English Colt Last In Kentucky Derby

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 385, 20 June 1928, Page 10

English Colt Last In Kentucky Derby

CALL BOY’S RELATIVE FAILS IN THE MUD

A GRAPHIC account of the great American classic, the Kentucky Derby, run last month, will be of interest to Dominion sportsmen, quite apart from the fact that Call Boy's half brother, Strolling Player, finished last. The track was a sea of mud.

THK biggest American classic race, the Kentucky Derby, was run at Louisville, Kentucky, on May 19, and accounts to hand by this week’s mail show that Reigh Count won from Misstep and Toro. Three months before the race the winner was favourite at eights, the second horse being at nearly twice those odds. The record entry of 196 set up new figures for the race. The conditions were bad, the usual American dirt track being a sea of mud after three days’ rain. It took the winner 2.10 3-5 to run the mile and a-quarter. All the 22 starters were colts, these being the* only survivors out of the 11 fillies, 13 geldings and 154 colts entered for the oldest American race, this being the 54th contest. Call Boy’s Relative The only English-bred colt engaged was Strolling Player, the half brother by Grand Parade to Call Boy (by Hurry On), winner of the Epsom Derby 12 months ago. Mr. Frank Curzon owned Strolling Player, and he had entered the colt for the recent English Derby, but on the owner’s death the colt’s entry was automatically cancelled under that peculiar English rule which is now being amended. It was then that the colt was sold to an American owner. Strolling Player finished last in the Kentucky Derby, as well he might, for the conditions differed considerably from the green swards on the English racing tracks. It was the same difference that enabled Zev to beat Papyrus in that famous match a few years ago. A Valuable Prize When instituted 53 years ago, the Kentucky Derby was worth £570, and it did not increase much up to 1916, when the winner’s share was £1,950. Since then it has advanced by leaps and bounds, until during the last seven years it has exceeded 50,000 dollars. This year’s race saw the winner’s cheque amount to no less than £11,075, in addition to £1,500 worth of gold plate for his lady owner. Here is an account of the race, written in true American style, clipped from a New York paper. Reigh Count won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs this afternoon. Pounding through a sea of mud that was hock deep, the chestnut colt, which for months and months had lived in the minds of American turf followers as the outstanding horse of the 196 named for the fifty-fourth renewal of the classic, gloriously triumphed over twenty-one others and downed his nearest rival, Misstep, by three lengths. Toro was third. As They Dream Of Some 80,000 frenzied persons, many of whom had been drenched to the skin as they stood in the beating rain that came a-half hour before the race, cheered with a volume that went resounding through the valley that shelters the historic course. It was such a victory as men dream of, a victory that had been called weeks and weeks before, and it was a brilliant achievement that will linger forever in the annals of turfdom. It was gallantly run, slashingly fought, and when jockey Chick Lang clicked to his mount for the last time as the field swung through the final gruelling yards of the race, the little jockey had placed himself in a niche in the hall of fame of racing alongside many other masters of the saddle. Oozy Mud It did not rain during the encounter, but it rained hardly a half hour before, and a course that already was muddy and slimy was made into a rippling sea of oozy mud that spattered horses and riders and almost silenced the ringing hoof beats. Yet through this going, Reigh Count, the son of Sun Reigh and Contesina, ran in the very good time of 2.10 2-5. And for this flash of a time in the life of man, but a gigantic effort in the life of a racehorse, Reigh Count brought to his proud owner 55,375 dollars and a gold plate valued at 7,500 dollars. To Leo J. Marks, owner of Misstep, went the second prize, 6,000 dollars. Toro earned 3,000 dollars for E. B. McLean by finishing third. Another priza> of 3,000 dollars went to Willie Curran, whose Jack Higgins, winner of the Louisiana Derby, came in fourth, four lengths behind Toro. Rush to Back Reigh The wagering on the race was heavy. Reigh Count, despite rumours of having been hurt, retained the confidence of the public. An hour before the race came rumours that for two days Reigh Count had been suffering from a leg injury and that for two days he had been tubed every morning in secret in an effort to reduce the injury. To the public mind, however, he was fit, and long lines of eager bettors stood before the mutuel windows to back him, and he returned a short price. The start is made just beyond a slight bend in tile track as one looks to his left from the stands. A few minutes of suspense and they are off Down they pound, Misstep in front Lawley next, Reigh Count next, for a minute, only to fade back two or three pegs and the rest winging for position. The Big Test This is the big test. Once in good position and it may be all over in this muddy going. But Misstep keeps in front, the field swishing past the vast throngs. This is on the straightaway. The mud flies into the air. Already the riders are covered with the brown ooze. They round the clubhouse turn and Misstep still is in front, but the others are stringing out. There is hardly a perceptible change excepting that totrolling Player s purple is having some trouble trying to get through an opening. He doesn’t make it. Now they are turning into the back stretch and the field is strung out for nearly asixteenth of a mile and Misstep is fnurtU a and ,? eigh Count is about f , ™ n i a ? d “I the outsi <Je. The others are fighting to get into the thick of ft R . el ?l.\, Co^ nt is in the middle of the first little cluster, but on the outside Toro is right behind. Jack Higgins is next, and so they struggle. The mud flies and the battle wages. They turn feadinA l^, stretch ™tli Misstep nitJh HnZl - mai ' sm is a length, buf xtt.i & n Count is moving: up. Reigh Count Moves Easily It is apparent that Reigh Count can move forward as he pleases. But wait a. minute. Misstep makes another move Tbev margin for this colt increases. They are winging around that bend that leads to home. Well, there is Misstep still up there, but there is also Reigh Count coming on strong, moving easily, but under some pressure

from Lang’. There must be no mistakes. Now Reigh Count starts for the front, but Misstep fights it out a bit further and the field swings into the home stretch, straightens out and wings down in the race. Now they—Misstep and Reigh Count —are nose and nose, and Garner is going to the whip. Down and up and down it thumps and Misstep apparently responds. But there is Bang whipipng. His colt takes, the lash as

an instrument of torture and responds and then the two horses and the two riders fight it out, and the heart and the courage of Reigh Count are the g^pater. Reigh Count gains the lead and increases it as Garner rides for dear life, his whip lashing wickedly, but vainiv. Reigh Count will not be caught. You can tell that at the sixteenth pole apd it transpires that he never is caught. By Three Lengths The margin is three lengths. Toro comes pounding up. He gains courageously and Ambrose coaxes and whips, but to no avail. You can’t do the impossible. Then comes All<v» thrashing at Jack Higgins and the rest of the field fades a little way back and the four are in to gain whatever prizes there are. Then come in quick succession Reigh Olga, Lawley, Don Q., Bobashela, Blackwood, Martie Flynn, Sun Beau, Bar None, Distraction, Petee-Wrack, Typhoon, Replevin, Cartage, Bonivan, Charmarten, Vito, Sortie and last the Englishman, Strolling Player. It is all over. That is all to be told of the titanic crash. It was truly run and this record field, which surpassed by one the field in the year when Zev won back in 1923, ran a race that was surprisingly free of any taint. It was a field in which those which survived rightly may be accounted the best. And of these the best horse won. Not the least whit or credit can be taken from Reigh Count. He won on his courage, his speed, his class.

WAIPA CLUB

ANNUAL RACE MEETING ACCOMMODATION IMPROVEMENTS (Special to THE SUN) TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday. The committee of the Waipa Racing Club met on Friday evening last, Mr. F. Quin (president) occupying the chair. Also present were: Messrs. A. S. Wallace, W. Alexander, A. Bond, A. IT. Storey, J. P. O’Sullivan, J. T. Young, M H. Tims, S. A. Empson, and the secretary, Mr. J. G. Wynyard. The secretary reported having received no further communication regarding the proposed winding-up of the Country Clubs’ Breeders’ Association. The secretary reported having attended the annual meeting of the Country Racing Clubs’ Association at Auckland in April. Dates of annual race meetings were discussed, and an endeavour was made to secure mutual agreement. In cases where there was clashing of interests, and clubs would not give way, the association was powerless to settle the differences, and the dates were simply forwarded on to the district committee for approval or otherwise. The Auckland District Committee advised having recommended Saturday. December 15, as the date for the next annual race meeting at Te Awamutu. The secretary reported having made application for a second totalisator permit for Saturday, May 11, 1929. This was approved. The grounds committee’s action in purchasing 350 totara posts for refencing was approved. LICENCES RECOMMENDED The following applications for licences were approved: —Trainers: IT. L. Russell, W. Stone, G. Paul, F. E. Loomb, T. P. Langmuir: jockev, J. McRae; apprentice jockeys, J. L. Hargreaves, H. R. Jones, L. D. Orange, 11. Lee R. E. A. Horne, A. C. Stead. The chairman reported that at a meeting of committeemen on the course on May 18 authority was given the committee to expend up to A. -00 on improvements to the present lavatory accommodation. The secretary reported that under section 8 of the Finance Act he had made application for a refund of £250 for the purpose of making improvements to the club’s course and property, and that the claim had been granted. Mr. Chitty attended the meeting “5, submitted plans for the proposed new lavatory accommodation. It was f>f r f e ?T th ?lf lan ■ N ’°' 4be a<J opted, and that Mr. Chitty be appointed architect tor the purpose of supervising the necessary work, as it can be carried out by the club. Mr. Chitty was instructed to proceed with the erection of the inside lavatories, and also to obtain a price for moving the grandstand to its permanent position.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

“Ellerslie.”— Cannot identify the horse mentioned. Are you sure of the name given? *‘l nterested.”— There is no maximum weight fixed for the Wellington Steeplechase next month. The 12.7 maximum is still retained for the C.J.C. Grand Xational Steeplechase.