New-York tribune., 1901-07-28
THE DERBY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RACE OF THE
YEAR-HOW AND WHEN IT
WAS FOUNDED.
From The Empire Review.
WAS FOUNDED.

From The Empire Review.
The question has often been asked (Which is
the most important race of the year?" The an
sWer may be given without doubt-the Derby.
Newly invented races worth more 10 the
owner of the winner but the Derby stiu main
tanS the pride Of place. and the majority of the
owners of racch0rses would rather win the chief
race at the EPSON summer meeting than any
other race which APPEARS in the calendar. The
Epson Course, too. IN spite OF its disadvantages,
Is very popular with both owners and the pub
lie. In every part of the empire all who care
about racing await with interest the intelligence
as 70 the result Of the Derby, which IS ndSned ali
oN Ner the world as soon the horses have pa =Sed
the post. Some of my readers in distant places
may perhaps he surprised to learn that Epson
hrst came into notorety through its mineral
waters, and they were discovered quite by
chance. An Epsom farmer found a spring on
his land but noticed that his cattle would not
drink the water; it was a little hubhlins up
place. and the cows preferred to walk some dis
tance - pond to drinking from the spring
Whlch was IN their pasture. Later Oh some nay
makers, while returning home, quenched their
thirst at this identical spring, when the medici-
nal properties Of the water were. at once dis
covered. ana EPSON became noted place.
Long before regular races We're held on the
downs, rural sports took place there, impromptu
horse races being interpolated between foot
races for men and women At last, horse rae
ing was regularly practised Epson Downs,
and in lII3 the Earl of Derby inaugurated the
oaks stakes, when his horse Bridget, ridden by
Goodison. won. The race derived its name from
small public house which stood on Banstead
Downs. and on being bought hv General Bur
goyne was virtually rebuilt and turned into
hunting box. It's next proprietor Lord
Derby, who made extensive alterations. and the
place retained its name The Oaks" Then,
having founded the race of that name, the own
er Of Tho Oaks instituted the EPSON Derby
which, from its beginning. came to be regarded
as the greatest and most important race of the
year.
THE WINNER OF THE FIRST DERBY
1t is now l21 years since Diomed won the first
Derby. but when We come To- look at the nc"s-
paper reports # the time We find that the race
WAS dismissed in two or three lines, and any
further details had to bc gathered as best they
could At the present time columns and col
uunS arr devoted To the race and its surround
ings; but though &oocly number of people Eo
down by road there are iuc.oSurcs for members
of the Four-in-IIand and Coaching clubs thr
glory Of III" road has departed. thu m1I Iority OF
po "la finding 1t much more convenient TO rua
down by tram. So" jhe Derby and reach London
comfortably iu time ..I Gl...,r- iIDA many Irp-
ple arc Ccnsre-ftad ou The downs ON Derby
Day is a qUa ~tton which has nftr1 been asked,
and the popular idea Is that each Derby is wit
messed hE about hllf million spectators or.
more properly speaking. IL IS supposed that the
that they all see The race" =. UNI l,r Newman
W hlch IS a IUrciy business meeting. EPSON has
varied attractions. ana the Journey down the
fun of tn" r"urs" ana N" - crt~ras make up
DAY of pleasure which cpmmcEds itself to =
2rrat number II the lcoplr who are present on
the Derby Day.
It is about sixty years ago that Mr porliug
clerk Of the course vent 20 Lord George Ben
timex, then a power on tn, turf. and rrgretfuily
forthcoming for the maintenance of the EPSON
summer meeting II would decline. If. indeed. il
did not come to a speedy end. At that time, Of
cnG!S', there was no spring meeting, and no
Mrropohtan or city and Suhu. ban Handicap.
Lord George Bcntinck listened to Mr.. DorIing' 3
plalntiVe story and lent him IL UpD a sum which
At that time hn could not very we'll spare. for
what with training bills forfcits and expenses
genert lily, to say nothing If betting. he had his
hands pretty fun. However. h" found the
amount for Mr.. Dorline whose nrst step was to
secure the services of some trl stWorthy men,
including a few friends OF his own. to mount
guard at the different gates 10 prevent the
tickery OF which ticket holders had formerly
been guilty. This WiSr prrcaUtion resulted in an
Increased revenue, and the EPSON meeting took
q new lease of life. the spring meeting came into
existence, and Mr.. Dorus and his family made
IN ir fortune.
\ GUARANTEE
In order that the Derby should not lose it's
place in the list Of important races. il was de
tcrmined in 1880 that the event should be worth
guaranteed minimum of 5000. but in that