The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-06-26
Graphic Details Of Chiesgo's Great
American Derby, Worth $1,000
to the Winner.
Spokane's Latest and Greatest Sue
cess, in Which All Montana
Rejoices.
The King of the Year rendered a Great
Ovation at His Entrance and ON
His Grand Victory.


There never was such field of horse
brought together, except. perhaps, in th,
memorable contest at Monmouth ParE
seven years ago, when Iroquois, the winner
OF the English Derby, George Kinney
Monitor, Parole, who won the Lincolnshire
handicap and city and suburban in England
in 1879, Eole ana other famous horses met
TO contest the right of supremacy. Glance
over the list OF starters. Here there was
| Spokane, the winner OF the two great events
AZ Louisville, the Derby and Clark stakes.
| Don Jose, the cOnquerOr of Sportsman and
Laura Davidson for the Grand Challenge
Foal stake at StLOuis, Once Again, the Blue
Ribbon stakes az Lexington, Sorrento who
who was beaten by a short head only by
The Car In the race for the Pacific Derby
at San Francisco on the 23d of last ADriL
the knightly Proctor Knott, one OF The
finest specimens of the thoroughbred run
ner that ever stood on four feet, who gar
nered SIS. 900 for Sam Bryant in the Fu-
| turtty stake at Coney Island last fall a
sensational horse in every respect. Re
| trleve, who finished first for the Long wood
Oaks at Latonia, and Long Dance, who
had started but once ia handicap and
then beaten through an accident
Now al the starters were on the ground
except one, each having received applause
while the reception 70 Proctor Knott was a
| veritable ovation but where is SpO-
| kane ?' The spectators crane their necks
| excitedlY. "Herc he cOmesp' somebody
shouts He appears at the iron gate lead
| ing TO the saddle paddock. The crowd
/ jumps to its feet. Everybody wants TO
caIch glimpse of the favorite, the much
talked OF Spokane, the pride of the Mon
| tana stable, twice cOnqueror OF Proctor
| Knott He walks defiantly into the ring
/ pricks his ears and whisks his tail. For a
moment the great horse seems bewidered.
/ The air is being rent asunder by the wild
cheering. Tom kiley, his jockey, pricks
him gently with the steel to bring him
horse feels the keen Blades and
leaps into the air. Tom has him
| well in hand, and no harm is done. The
noise increases until il becomes fairly ear
splitting in force. It is an ovation worthy
OF king, but Spokane does not seem TO
relish II whit But he quiets down and
moves past the stand sideways, like a crab,
having one eye on the crowd and the other
on where he Is stepping. What a picture
Is there sight more maRnhcantly grand
than race horse IN motion Talk about
that horse being broken down. cries the
veteran trainer. John Davis. "Why, my
boy lslapping Henry Avis on the shoulder
in genuine Missouri styleJ, he is the pink
of Perfection" SpOkanefs eye is bright
and clear, his coat Is wet from q mile un-
der blankets, every muscle stands out in
bold relief, and he seems the very incsrna-
ton of speed, muscle and endurance. No
horse ever faced the starter after such a
royal reception.
The race is about TO begin, the horses are
at the post. The betting tiuctuates like the
figures ON the tape during an excited mar
ket A death-iike stiffness perVades the
entire crowd. Once Again has drawn the
pole, the position next 20 the rail. This is
regarded as an indication OF success for the /
son of the blind Onondsga sit is Murphy's
luck Kisses Pat Sheedy between his |
clenched teeth. 'Tis true, Murphy has
been followed by the Goddess of Fortune
on the Washington Park track. He has
won four out OF the hve races for the |
Derby stakes. Now figure around for
the best of the start Mr.. Sheri- |
dams hand raises nesitatingly. But
the boys seemingly heed him not. Their |
positions constantly change like the paTti- |
cOlOred bits of glass in the Kaleidoscope.
once Again breaks away followed by all
but Long Dance. Its going 70 be tight
ing race, a battle from the very first Jump"
tits murmured about Yes, the skirmishing
at the post indicates the truthfuIuess of |
the remark. The contestants gather again
al the post. Now the alignment Is perfect
There Is move, rush. They're OFF, is
heard on every side. No, Sorrento is still |
at the post. Ii is another false start and
a moment the tension again slackens. For
the third time the field clusters around the !
assistant starter. Another dash is made |
and still Sorrento refuses 10 move. Hehas |
grown fractions, and Taral draws his Whip.
Another effort is made. This time the |
boys are successful. The flag falls. There |
can be no mistake this time. cry of de-
light waves over that dense mass of hu-
msnity in the lawn and in the grand stand |
the gigantic clock ticks 1t is a splendid /
sendoh There Is not two lengths differ /
ence between Once Again, who is in front /
and Spokane, the last IN motion. Sorrento /
is al Once Again's saddlegirth. Don Jose /
Tapped on Sorrento almost to the head. /
then comes Proctor Knott, with Long /
Dance and Retrieve in the order named
Now Proctor Knott gathers himself He /
digs his hoots deep in the clay and springs Il
to the front like a deer pursued by pack /
OF hounds Scarcely furl0ng hasbeen
covered when Proctor is clear of his COM
petitors. The pace Is frightful, despite the /
fact that the track is slow. He or no other
horse can stand that pace on such a track"
say the old timers.
Now the quarter is reached. Proctor has
covered 1t in the remarkable time of 26S{ Il
seconds. He is three clear lengths in the
van, Sorrento Is second with Taral tugging |
away manfully at the ribbons. Fred is a
judge of pace, and knows full we'll that
Proctor Is running to his death. Don Jose
Is still Tapped on Sorrento. and Spokane is
still lost. travelling along like locomotive |
on schedule time. kiley is sitting quiet,
playing waiting race He knows his
stud, knows full well that he has a game
bit OF horsefiesh under him, ready to re- |
spOnd to the call.
The seven combatants swung into the |
stretch. What a beautiful sight Proctor
ls still captain He sweeps by grandly, ex-
ten ding himself just as his sire did when
on the turf, with that long, swinging stride,
close 10 his head. Don Jose has fallen
away to sixth position and Retrieve has
taken his place alongside Sorrento. Spo-
kane is in the fifth place, but In the pocket,
held there, u would SEEM By Long Dance.
The halt mile has been made in 50 seconds.
The race now begins in earnest A fight
for place begins. In the struggle Sorrento
gets pOcketed by Once Again and Spokane.
IL Is no time for blunders; single mistake
would IN such company prove fatal, and L
the jockeys know it full well But SOr-
rentO and Spokane are both in dangerous Il
places See their jockeys look about,
watching for every opening The pace is
still terrific.
Now they are passed the quarter post
Three quarters Of mile in l.ls. Think of 4
it~what tremendous rate of speed. Proc
tor is beginning TO falter, and falls back
fully o length. Sorrento is still second /
with Spokane At his withers on the inside. L
Long Dance has fallen away, beaten. He L
cannot stand the pace, and Don Jose has
moved up 70 sorrento on the outside where
he was when the flag fell. Another /
quarter ts passed. The noble brutes have
now run mile, and Long Dance IL the Il
only one 70 show the white feather. The /
mile is run in 1;45S<- Where is Proc
tore Leading yet snI apparently running
free, but his grim opponents are fast /
closing on him. Bryant saw thst his horse
would stop at the head Of the stretch. Will /
true? There is a general closing. Il be-
gins about the five furlOng post Fitzpst-
patrick calls on Proctor for the fret time /
he responds gAllantly, but il is apparent Il
to good Judges Of racing that Proctor is
beaten, but the crowd doesn't realize t.
There IL q commOtion; the changes in that /
heeting moment are numerous and rapid. L
What is the trOoDle2 Why, Taral sees no
other way of extricating himself from his
dangerous position than 70 take bis horse
in hand il is his only chance. Murphy Il
has him pinned tight, in order to bold SpO-
kane In the pocket In drawing out, Once
Again rolls against Sorrento and throws
him on his stride. but the plncky little
horse quickly gathers himself and Is after
the field In q twinkling.
That move of Murphy's has proven OF
advantage 70 Spokane. kiley sees an Open
ing and darts through IL in q twinkiing. /
Spokane is now on even terms with Proc Il
tor Knott The pace has been lessened out Il
q tr1fe, for the mile and quarter has been II
covered in 2.l4
Again Fitzpatrick calls upon Proctor
The gelding pulls himself together and Il
makes desperate effort For = moment |