The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-07

louisville, KY, May 6.-Fair ladies
waved their handkerchiefs and sturdy
men Joined in the lusty cheer that
greeted the son of a great sire. when
Ralma passed under the wire a win
ncr of the twenty-first Kentucky derby
this afternoon.
Such rejuvenated activity and enthu-
siasm was never before witnessed in a
race course, for the historic Church
hill Downs presented a scene that will
go down to posterity. The Kentucky
derby is an event to which all Ken
TuckianS look forward II with just
pride. and this afternoon the new
Louisville Jockey club established a
new era in the history of racing in
kentucky, the home of the thorough
bred.
A Grand Victory.
It was a grand victory, too. for
Bryan AIcCIelland's entry. That Ken
Fuckians have not lost their enthusi-
assn for the horse was evidenced by
the crowd that thronged the superb
stand. betting ring, and every other
available place to see the classic
event. It will never be known just
how many pairs of eyes centered upon
little Soup Perkins, as he guided
I Halma under the wire an easy winner,
but the most conservative place the
number at %. 600. Before the arrival Of
the noon hour the journey of the
thousands to Churchill Downs began
The boulevard leading to the course
was crowded with vehicles of every
description. from the antiquated two
Wheel conveyance to the modern Eng
hsh cart. All the city buildings and
many Of the larger establishments
gave a half holiday to their clerks,
and all went to see the Kentucky
derby. At the Downs there was a
scene never before witnessed in the
history Of that grand old course.
The magnificent new stand, which
has a seating capacity of nearly 10000,
was inadequate to hold the vast
throng- Every place of vantage about
the stands, the paddock and the sta
hles was occupied, while in and about
the betting stand it was one solid mass
of humanity. The betting stand, from
the time the first odds were challked on
the board until the flag fell in the
closing event, was almost one immOv-
able mass. Men jostled against each
other and eSSayed to elbow their way
through the throng in their efforts TO
place their money, but the fifteen
bookies who We're there to accomn1o-
date the public could not handle more
Ou6-ndI the money.
As He Pleased.
HaIna won the derby as he pleased
and not once did Perkins find it nee
essaIy to use the rawhide, for the colt
assumed the lead from the very fall
OF the flag and set the pace to the
finish. He was not urged a foot of the
route, and when he passed the grand
stand for the last time there was four
lengths of daylight between the son
of Hanover and the hard-ridden BaSSo,
who was second
There was enthusiasm when the first
two events were run, but when the
winners were posted in the second
race, there was augmented activity, for
the Kentucky derby would soon be a
thing of the past. The sound Of the
saddling bell had hardly died away
before Curator, with OVerton up, came
out OF the paddock and bantered
around in front of the stand. The
Bashford Manor colt was applauded
but with the appearance of Laureate
it Increased and when Halma, with
Perkins up, and Basso, with Martin
astride, paraded IN front of the vast
crowd, it gave vent to its approval
with one long-cOntinued cheer that
lasted almost until the candidates had
reached the half mile pole where
Starter Pettingill, flag in hand, await
ed them.
Everybody Had Money.
While the thousands were eagerly
watching the horses that were to con-
test for the grand event, all was &C
tivity in the betting ring. If 10000
people endeavored to place bet on the
first two races, everybody wanted to
back their choice in the Kentucky
derby, and the bookmakers found it
an arduouS task to handle half the
bills that were showed at them. Halma,
on performance, was entitled to be the
favorite, and he was, in the judgment
of both the spectators and bookies, for
the first odds posted were to 5. Even
at these prohibitiVe odds, there was a
rush to play money on him, and when
the flag went down the best Obtainable
was 1 to 3, while several books had
rubbed him off the board. BasSo was
not without friends, for early in the
day the information was freely circu-
lated that he was the winner, and
loads of money went on him at TO 1
TO win and to for the place, but not
once did the odds change after they
had once been posted. Laureate, too,
had a big following at 9 to 2, and 4 to
s for the place, while Curator at Is to
J. was not altogether friendlesS.
st $3.50 all eyes were turned toward
the half-mile pole, for there the four
derby candidates awaited the order
to start on the journey which was to
make one of their number famous.
Ivhey lined up, ana from the first at
tempt were sent away Well-bunched,
with Halma, the favorite, showing in
front by a neck, Basso second, Lau-
reate third and Curator last. There
was not lengths difference, how
ever. between the four horses.
HaIma Leading.
Martin wanted to save Basso for
the final struggle, and as they round
ed the first turn he drew the Falsetto
colt up, and at the quarter was last,
but ne took good care that the dis
lance which separated him from the
black colt Halma did not become too
great. Halma had the lead by head
from Curator, who had moved up a
second, while Laureate was third
and half a length back. A mighty
shout went up in the stand as Hal
ma PASSED under the wire for the
5irst time. with little Perkins Eugging
AT the reins. Laureate was second,
and Curator third, while Basso was
stu last. Halma and Laureate went
neck and neck around the lower turn,
and when they reached the three
fo1lrths, Perkins's mount was leading
hv a head, with Laureate still after
him and Curator a head in front Of
Basso.
passed from lip TO lip, and the Fall
eetto colt was indeed showing signs
of fatigue, but when they had passed
the mile, Martin began riding, and