to 1 or more, for which no support was forthcoming, but Robert was persistently backed 1 for small amounts, day after day, so that : when it came about that he won gloriously - there was frantic rejoicing in which the makers of the future book had no part. . There were cases of men not given to heavy . betting winning really surprising sums. That t year Robert began his racing at Benning, March 30, in a sprint of five and a half furlongs, in which he Avas second to the fast h old-timer, Lexington Pirate, in 1 :10. April 1 he won at six and a half furlongs, his only opponent. Kid Cox, breaking down in the race. The next day he won from Moor, Presgrave and three more, at three-quarters, in 1:16, and on April 5 defeated Moor and Nitrate, at the same distance, in 1:10. Then, on April 9, he won again, at the same distance. In 1:17, from Magic Light, Nitrate and four others. And as he Avon his Chicago partisans slipped over to the future books and made .investments, while the bookmakers began to take a reef in his prices. On April 12 The Rhymer put a stop to his victorious career by defeating him at the same distance in 1:15 , which was fast time for that slow track. That Avas his last race at the Washington spring meeting and he Avas taken north to Aqueduct to essay his first stake race, in an effort to capture the Carter Handicap. This he failed to do, but raced Avell enough to finish second to the four-year-old filly, Motley. He had up 99 pounds to her 106, and Pupil, the third horse, also carried 10G. Among the horses running unplaced Avas the American Derby Avinner of the year before, Sidney Lucas, as Avell as his Washington conqueror, The Rhymer. The seven- ; ; ! . : . 1 : - . . t h eighths of his race Avas run in 1 :2S over a sIoav track. This Avas an auspicious entry into select company and gaA-e some glimpse at the fact that the Robert Waddell of 1901 Avas not exactly the Robert Waddell of 1900. The Carter Avas run April 15 and five days later he Avon the Aiwerne Stakes, at the same distance in 1:28, defeating Outlander, Sadie S., .All Green and In Shot. April 16 King Bramble beat him by a head at three-quarters over a heaAy track in 1 :16, but tAvo days later, on a fast track at seven-eighths, he Avon from Janice, Speedmas and four others in 1 :2S, giving much Aveight co eA-ery other horse. Then he set sail for Chicago. WINS MATCH RACE. His first start of the year here Avas in the Worth Stakes, at Worth, May 2. In this eAent ho ran second to The Conqueror II., Avith Louisville third and six more unplaced. Listance one and a sixteenth miles and time 1:48. May 11 he Avon at a mile from the fiAe-year-olds, Espionage, Andes and Crosby, in 1 :42, and three days later Avon at a mile and an eighth in 1:52 from Ohnet, Ben Chance, Andes and Frangible. Next, in a special race that amounted to a match, at a mile, he took up 112 pounds to 102 on Hardy Durhams Operator and Avon by half a length in 1:41. May 18, in the Piper Handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth, he Avas giA-en 110 pounds and ran third to the four-year-old Caviar, 113, and Louisville, 104 ; the faAorite, Advance Guard, 120, running fourth. The time Avas fast, 1:46. May 25 he Avon a five-eighths sprint in 1:02 from Money Muss, Boney Boy and Light Ball. These races Avere all at Worth. His next start AA-as in the Flight Stakes of three-quarters of a mile at HaAvthorne, May 30. In this he ran unplaced to Silverdale, Bessie Macken and Money Muss, in 1 :13, and to make matters Avorse, also ran unplaced in his next three races. All took place at HaAvthorne, the last being run June 7. The American Derby Avas to be run June 22 and in the interim all sorts of rumcrs Avere afloat as to what Bradley Avas doing Avith Robert Waddell, most of the reports being unfaAorable to the horse arid his oAvners method of preparing him for the great race. AS EASY WINNER. The answer came Avhen it Avas run. The Tarader, Bonnibert and Sadie S. had come on from the east to run and The Parader Avas the faA?orite at 3 to 1. The starters and Aveights AA-ere Robert Waddell, 119 pounds; Terminus, 122 ; The Parader, 127; Bonnibert, 127 ; His Eminence, 127 ; San-nazarro, 122; Sadie S., 117 ; Beau Gallant, 122; Sih-erdale, 127, arid Six Shooter, 115. Robert Waddell Avas ridden by John Bull-man, then in his prime and a first-class jockey, and Avent to the post at 12 to 1. He Avas off Avell and made the early running, but, soon being passed by The Parader, was saAed in second place under a steadying pull. The Parader led at a fast pace until beginning the last eighth, Avhere Bullman relaxed his pull on Robert Waddell and in a jiffy the latter passed The Parader, and, draAving out clear, Avon, gallantly by a. length and a half. In the meantime the Tennessee colt, Terminus, came through the home stretch Avith the speed of an express train and, also passing The Parader, captured tlie 53,000 falling to the second horse. The Parader finished third. The race Avas run in 2 :33, the fastest preAious Derby time being 2:36. The HaAvthorne, Worth and Harlem contingents rent the air Avith uncouth noises denoting exultation and bets landed on the Bradley horse, AAhile the eastern folks Avere much cast doAvn oAer The Paraders defeat. HoweAer, they had some consolation Avhen the latter Avent back to NeAV York and, in Avinning the LaAvrence Realization, defeated the mighty Commando. Not overlooking anything Avorth picking up, Bradley started his Derby Avin-ner in a purse race at three-quarters three days after the big race and Avon, it in 1:14 from Yellow Tail, Gold Or and three mores June 29 he took up 115 pounds and did a great thing Avhen he Avon the Oakwood Handicap, at a mile and an eighth in 1 :52, Avith The Conqueror II., 110 pounds, second ; Advance Guard, 121, third, and such stars unplaced as Lady Elite, 95 ; Vesuvian, 117 ; Mr. Brown, 113 ; Gonfalon, 114 ; Eddie Jones, 120, and Martimas, 117. July 4 he added the Sheridan Stakes to his spoils and, carry-. ing 126 pounds, Avon from Six Shooter, 115 pounds ; Terminus, 125 ; His Eminence, 127 ; Brutal, 119, and Jiminez, 122. The track Avas heay that day and the mile and a quarter of the race Avas coAered in 2 :12. Given 122 pounds in the Great Western Handicap, at a mile and a half, it proved too much for him and he finished unplaced to Advance Guard, 122; Terminus, 108, and Star Cham-. ber, 109, in 2:35. July 9 the fast colt Jim-, inez, carrying 114 pounds to his 124, de-, feated him by a length in the Drexel Stakes. at a mile in 1 :41. Terminus, 119, ran third and. the unplaced ones Avere Admonition, 107 ; Rolling Boer, 110; W. J. Deboe, 110, and Operator, 110. He then ran unplaced to Ter-. minus, Vesuvian and John Bright in the Young Handicap and Avas undoubtedly be-. coming stale from too much racing. This race brought his remarkable campaign at Washington Park to a close. In his after career he did not do much, Avinning two purse races at HaAvthorne only, but nothing could detract from the brilliancy of his triumphs OAer proA-ed high-class races at Washington Park Avhen at his best. His record follows : Year. Age.Sts. lst.2na.3rJ.Unp. Won. 1900 2 34 7 0 5 13 ? 2.951 1901 3 SO 13 3 3 0 33,300 Totals 2 04 20 17 S 39 G,251
