The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-07
HaIma an Easy Winner in the
Twenty-First Kentucky Der
by at Louisville.
CHEERED0 ON BY THE THOUSANDS
MAGNIFICENT Exhibition Made by the
Son of Hanover and a New Era
In Kentucky Racing.

son of the great sire when Halma passed
under the wire, winner of the twenty-frst
Kentucky Derby this afternoon. Such re-
juvenated activity and enthusiasm was
never before witnessed in a racecourse, for
the historic Churchill Downs presented
scene that will go down to posterity. The
Kentucky Derby is an event to which all
Kentuckians look forward with just
pride, and this afternoon the new Louis
vile Jockey Club established new era in
the history of racing in Kentucky, the
home of the thoroughbred.
IL was grand victory, too, for Bryan
McClellands entry. That Kentuckians
have not lost their enthusiasm 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 Halma
under the wire an easy winner, but the
most conservative place the number at
%, coo. 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 an
tiquated two-wheel conveyance to the more
modern English cart.
All the city buildings and many of the
larger establishments gave 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 his
tory of that grand old course. The magni-
ficent new stand, which has seating
capacity of nearly 10000, was inadequate
to hold the vast throng Every place of
vantage about the stands, the paddock and
the stables 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 chalked
on the board until the flag fell in the clos
ing event was almost one immovable
mass. Men iostled against each other and
essayed to elbow their way through the
throng in their effort to place their money,
but the fifteen bookies who were there to
accommodate the public could not handle
more than one-half the money.
Halma won the Derby as he pleased and
not once did Perkins find it necessary 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
stand for the last time there were four
good 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 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
cantered around in front of the stand.
The Bashford manor colt was applauded,
but with the appearance of Laureate it in
creased, 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-con-
tinued cheer that lasted almost until the
candidates had reached the half-mile pole,
where starter Pettingill, flag in hand,
awaited them.
While the thousands were eagerly watch
ing the horses that were to contest for the
event all was activity in the betting ring.
If ten thousand people endeavored to
place bet on the first two races, every
body wanted to back their choice in the
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 such in the
Judgment of both the spectators and book
les, for the first odds posted were to 5.
AZ !, 4 Al
rush to place money on him and when
the flag went down the best obtainable was
to 3, while several books had rubbed him
off the board. Basso was not without
friends, for early in the day the informa-
ton was freely circulated that he was the
winner and loads of money went on him at
to 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 8 to 2 and 4 to for the
place, while Curator at Is to 1 was not
altogether friendless.
At 1856 all eyes were turned toward the
half-mile pole, for there the derby candi-
dates awaited the order to start on the
journey which was to make one of their
mum Der famous. They lined up and from
punched with Halma. the favorite, show
ing in front by neck, Basso second.
Laureate third and Curator last. There
was not lengths difference, however, be-
tween the four horses.
Martin wanted to save Basso for the final
struggle, and as they rounded the first
he drew the Falsetto colt up and at the
quarter was last, but he took good care
that the distance which separated him
from the black horse, Halma, did not be-
come too great.
Halma had the lead by head from
Curator, who moved up second, while
Laureate was third and half length
back. A mighty shout went up in the
stand as Halma passed under the wire for
the first time with Little Perkins Juggling
at the reins. Laureate was second and
Curator third, while Basso was still last.
Halma and Laureate went neck and neck
around the lower turn and when they
reached the three-fourths Perkins mount
was leading by a head with Laureate still
after him and Curator a head in front of
Basso.
''Basso has quit" was the cry that passed
from lip TO lip. and the Falsetto colt was
indeed showing signs of fatigue. But