The morning call., 1890-05-15
RUN IN THE MUD.
Riley Beats the FaVOrite at
Louisville.
Isaac Murphy Again Displays His Supe-
riOrity As a Jockey.
The Kentucky Derby Won In the SlOWeSt
Time Ever Recorded - Bill
LetGher'S Great Struggle.


walk. The sloWest Kentucky Derby
ever run was finished here to-day
with Riley first, Bill Letcher second
and Robespierre third. 1t rained
steadily yesterday. last night and this morn
ing, and the track was deep in soft. marshy
mud, which made it bad for fast time and
made the mud records Of the horses strong
consideration.
About noon the sun came out bright aud
clear, and the usual Derby crowd packed
the grand stand and overrun the free field.
Fewer ladies than usual were present, but
the ladies stand blossomed with some OF
Kentucky's fairest daughters.
The judges were Colonel Wheeler, Presi-
dent of the Washington Park; General
James +. Robinson and Colonel M. Devils
Clark The timers were w. S. Barnes. John
Funk and Neryn Harris.
Never before in the history of racing out
side of Memphis was there witnessed such
excitement as surrounded the betting
stands prior to and during the running
of the great Kentucky Derby. The
following are the entries, jockeys
and odds; Robespierre 11S (Francis), even
money; Bill Letcher 11S (Allen), 3I to / :;
Riley lis Isaac Murphy to l. Palisade
11S BrittOn), $ to /; Outlook 11S (Breckin-
RIDGE u to /; Prince Fonso 1lS (Overton),
to l.
Everybody had been impatient for the
minor events to be run, that they could
back their favOrites for the Derby. There
was mad rush for the betting stand when
the second race was over, and the struggle
to get money on the horses was terrific. 1t
looked as though all who were around the
auction pool thought Robespierre would
win. and lie was barred in all the pools sold.
Leteher sold right along as the choice for
second place. with Riley well thought of
On the books Robesperre was first up
at to 5, but very soon nearly all the
bookies had him even money. One VEN
turesOme fellow marked up 6 to 3, but took
it down when a rush was made for it,
Riley was first out of the paddock, and
he was escorted by a big crowd of ad-
mirers. He was loudly cheered, or
is boundless, as they cantered down
the track. Prince Fonso came dashing
| back from the lower paddock and he too
| was cheered. PaiSade cantered easily by
and received recognition from the start,
| and then Bill Letcher followed by Robes
pierre praneed by and were cheered to the
| echo.
They got off the first time to good start.
all but Riley, who was two lengths behind.
Bill Letcher was in front, Robespierre Sec
| ond, Outlook third, FonSo fourth, Palisade
fifth, RObespierre Immediately went to the
| front with a rush, and came down the
stretch leading by length and
| Francis desperately tugging at his
Robespierre was pulled back and Outlook
| led by the stand, the others all punched
and plasterlng each other with mud at
| every plunge.
Before reaching the first quarter Ro-
besplerre again broke away from
of it to the five-eighths pole with Riley
and Bill Letcher second and third, the
others being already out of it. Just
before turning, into the stretch, Murphy
shook up Riley, who. at once passed
into the stretch a length in the
lead. When Strengthened out for home
| Bill Letcher made his run, and he
and Robespierre, under whip, began
! sponded gamely, and neck and neck the
two raced down the stretch. The Corrigan
| colt could not be overhauled, and, holding
a safe lead without whip or spur, he came
under the wire an easy winner by four
| open lengths.
| At the distance-stand Francis gave up on
| Robespierre and allowed Letcher to come
in second by length and half. Palsade
was fourth by two lengths, Prince Fonso
| was fifth by six lengths and five lengths be-
fore Outlook. Time, 2:45.
This is the slowest of all the sixteen
| Kentucky derbys, the next being the vic
tory of Leonatus in 2:43 iu 1888 The best
Is Spokanes record last year. who beat
Proctor Knott by dozen lengths in :341b
The time, however, was not bad. consider
| ing the track, which was literally knee
| deep IN mud.
While Riley's victory was easy he was
perfectly ridden by Murphy, and Robe
| sperre would have been second and might
have won had Kiley been on him or Francis
been able to hold him.
| The races resulted as follows:
First race, five furlongs, two-year-olds,
Grandpa (Hollis) won, Liberty Bell (Griffinj
second, General Caldwell (Overton) third
| Time 1:0712.
Second race, one mile. Uncle Bob (HilD
wOp, Glockner (Button) second, Warpeak
| Smith third. Time, l ;46h.
| Third race (Kentucky Derby, one and
half miles, Riley q. Murphy won, Bill
Letcher ALLEN second, Robespierre
| Francis) third. Time, :45.
Fourth race. three-quarters of mile
heats Selling, White Nose Fox) won in
straight heats, Loveand (Allen) second,
Banner Bearer (Griffin) third. Time,
1:19h-1:20.