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jm,., ™fe» JM CLYDE VAN DUSEN WINS — V s £ THE WINNER! * : * y W Son of Man o War Victorious in the Kentucky Derby • Naishapur and Panchio Finish Second and Third, Respectively — Blue Larkspur, the Favorite, in Fourth Place — Race Run in Rain and Mud ■ • LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 18. — Through a driving rain and over a track that was flooded from rail to rail, Herbert P. Gardners Clyde Van Dusen splashed home the winner of the fifty-fifth Kentucky Derby. Two lengths oack of him Chaffee Earls Naishapur, closing with a mighty rush, was second, and he was three lengths before W. T. Waggoners Panchio, which had just nosed out Edward R. Bradleys Blue LarEspur, the popular favorite. The race had a net value of 3,590 to the winner LOUISVILLE. Ky., May 18. j As has been the usual custom, the crowds gathered early for the opening of the gates. As early as 7 oclock in the morning several hundred had braved the rain and were crowded about the entrances awaiting the opening of the gates. There had been a steady downpour all through the early morn- ing hours, but this did not deter the faithful i to whom the Derby is an institution that no stress of weather could lessen the appeal. 1 Every provision had been made for the big-■ gest racing day of the year. Colonel Winn ! had added still more to the accommodations, • and hours before noon every available inch ; of parking space for many blocks from the course had been taken by automobiles, J while those who had motored to the course 1 plodded through the rain to one or other of the various entrances. And the windows for early speculation on the Derby were opened at 10 oclock with a ready demand for that convenience. Before the horses had been called to the post for the first rate, ! the speculation on the classic had been tremendously heavy and there from the opening of the additional selling windows, there was .steady stream of those speculatively inclined. As the forenoon wore on there came a clearing in the gray skies and the sun struggled valiantly to break through, while the rain ceased. This was a signal for the early arrivals to take a position in the infield, - which is always open to the public on Derby day, but opened earlier this year than has t been the usual custom. Those who picked their way through them to the soaking grass of the infield appeared to care nothing for that discomfort and a surprising number had taken points of vantage. Many of them had already made their ■ wagers for the running of the Derby and r they cared nothing for any other speculation. Continued on twenty-fourth page. and it was Linus "Pony" McAtee who piloted him to victory. Conditions were much like those of a year ago when Reign Count was returned the winner, but there was a crowd estimated at 80,000 present and it was a bedraggled throng before the end of the afternoon. Starter Hamilton had considerable trouble in obtaining alignment to his liking and it was observed that McAtee moved over with Clyde Van Dusen from his assigned position next to the outside in the field of twenty-one that raced, until he had the son of Man o War about in the middle of the course, a decided advantage. The start was a good one and McAtee went over slightly with Van Dusen as he left, at once going into command. Blue Larkspur was off well on the extreme outside of the big field and he was in the first flight, but it was Folking that went along in second place passing the stand, while Blue Larkspur was galloping strongly in third place, with the rest of the field fairly well bunched. BEEP IN WATEli. For several feet from the inner rail the course was deep in water and McAtee cleverly skirted it with Clyde Van Dusen, saving all the ground possible without taking the handicap of the flood. Blue Larkspur didnt seem to relish being kept out by Garner, but he was still going strongly in third place, back of Folking, which was right at the hip of Clyde Van Dusen. Through the back stretch there was no change in the running positions, though Pas-cuma had sent Folking up to Clyde Van Dusen, but it was apparent that the son of Neogofol had about reached the limit of his endurance before the turn out of the back stretch was reached. As McAtee shook up the winner to match Continued on twenty-fourth page. CLYDE VAN DUSEN WINS Continued from first page. They were attracted solely by the Derby and they proposed to see its running at the best advantage. Still others, who lacked the necessary means to buy tickets for the great day of sport, were clustered about the fences where a glimpse could be had of the running. The stable hands had crowded into their back stretch stand outside the track from early in the afternoon, and they stood outside waiting for the coming of the champions of the Derby. Everywhere there was a scramble for a point of vantage and those who delayed their arrival, unless provided with a reservation, were sore put to it to find a spot where a view could be had of the track. Thousands were doomed, though on the grounds, to see nothing of the race, by reason of their tardy arrival and then it was understood why hundreds were waiting the opening of the gates as early as 7 oclock in the morning. It was shortly after the noon hour that the Goodyear Blimp sailed over the course, having brought a part of enthusiastics from Akron, Ohio. It was a break in the wait for the beginning of the big day of sport. Each Derby crowd is much alike. Since this great Kentucky classic has been built up to its present importance, about the only change that is found, year after year, is that some few hundred more have crowded through the gates to witness the running. It is a gathering of "who is who" in the social, political and financial world, while among the sportsmen of the turf it is looked upon as a calamity if anything should happen to prevent being on hand. The changes come with new recruits to racing and praise be, they are attracted to the sport in greater numbers than the old fellows are dying off. No matter from whence he may come, the Derby visitor will find a neighbor to greet him. At one moment it would seem that the scene was at Belmont Park, there are so many New Yorkers who seem to be perfectly at home. Then it shifts over to Lincoln Fields, Washington Park, or one of the other Chicago courses, for that city was so numerously represented. There are those from Canada, Maryland, Louisiana, Florida, and, in fact, one could go right through all the states, as far as that is concerned. It is the gathering place for a day, for the best men of the best of all sports. ALL WITH SINGLE THOUGHT. And there were hundreds of the enthusiasts that did not go through the formality of buying a badge. Before the first race there was a rush through the back stretch fence, which did not do so well when tht mounted police i nthe infield herded the crowd back out of bounds, but there came a successful charge later, about the middle of the back stretch and possibly there were five hundred that sprinted through the infield and the police could do nothing to round such a throng. The spectators in the stands enjoyed these diversions and lustily cheered the scampering crowd. All through the day there came promises of clear weather, only to be followed by more rain. The first race was run in a downpour, but before the running of the third the skies had almost cleared and it seemed the rain was over for the day. But it was a false promise and before the running of the fourth, a five-eighths for juveniles, there came another clouding up and more rain. That just about ruined the hopes for anything but rain for the running of the Derby. The track greatly resembled the condition prevailing when Mrs. Hertzs Reigh Count was winner last year. Black clouds rolled up as the time for the running approached and a driving rain thoroughly drenched those who had taken up a position in the infield. There was a rush for cover, but with all its vast shelters, all over the grounds, there was no chance to take care of that tremendous crowd and thousands had to stand the discomfort. The change from the field of twenty-six that were carded to start came when the Williamson and Herring pair, St. Ignatius and Hiram Kelly, were scratched. Shortly after Kay Spence withdrew B. B. Jones The Choctaw, which had never shown an ability to race creditably over a wet track. Boris, the Harned Brothers hope and one that was virtually withdrawn yesterday, was the next withdrawn. Then Baron Long withdrew Ervast. The California sportsman expressed himself after the Derby trial, convinced that his gelding had no chance for victory but he had intended starting him on account of the vast amount of money that had been wagered on his chances by his friends. At the eleventh hour he decided that no good would come of sending out the son of Paicines. It was a rather notable fact that each one of the five withdrawals had been relegated to the "field" in the mutuels and it reduced that number from sixteen to eleven. Continued from first page. the move of Folking, the pair of them drew out slightly from Blue Larkspur a d there was a general closing up back of him. Naishapur, which had been well back in the big company, was steadily working his way up and both Voltear and Panchio were coming into the picture, the Waggoner hope going exceedingly well. Long before the stretch was reached, it was apparent that Blue Larkspur was soundly beaten. He wasnt striding freely in the going and as Garner called on him he continued to drop back. Clyde Van Dusen turned for home still skirting the water on the inner rail and galloping strongly. Folking by this time was out of the running, but Panchio had moved into second place and for an instant threatened, but McAtee was wide awake to every danger and was holding the colt together magnificently in the slippery footing. It was at the final eighth post that Naishapur loomed up. He was charging down on the outside of the others and passing many of the other horses. Panchio was doing nis level best but could not cut down the lead of the Gardner colt, while on the rail, his favorite racing position. Blue Larkspur was coming along with a great rush, but handicapped by the deep footing. As they swept past the finish Clyde Van Dusen was still two lengths to the good as has been told and the rush of Naishapur had landed him second, three lengths before Panchio, which only lasted to nose out the Bradley champion for third. As a matter of fact, there were many who thought that Blue Larkspur had taken third in the final strides. Back of Blue Larkspur came Windy City, a recent winner of the Derby Trial Purse, and Voltear was sixth to pass the finish line. The others followed in badly strung out order. OPENER TO ESKIMO. The introductory race witnessed the downfall of Charmarten, the favorite. He succumbed to Eskimo, which took kindly to the muddy going and led for the entire race. Charmarten finished in second place and he might have reversed the finish with the winner had his rider began his efforts earlier. Charmarten was kept out of it until straightened out in the stretch, where he came fast when urged, but could not overhaul the leader. Little Gyp, which had been a factor in the early stages, began tiring when reaching the last sixteenth, but proved much better than the others. Kilkerry, a first time starter, from W. T. Waggoners Three Ds Stock Farm Stable, acquired out of the Saratoga sales last August, graduated over Chariot, Copper Son and ten other maiden juveniles in the second race. Taking t" lead with a rush, after having followed close to the pace of Copper Son and Colonel Henry for the first three-eighths of the half a mile, the winner raced gamely and held the fast finishing Chariot safe in the final eighth. The latter, defeated by a length and a half, was racing fastest of all at the end and got up to lead Copper Son by half a length for second place. The latter and Colonel Henry tired slightly in the final drive after having figured in a spirited duel for the lead much of the way. Pollywog, which benefitted extensively by saving ground in the final half mile, triumphed over Bonny Basil, Onup and five other distance platers in the third race. Apprentice Russell rated the winner back of the early pace and, sending him up gradually after reaching the final quarter, had him in the lead an eighth from the finish and steadily drew away from Bonny Basil near the end of the one mile and a sixteenth to win by a length. Onup, which finished third, shared favoritism with the winner. Shortly before the running of the fourth race, there came a veritable cloudburst and the rain and mist made it impossible to distinguished the racing colors as Lightning Jones splashed his way to victory. Not until the stretch was reached could the hores he recognized when it was seen that Lightning Jones was in front and holding on resolutely during the final eighth, managed to outstay Major Tom by a head. They fought it out well in advance of the others, of which Wild Waters was third. Lightning Jones, a superior muddy track performer, was held at odds-on.
