The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-08-17
The Derby.

Thrice has the Blue Ribbon of the
Turf. the great prize at the British 18TH
milan games, been carried off by steeds
of foreign birth. The French Gladia-
teur, the Hungarian Kisber. the Ameri-
English horses on the most famous En-
glish course. The Greek designation
Of the EPSON meeting is due to the
classic tastes of Lord Palmerston,
the heraldic title of the race to the
Oriental fancy of Lord Beaconsfield.
Old Pam used to christen his horses out
of the Eneid, to the dire confusion Of
honest book-makers, who never could
agree as to the pronunciation of the
name Of Priam's splendid daughter
Ilione, the winner of the Cesarewitch.
1t was therefore quite in keeping with
the character of the English Premier to
move "that the House do adjourn over
Wednesday, to allow honorable men,
bers to be present at our Isthmian
games" When Lord George Bentinck
quilted the turf for the House of Com
mons he sold his stud. On the 22d Of
May, 1913. his protectionist resolutions
were negatived in the House; on the
oath, Surplice, one of the horses he had
parted with. won the Derby. "All my
life," he groaned out. 81 have been
trying for this, and for what have /
sacrificed it?" The sympathizing Dis
raeli in vain strove to console his friend.
"You do not know what the Derby is, !"
replied Lord George. "Yes, l do. II
is the Blue Ribbon of the Turf" was the
answer. Perhaps We may say that
there would have been neither Isthmian
games nor blue ribbons of the turf il
General Gates had not been victorious
at Saratoga. Without that defeat Gen
eral Burgoyne would not have sold his
huntingdon at EPSON to Lord Derby,
and without the possession of that hunt.
ing-box by that nobleman there would
have been no Derby race. EPSON
first became famous for its EPSON salts
and the fashion and beauty of London
used to flock to the little Surrey village
to drink the waters. Our gossipine
friend Pepys was there and "did drink
four pints." He found there Nell
Gwynne, Sir Charles Sedley and other
reprobates of both sexes, who did not
drink the nauseous fluid. but amused
themselves with cards and dances in
the evening, horse-racing and hunting
in the morning and severe flirting at
all hours. Gradually the races formed
an important feature of the season. just
as they do at Saratoga, and when final
" EPSON salts lost, not their SAVIOR, but
their popularity, the course on the
downs was the only attraction left.
From the foundation of the Derby in
1850, when Sir Charles Bunbury's Dio-
med came in first of nine starters the
EPSON meeting has constantly increased
in interest. In the long list of winning
owners all classes are represented, from
royal dukes to sporting publicans. while
for the names of the winning horses
time and space seem to have been ran.
sacked. Between the Homeric Diomed
and the American IrO9uOis we have
aristocratic Sir Harry, Prince Leopold,
and Lord Lyon mingled with plebian
Sam, Moses and Daniel O'ROurke. II
is common English practice to name
colts with some reference to their par.
ents. Thus Macaroni was by Sweet.
meat. Orlando by Touchstone and Her
NIT by Newminster out of Seclusion.
In other cases the mother has given the
hint for the name. Favonius was the
son of Zephyr. Gladiateur of Miss
Gladiator, while Beadsman and
Bluegown owe their beggarly ap-
pellations to Sir Joseph Hawley' s
mare Mendicant. Till 1865 no foreigner
had triumphed on the turf at EPSON.
The spell was broken in that year by
Comte de Lagrange's magnificent
Gladiator. which won in common
canter. and is the only horse which can
boast of the fourfold palms of the Two
Thousand Guineas, the Derby, the
Grand Prix of Paris and the st. Leger.
He was sixteen hands high, a bay with
black legs; he had large plain head,
well-arched neck. powerful sloping
shoulders, muscular arms and thighs,
and was deep in the girth. So deyel.
oped was his form that ungraciOus
doubts rs to his age were expressed.
till veterinary examination proved
that they were unfounded. Gladiator :
best race was as a four-year-old for the
Ascot Cup, when he defeated Regalia
and Breadalbane. Eleven years elapsed
before another foreigner scored a
triumph On this occasion the victor,
kisber. came from Hungary. He was
by Buccaneer out of Mineral, and was
bred at the great imperial-royal stud
farm at kisber, which was then man.
aged by Count Zoest. This grand es-
tablishment comprises Is, 64S acres, and
all the work on it is done by soldiers.
Kisber was fifteen hands three inches
high; in color he was hard bay with a
ruddy tinge, black points, plain head.
very muscular neck, and splendid
shoulders and loins. As a two-year-
old he had only run four times, and
only won one race.
The first of Americans to challenge
the British sportsmen on their own
ground was Mr. Ten Brock. His horses,
Prioress, Starke, Optimist and Umpire,
all won valuable stakes, the first-named
being in 1857 the heroine of dead heat
for the Cesarewitch with Queen Bess
and Ell Hskim, and winning the decid-
inc heat. Umpire started in the Derby
of 1860 on even terms in the betting
with Mr.. Merry's Thormanby. We
need not refer to the performances of
Parole, but come at once to the most
brilliant achievements of American
horses in 1881. 1t was no unknown
horse that carried Mr.. LOrillard' s
striped sleeves to victory. Iroquois
was born in America. trained by an
American, and had won fame on the
American turf before he landed in En-
gland. He unfortunately missed the
Two Thousand Guineas, but won the
Derby by half a length, and the st.
Leger, over a longer course, by a
length. The throngs of horse-taming