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ONE OF THE TURFS GREATEST — » [American Racing Manual Reveals Isinglass Place in the Sun. ■ ■ » Career of Triple Crown Winner With Only One Defeat to Mar Brilliant Racing Record in England. ■- ♦ ■ Over thirty years ago or to be exact It was in 1904 when The American Racing Manual then the American Sporting Manual for the first time printed the names of the largest money winners on the American and English turf. At the head of the English list was Isinglass and for over twenty years he was the worlds largest money earner, rlis name still remains at the top of the English list and is seventh among worlds winners. Isinglass was one of the greatest race horses of all times. He won the Triple Crown, namely the Two Thousand, Derby and St. Leger, also the Eclipse Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes. Ascot Gold Cup and other events finishing first in eleven out of twelve starts, his only reverse being in the Lancashire Plate in which he was defeated by Raeburn. His total money earnings amounted to 91,275. Like our own Man o War, Isinglass was unlucky in suffering defeat. Writing for an English paper, an "old-time" owner asked: "I wonder how many know the true cause of Isinglass one failure? It was that he broke away at a false start, and ran almost the full course, and on being hurried back got flustered and had little time to make good such handicap. "All his previous and subsequent meetings with Raeburn prove absolutely what a fluke his one defeat was. "Isinglass was the property of Captain Harry McCalmont, by whom he was bred. He was by the famous Isonomy from Wen-lock mare named Deadlock. This mare was purchased by Captain Machell, to whom she had previously belonged, from Lord Aling-ton for a mere song and was in 1887 mated with Isonomy, producing a colt which received the name of Islington. This animal failed to attain any great distinction; but after Deadlock had passed into the possession of Captain McCalmont she was again mated with Isonomy. and the result of the second alliance was Isinglass. ROMANTIC STORY. "It may not be generally known that Deadlock was a mare retrieved from the shafts and once sold for 00. Her erstwhile owner, the late Captain Machell, was jollied into buying her by the late Lord Alington. They were going over the latters stud farm when Lord Alington, to be jocular, said: Now, theres a mare worth ,500. When his companion replied with good natured sarcasm that he would give 00, to his surprise he found the mare was his. Isinglass was the mares third foal. When only two years old Deadlocks hocks were so bad she was discarded from racing stables. Then for three or four years she pulled a dog cart. "With other of Captain McCalmonts horses Isinglass was placed under the care of James Jewitt. The colts debut was not heralded by any flourish of trumpets, his first acquaintance with a race track being made in a Maiden Plate at the Newmarket second spring meeting in 1892. Starting at 10 to 1 against, he won by three-parts of a length from Sweet Laura. His next effort was made in more exalted company, as he was one of the competitors for the New Stakes at Ascot, and the successful one at that, winning by two lengths from Fealar, with Ravensbury, which was destined to become his greatest rival, third. His final race as a two-year-old was in the Middle Park Plate, which he won from Ravensbury, with Le Nicham third, and another which he frequently met later — Raeburn — fourth. "The second season career of Isinglass was opened in the Two Thousand, for which he started favorite at 5 to 4 on, and in which he beat Ravensbury by three-quarters of a length with Raeburn four lengths away third. A fortnight later Mr. C. D. Roses colt had another tilt at his familiar rival in the Newmarket Stakes, which resulted in an easy win for the Two Thousand hero. HIS DERBY VICTORY. "Isinglass next race was the Derby, for which he was naturally a warm favorite, 9 to 4 being laid on. Isinglass again came through triumphantly, though there was a period in the race durinp which the portents were not altogether favorable. First Raeburn threatened to give trouble, and after he had been disposed of Ravensbury appeared in the light of a formidable competitor. Isinglass, however, liked a tussle, and settling to his work, he finally defeated Ravensbury by a length and a half, Raeburn again being third. "The winning of the triple crown now seemed to be merely a matter of health for Isinglass, and as he was at his best when Doncaster came round, he duly realized expectations, beating Ravensbury by a half length, though that margin did not adequately reflect the amount he had in hand of Ravensbury, which one more filled second place, with Le Nicham third. Thus the plac-ings were similar to those in the Middle Park Plate in the previous October. "When Isinglass made his first appearance as a four-year-old in the Princess of Wales Stakes a new star had risen in the firmament. This was Ladas, which had won for Lord Rosebery his first Derby. In the rich Newmarket race mentioned, then one of the 10,000 pound events, odds were laid on the three-year-old, while Ravensbury was also preferred to Captain McCalmonts celebrity. The last named, however, had no difficulty in disposing of both Ladas and his old antagonist, but he experienced some trouble in disposing of the attentions of the 50 to 1 chance Bullingden, which was only defeated by the margin of a head. TOUGH OPPOSITION. "Isinglass was again opposed by Ladas and Ravensbury, in addition to Raeburn and the future St. Leger winner Throstle, in the Eclipse Stakes. The odds on this occasion were laid on the first named, though Ladas again commanded a goodly following. Lord Roseberys colt made a better fight at the J second time of asking, but even so had to be content with second place to his older clas-■ sic rival. Isinglass only other appearance this year was made in the Jockey Club Stakes, in which he once more found himself opposed to Throstle and Raeburn. The filly, which had then won her Doncaster laurels, was deemed to be the chief source of danger to Isinglass, but she was in no mood for racing. Instead she bolted and did not pass the post, the favorite winning comfortably from the French Gouvenail, with Son o Mine third. Thus Isinglass swept the board of the 10,000 pound events, and this representing a tolerably good years work, the colt retired for the season. "There was indeed little left for him to accomplish apart from adding his name to the list of Ascot Gold Cup winners, and this he was afforded the opportunity of doing. The opposition to the son of Isonomy was not strong, being, as it was, confined to Reminder and Killsallaghan, though both these were useful. Reminder had run third in Ladas Derby, and afterwards won the City and Suburban, while Killsallaghan proved good enough to win a Chester Cup. Neither of them, however, could make any impression upon Isinglass at Ascot, the race ending in a three-lengths victory for the champion. "Isinglass* success in the stud was hardly commensurate with the ability he showed on the race course. His greatest claim to fame from a breeding point is as the grand-sire of the supremely great Blandford, which died in 1935 after proving herself one of the most successful sires of modern times. Isinglass was sire of John o Gaunt, which was responsible for Swynford, sire of Blandford."
