Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-06-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
m1rE ENGLISH prRpY.

Bend Or ShOtovcr, Ormonde and Flying
Fox-recalis some Of the historic and
and tragic scenes clustering around this
most classic Of all classic horse-races.
All those who are at all familiar with
this papticular event. especially those
who have witnessed it, VIII understand
the pleasurable emotions excited by the
some twenty miles drive from London 10
Epson ON Derby Day'-"the quick. easy
motion. the rush Of the air against the
face. the sweet smell Of the country
the sleepy villages. the Summer-tinted
copplces, the babbie Of the mill-streams."
all form "a combination which appeals
strongly TO the senses
The nominations for the Derby are
handed dn when the prospective contest
ants are either yearllngs or before they
are foaled. Zach nomination costs the
owner some two hundred and fifty dol
lars. and as some owners hand In sew
eral nominations for thie Identical race,
It will be understood mat the initial ex-
penditure IS moro or less heavy. more
especially when It IS remembered that
the owner may not have, after all, sim
gle runner On the race. This frequently
happens; but, then, true sportsmen OF
the stamp of Westminster who is easily
the richest of all English Peers, are not
out solely for the dust" not out for
what money there may chance to be in
H. II the stakes of the races they win
cover the training expenses, then they
the owners, are satisfied. And n the
stakes do not cover those expenses. why
then, they, the owners, are equally sat
ished. The spirit OF genuine sportsman
ship abldes IN such men-a spirit which
Is not affected by the mere gain or loss
o. what Is to them, trining sums Of
money-and gives a prestlge TO horse.
racing IN England. Men Of a similas
stnmp-such men as Pierre Lorillard,
Belmont and the late d. ID. Wthcrs-
gave IN past years, a healthy tone to
tho American TURF but such men were.
and are, few and far between on the
racecourse Of this country. The "rag-and-
bobtan" element having null charge Of
the American Turf at this moment. And
when that hlgh-mlnded American sports
man, Mr.. Pierre Lorillard. whose colt
lroquols won the Derby ana the st. Lee
ger. was openly msulted on one of the
race-tracks OF this country by one Of the
Dwyer brothers. men whose pedigree was
In nowlse equal to that of some Of the
horses they owned he, Mr.. Lorillard
deemed % expedient to retire from Turf
which generated such clubhouse SUR
roundlngs The English Derby Is run as
square as the squarest square. every
owner In the race being intensely desir-
Gus OF winning this timc-honored event
| Tho present Lord Roscbery, as every
schoolboy knows once said: "There are
three things which shall enter into my
life / will marry the richest woman IN
,England I win make myself Premier Of
England, and / will win the Derby
Lord Rosebery comprised the thre,
somewhat seeming imposslbllltois, thus
winning the triple EVENT. Surely such d
contamination would satisfy the mos
vaultlng ambltioni Derby Day" Is O
national Importance; the House Of Com
mons was won't to adjourn An IFS honor
and the great body public focks TO wit
ness the great race. and to "het the IN
vorlto" to "a stamdstll. A notable eXhl
bihion of this good old sporting spirit
the desire to see the best horse win--tool
place the other day. Derby Day" whsi
the enormous crowd, winners and loser
alike cheered the Duke Of Westminste
to the echo as. bareheaded, he steppe
from the paddock to lead his winning colt
Flying Fox, from off the course. And !
Is extremely probable THAT at that mo
ment the Duke was the happiest man q
an Iongland indeed. far happier than
he had been the hero OF highly success
/ al
long as such men as Rosebery and West
Minister win the classic horse-races O
England then so long will the cnglis
Turf not degenerate into a mere gambl,
a mere base and merconary diversion j
must not be supposed that an the sports
men who have won the Derby were reck
less gamblers. Many Of them have bee
content with the value OF the stake,
$ some $4,000 The late Lord Famouui
one of the most honored OF Hnglis
sportsmen, made hut one bet during tn
! whole OF his protracted career on IA
= Turf. lie wagered a six-penny- plece (uh
a ieviathan sum Of II cents) with his lrair
y er's wife, that NE. Falmouth. would n,
q win that years Derby lie did win 81
a and he clrcled the sixpenny-plece wit
0 diamonds. ana presented % to the IA
- winner.
e Great ana fearless jockeys have riddle
3 IN the Derby. such redoubtable knight
S OF the pigskin as Maidment, Fred Archie
!, and George Fordham. But these splend
horsemen and great judges Of pace. ride
{, who never saw danger as they round,
s the famous down-hin Tattonham Corne
u rode thei, last Derby years ago and nav
y since, perforce, piloted the Pale Charge
q Death. And as the passer-by halts III
2 knowingly at the graveside Of Geor.
-- Foriham, perhaps the greatest Jock,
that ever swung a leg into a saddle. Q
y pauses for moment before realizing Il
y peculiar fitness OF the words inscrlbl
Y upon the headstone. the words-"Tis "A
Z pace that kills"
The mandate of the English Jock
Club is supreme In all That appertains
/, horse-racing. Woe betide the owner d
NJ tected In any off-color Turf transactio
- We recall an incident in the sporting c
10 reer OF the late Count Lagrange 1--WE O.
NJ lieve he Is dead. He had two horses .
tered for a certain valuable stake rae
a The Count declared to win with the 4
ri vorite, and the public followed suit
ld backing the horse with which the Cou
IN had declared TO win. but Lagrange 'pu