The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-12
A Graphic Account Of the Race
Excitement at Fever Heat on
Classic Churchill Downs.
How the Horses Looked as They
Went to the Post.
"They're or at the Third Break
Away in a Cloud of Dust
Proctor Knott First at the Start and
Spokane Third-The Fight at
the Finish-A Thrill
ing Sight.

the kentucky Derby is from tho Courier
Journal
1t was the Derby that interested the
multitude, and on that one subject every
tongue wagged. The other events were
looked on only as side issues, or trim
mings," as one perspiring sport put it.
Nothing but the most intense enthusiasm
over Kentuckys classic race could have
induced the enormous crowd to attend,
and nothing but the desire TO see all of it
could have kept the people there in the
midst OF the discomfort which q crowd in
evitably causes.
For months the merits OF the Derby
colts had been discussed in every detail,
!. and the people were rs familiar with the
Names and pedgrces OF the various entries
as they are with the names and deeds of
the great men Of the time. The race was
third ON the program, and it was
with every evidence Of impotence
that the spectators waited for the
hour TO come when the supreme trial OF
three-year-old excellence was TO be made.
The names OF tie eleven that were named
to start were repeated on every side, and
the latest information about each one and
about the jockeys that were to ride was
seized with the greatest eageTness and
passed from one to another till everybody
on the track was in possession OF all the
news that was obtainable.
Many were the mysterious mods and
winks betokening that the nodding or
winking individuals had some private in
telligence that had been given ION the
dead quiet" but all Of this amounted TO
nothing. as the Derby colts had all been
q
each, in public or private, were known to
Xevery one. In spite Of all the tippings,
however, Proctor Knott maintained his
hold on the public fancy, and could not
be bulgcd an inch from the exalted po-
\sition no had been placed in. II was
Proctor Knots Derby in the opinion OF
the vast majority, and the people lretted
themselves into temporary madness
guessing at how far lac would beat the
others, and what would be second.
The field began TO dwindle early in the
afternoon, and long before the bell rang,
calling the horses 10 the post for the great
est nce OF the year, 1t was known that the
Bevcrwyck Stables two, Brown Princess
and Casiaway H., had been drawn, and
that Sam Bryants Come-to-Taw would
not start, rs lac ran in mile and six
teenth preceding the Derby. This left In
IL elgnt, OF WHICH lThikuI NUult WIS con-
sidered pre- cminently the good thing, and
the rest nowhere. lliudoocrait and the
Wilson & Young entry, Once Again and
Bookmakcr, and Spokane were looked TO
MS the next best after the Futurity win
per, and Cassius, too, was thought good
chance for place, but the few who con-
sidered Proctor Knott would be beaten
were rated by the confident public rs lit
tie better than insane. Outbound and
Sportsman had a very small following even
for the place.
The announcement that Barnes would
ride the iayoritc gave renewed faith 20 the
admirers Of the big chestnut geding, for
had not the dusky youth made himself
famous by his brilliant riding OF Knott in
the Junior Champion and Futurity Stakcg
How can they beat him? was asked The
same coniiding public has asked the same
question about other Derby iayoriies aud
has on several occasions learned thing
or two later on. The hackers Of the out
sides, "a all the rest OF the field were
esteemed TO be, found some encourage
ment in the fact that Isaac Murphy was Ia
be ON Once Again, the most formidable
OF the Young pair, but the remainder OF
the Jockeys attracted little attention, sew
eral Of them being light weights that have
not yet attained any great prominence.
The Derby excitement was ut fever heat
when the second race was finished, aud II
was regarded rs good omen iorthe favor
tic that his stable companion. Comc-to
Taw, had beaten the much talked Of Badge
after a hot finish, 50 there was an immodi
ate rush to back the mighty Proctor
Knott. The betting shed, which, even
while the horses were running on The
second mcc, had been crowded by excited
men impaliently waiting TO plunge IL
Proctor Knott, was inan instant converted
into a bcdlam, wriggling, showing, swear
ing and sweating mob OF Spectators lllinl
every iuch Of space. and overlooking oy
eryihing, for there was not room for Q
- fifth OF the crowd, though all Insisted OF
getting IN, and some were even willing {,
FIGHT for the privilege OF betting All wa
cooked aud primcd for plunging 10 begin
but a disappointment was waiting 70
those who expected 10 get as good odds q
the track as were bet In the pool rooms IN
the morning Then $50 for Proctor Knot
10 slOior the field ruled, but when 500 wa
bid nj the track, and the choice was nance
Proctor Knott, there was long silence
No one wanted the field. The bookmakcr
were on their blocks, sponge and chalk u
hand, but not scratch did they make
Then come one almost timidly offered So
LOT TIC NHlNs lNlH WIZ iaiN'' " o'ha. VI
else, aud finally the first pool was sold q
500 for the iavorto and $50 for the res
punched In the field. After that III
bookmakon ut the lower end OF the lin
marked up to against Knott, and Their
was rush 10 get IT, So fast did the none
come In that the to was cut In yer
few moments 30 2 10 D, and this In tnr
was rubbed out aud 20 3 was marked q
the iayoriics price. Still the none
poured In, and five minutes after the fir
chalk was put on the bookmakers' slate
the Futuriiy winner was backed down
lioA Al this point Il stopped. for eve
p the widest hackers hung oil at this pr
hibiuye figure.
A NOT SCRAMBLE
Then some Of the bookies put II back {
TO 3. and the betting again began. IL
struggling to get ut the bookmakcr WI
had the largest price posted was simp
terrific, and as the scramble grew iicrc'
IL seemed almost worth mans life 10 g
into tho melee. All Of this was at q
opening Of the betting, by people anxiol
10 got the best price possible against q
ihoupht.to bo invinciblo son Of Lul
blackburn, but Il did not cease even aft
the bctiing ON the others became bris
and tho bookmaken were besiegcd by u
shouters with SIS and Sl0s 10 20 on u
outsiders. AZ the opening the od
against theso,gerc 10 | Hindoocrait,
Younss entfy,a Once Again and Boz