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FIRST KENTUCKY DERBY 1875 1875Reproduced Reproduced from The Spirit of The Times May 22 75 75LOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE KY JOCKEY CLUB INAUGURAL MEETING MEETINGFirst First Day Monday May 17 The inaugural mooting of the novly organized Louisville Jockey Club commenced on Monday May 17 and continues over six days A more brilliant opening was never witnessed and the anticipations of the most sanguine anc enthusiastic Kcntuckian were more than realized Fully ten thousand people witnessed the sport and the spacious grand stand was crowded to its utmost capacity Delightful weather favored the Jockey Club on its opening day and the presence of a dazzling array of female loveliness representatives of Kentuckys proverbially beautiful daughters enhanced the attractiveness of the occasion The track was in superb order for fast running and betokened the care and atten ¬ tion bestowed on Us preparation this spring The result of the first day of the meeting assures the future success of tlfe Louisville Jockey Club and it will now take its place as the great racing centre of a State so distinguished in the turf annals of America AmericaThe The first race was a dash of one mile and a quarter for the association purse of 300 for which the entries and starters were W Cottrills ch f Bonaventure 4 years by Harry of the West R B Chcathams blk c Vanderbilt 4 years by Vandal A Bufords ch g Kilburn by Ringmaster E O Elliotts ch f Orphan Girl 4 years by Muggins F Loyds b g Capt Hutchinson by Voucher and A B Lfewis b m Bessie Lee by Hunters Lexington In the pools Bonaventure brought 75 Vanderbilt 20 Orphan Girl 10 and the field 12 When the drum was tapped Kilburn took the lead closely followed by the favorite and Vanderbilt Bessie Lee bringing up the rear They ran thus fur nearly a mile when Bon ¬ aventure and Vanderbilt passed Kilburn who fell back b batcn atcn Coming up the homestretch Capt Hutchinson ridden by Bobby Swim came with a determined rush passed Vanderbilt and Lakeland had to rouse the favorite with the whip to stave off the challenge the favorite only winning the race by a head Vanderbilt third Time 213 213Louisville Louisville Ky May 17 Association purse 300 for all ages one mile and a quarter quarterSUMMARY SUMMARY W Cottrills ch f Bonaventure 4 yrs by Harry of the West out of ofMaggie Maggie G 1 1M M M Welshs b g Captain Hutchinson 6 yrs by Voucher out of Zero 2 R B Cheathams blk c Vanderbilt 4 yrs by Vandal out of Mclrose 3 3A A Bufords ch c Kilburn 4 yrs by Ringmaster cut of Ontario 0 0K K K Alcocks ch f Orphan Girl 4 yrs by Muggins dam by Wagner 0 A B Lewis Cos b m Bessie Lee 6 yrs by Hunters Lexington dam damby by Chorister 0 0Time Time 213 213The The Kentucky Derby the great racing event of the meeting and one which has created deep interest throughout the country in view of the important bearing upon the prospects of future great events was the next race It was a sweepstakes of 50 each p p with 1000 added by the association the second horse to have 200 one mile and a half Of the forty entries to this stake fifteen came to the post viz H P McGraths ch c Aristides by Leamington and b c Chesapeake by Lexing ¬ ton C A Lewis ch c Verdigris by Versailles A Bufords ch c McGreery by Enquirer Stringfield Clays gr c Enlister by Enquirer and ch c Warsaw by War Dance J B Rodes b c Searcher by Enquirer F B Harpers b c Ten Broeck by Phaeton S J Salyers br c Bill Bruce by Enquirer J A Grinsteads ch f Gold Mine by Australian A Bufords br c by Baywood out of Lute Robinson Morgan G S br c Bob Woolley by Leamington A B Lewis b c Vagabond by Vandal G H Rices b c Volcano by Vandal and W Coltrills ch f Ascension by Australian This was a magnificent field of threeyearolds the majority of them having been winners The betting showed McGraths entries Aristides and Chesapeake to be the favorites in public estimation for they brought 105 to Ascensions 55 Searcher 65 and the field 270 Chesapeake from his successful running at Lexington was generally thought to be the representative of the McGrath stable especially as Aristides had cut up badly in the Phoenix Hotel Stakes at that meet ¬ ing owing to the fearfully heavy state of the course The horses got off at the first attempt Chesapeake being one of the last to get away Volcano made the running closely attended by Verdigris Aristides and McCreery the rest well together a length or two behind They ran thus throughout the first half mile 50s but the pace then began to tell on some of the rear division and Enlister Vagabond and Chesapeake fell back Aristides took second place as they ran along the backstretch lapped Volcano as they readied the halfmile pole the starting point the mile being run in 14314 and showed in front directly afterwards The tre ¬ mendous pace had already told a tale upon the field which vas now strung out a hundred yards behind Chesapeake and Enlister being conspicuously in the rear Aristides was steadily increasing his lead Howard having taken a steadying pull on Volcano for a final effort At the head of the stretch stood Mr McGrath who waved to Lewis the rider of Aristides to go on and he at once obeyed instruc ¬ tions by loosing his pull on his horses bridle Half way home Volcano came with a determined rush but Aristides stalled off the challenge in gallant style and went over the score a winner of the first Kentucky Derby by a length from Volcano with Verdigris third in 237 the fastest time ever made by a threeyearold at the distance Bob Woolley was fourth and Ten Broeck fifth Searcher from whom so much was expected never showed conspicuously in the race Value of the stakes 3100 of which 200 goes to the second horse horseSame Same Day The Kentucky Derby for threeyearolds entrance 50 p p asso ¬ ciation to add 1000 second horse to have 200 dash of one and a half miles forty two nominations fifteen started startedSUMMARY SUMMARY SUMMARYP P McGraths ch c Aristides by Leamington out of Sarony 90 Ibs 1 1Geo Geo H Rices b c Volcano by Vandal out of Iodine by imp Sovereign 90 Ibs 2 2C C A Lewis ch c Verdigris by Versailles out of Belle Brandon SO Ibs 3 F B Harpers b c Ten Broeck by Phaeton out of Fanny Holton by byLexington Lexington 0 0J J B Rodes b c Searcher by Enquirer dam by Bonnie Scotland 0 0Stringfield Stringfield Clays gr c Enlister by Enquirer out of Crownlet 0 0Stringfield Stringfield Clays ch c Warsaw by War Dance dam of Sister of ofCharity Charity 0 0Gen Gen A Bufords ch c McCreery by Enquirer out of Ontario 0 0S S J Salyers br c Bill Bruce by Enquirer out of Aurora Ruby 0 0J J A Grinsteads ch f Gold Mine by Australian out of Income 0 0Gen Gen A Bufords br c by Baywood out of Lute 0 0Robinson Robinson Morgan Cos br c Bob Wooley by Leamington out of Item 0 A B Lewis Cos b c Vagabond by Vandal out of Gem by Childe ChildeHarold Harold 0 0W W C Hulls ch f Ascension by Australian out of Lily Ward 0 0H H P McGraths b c Chesapeake by Lexington out of Roxana 0 0Time Time 237 237Last Last Kentucky Derby = 1936 1936Last Last years renewal of the Kentucky Derby was one of the most sensational in the history of the most highly prized plum of the American turf It produced more incidents of unexpected character than any Derby preceding it Bold Venture was the winner a surprise winner The colt owned by M L Schwartz of New York paid the longest price since the May day in 1918 grand old Exterminator subbing for the injured Sun Briar in the colors of Willis Sharpe Kilmer romped home in front and returned 61 20 for every 2 ticket sold on him Bold Ventures price was 4300 Brevity owned by Joseph E Seagram was the favorite last year He was badly knocked about and went to his knees in a start that saw Granville later to be acknowledged champion of the year lose his rider and be eliminated at once onceDespite Despite his misfortunes at the start Brevity recovered in gradual fashion and setting out after the leader Bold Venture which had taken command soon after passing the halfmile post moved into second place on the final turn and challenging the leader in the stretch drive failed by the narrow margin of a head of accomplishing what would have been regarded as the most spectacular triumph in the saga of the Blue Grass contest contestIndian Indian Broom holder of the worlds record for one mile and an eighth and hope of the Pacific Coast was third six lengths behind the fighting leaders Brevitys unfortunate experience was a sad blow to the multitude for they had backed the son of Chance Shot or Sickle into oddson favoritism but his gallant effort removed a great deal of the sting from his defeat defeatBold Bold Venture later demonstrated that Granvilles elimination may not have meant so much at the time because one week later he took his measure by a nose in the Preakness The Schwartz colt is a son of St Germans scoring the second Kentucky Derby victory for that imported sire Twenty Grand having won the 1931 Derby for the Whitney stallion
