The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-13
SPORTING news.
Many Horses to Start in Ameri-
can Derby at Chicago.
Lieutenant Gibson Not to Have
a Canter in the Event.
YET HE is A FAVORITE
Highland Lad Mentioned as a
Probable Winner.
Eastern Horses to Struggle
Against Western Entries.

Chicago, June 13.-Judging from the
work of the different candidates for the
American derby, which viii be run at
Washington park on June %, 1t now looks
as if the race will be the greatest that
has ever been decided at that track since
Edward Corrigan's chestnut filly Modesty
carried off the honors in the initial event
some sixteen years ago. Since the run
ming of the first event the race has grown
to be one of Americas biggest events, as
well as one of the richest stakes. The
winning of this derby is considered to be
even greater honor than is the winning
of the Kentucky derby.
The running; of the Latonia derby re-
suited in a walk over for Lieutenant Glib
son, but the American derby has never
been a. race of this kind. On more than
one occasion the top heavy favorite was
beaten by an outsider, this being the case
in 1887, when c. H. Todd, at 80 to 1. beat
the Baldwin pair, GOliah and Miss Ford,
and again in 1894 Rey Ell Santa Anita,
carrying the black jacket with a red NAL
tese cross of the California millionaire.
and quoted at 40 to l in the books, beat
Domino and a field of cracks, among them
being such Eastern performers as Sena-
tor Grady and Dorian.
Lieutenant Gibson is a great favorite for
this race, but in many cases the favorite
does not. get the money. In spite Of the
recent victories of this great colt at Louis
vile and his walkover in the LatOnia
derby, many shreWd horsenen are VIII
ing to wager that he will be beaten in
the Washington park race.
The question that is mostly asked by
the knowing ones around Chicago is:
Whom has Lieutenant Gibson beaten
that he should be a big favorite?"
Lieutenant Gibson has thus far been
very lucky i'll the fact that he has had
! horses that rank but little better than
selling platers to go against The fact
that he has made a show of his field does
not count for much in the minds OF real
| students in horse racing. They state that
ne must meeL and Yanqush a race morse
| of the first class before they Will admit
| that his claim to greatness is based. on
| real foundation. They also claim that sell
! ing platers, with no claim to any class,
| ran as fast as any stake horse over the
| Louisville course.
a race horse and who has seen the colt
| run, does not think that Lieutenant Glib
/ son is the great colt that he is generally
| believed to be. He admits the colts abil-
| ity to run, but places a question mark on
/ where but in front this year, and Dunno
| figures that when some game horse
! bitches up with him in a drive Lieutenant
Gibson will be found among the also
| rams"
Dunno is rot alone in his estimate of
| the colt, for a well known layer of odds
has offered to lay several thousand dol
| lars that Lieutenant Gibson viii not fin
| ish one, two or three in this big event:
! In 1891, Kingman's career prior to the
| big race at Washington Park was very
| much like that of Lieutenant Gibson at
the present time. He had won his races
| in the south with such ease that a ma
! jority of the people thought that he was
| a world beater. and, like Lieutenant I'D
| son, he had beaten - thing. The Ken
| tuckians We're sweet over his perform
| ances and declared that he had the
American derby at his mercy. Some OF
| them went 50 far as to laugh at the rash
ness of any man who talked of starting
| a horse against him.
On performance and looks the most for
nidable contender in the derby IS High
land Lad. This colt, who was never more
than half good at any time last season
has developed wonderfully through the
winter. This spring Mr. ScOggan had tC
go slow with him on account of his
growth. but ut the latter end of the Louis
vile meeting the stable made no secre
of its belief that on fast track High
| land Lad could take up his weight and q
| a mile close around the I :39 mark. HI
received a prep for the Latonia derby anC
both Mr. Scoggan and Captain Franklin
the trainer, were quite sanguine that they
would have more than an outside chance
with Lieutenant Gibson in that event on
fast track. The going however, was mud
| dy and eventually it was decided to star
! neither of the ScOggan pair.
! Highland Lad is now being pointed 70
the Washington park race, and all tina
is needed to assure a great contest ever
between him and Lieutenant Gibson viii
be a dry, fast track. There is no ques
ton to the class of the big. son o
Florist. The only mooted point is as t
whether he will go the derby route. MI
Scoggan thinks that he will.