History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921O'Connor, John Lawrence
History
History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921
O'Connor, John Lawrence
Horse racing -- Kentucky; Kentucky Derby
The New Louisville Jockey Club opened their gates on Saturday, May 3,
which was Derby Day, and as everybody old and young, who can, goes to the
races, the crowd was enormous. Among the large assemblage were notable
people from all over the United States, including many high State
officials. The victory of Alan-a-Dale was the most popular Derby win ever
run at Churchill Downs. T. C. McDowell the owner of the fortunate horse,
which carried off the honors in game and gallant style by winning the Blue
Riband, bred this horse himself at his Ashland Stud.
The Derby was a true run race and the best horse won and as the English
say, that any horse that makes his own pace at a mile or over from the
drop of the flag to the finish must certainly be the best horse. It was
Alan-a-Dale all through the race. The crowd yelled and cheered itself
hoarse even those who bet and lost on other horses in the race, joined in
the cheering. When it was over it was a sight worth going a thousand miles
to see. It seemed as though everybody was looking for the popular owner,
T. C. McDowell to shake him by the hand and congratulate him.
The pace was fast for the first mile and then it dropped off badly, but
when one really notices how fast Alan-a-Dale went the first mile in the
race, they will not wonder that the last quarter was so slow. A first
glance at the time of the race one would think from a time standpoint that
it was a bad race, but when compared with other races of its kind, you
will see that in all races that are fast run the horses who make the fast
time generally rate along instead of running the first part of it real
fast. In his race, Alan-a-Dale, according to our timing ran as follows:
1/8 :12-1/2, 1/4 :25, 3/8 :37-1/2, 1/2 :49-3/4, 5/8 1:02-1/2, 3/4
1:14-3/4, 7/8 1:27-1/2, 1 mile 1:40-3/4; 1-1/8 miles 1:54-1/2 and 1-1/4
miles in 2:08-3/4.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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