The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-16
Alabama Breeders Should
 Wot Suffer HrOHgh Fakirs
BY A. E. cAFFEE.

ed under wise and conservative racing law, would accomplish for Alabama. The great breeding industries of Tennessee our sister state-have inaugurated ar Memphis the most splendid meeting of the great grand circuit and nothing bars the way of Birmingham falling in line with Memphis except the crushing rac- ing law which was enacted some years ago when a gang of interruptions scamps had disgraced the very name of sport by their dishonest behavior at the old Bir- mingham race track The breeders or Alabama ought not to suffer for the acts of fakirs and confidence men. Alabama people are not inferior Intellectually or morally to those of Kentucky and Ten nessee, and they are fully as capable of advancing their breeding interests by a wise. safe, conservative racing law as any state in the union, and of holding state fair that would attract like Mem phis and Lexington, from 2000O to 40,0OO visitors daily to the city of Birmingham. Memphis has just closed one of the most interesting and successful meetings the
 world ever saw, and this is only the second year of racing life in that city.
 Lord Derby and The Monk.
 In my opinion the greatest race of
 the world was trotted at Memphis. Not
 on account of its supremely fast time or
 the closeness of the contest, but of the singular and rare and exciting features
 of that race The competitors were Lord Derby and The Monk. These two won derful horses were bred and raised by the same man and on the same breed ing farm-Mr. 0. J. Hamlin, of Village Farm near Buffalo, N. Y. The Monk was sired by Chimes, and was wintered by MT. Geers at Selma, Ala, when he was four years old, and developed marvellous
 d. ha a season, but suffered an accident, was re- tired from the turf and passed to MT. Smathers, a gentleman of large fortune and an enthusiastic road driver. He has been racing him two seasons quite suc- cessfully in matinees and regular events. Lord Derby was sired by Mamorino hing' and although somewhat cratic at times, has been regarded by MT. Geers as a | horse of infinite possibilities; even, so | strong has been his confidence, that he | tackled Cresceus with him. About year i ago, Lord Derby also passed to gem | tleman of great wealth, for road driv-
 ing and matinee purposes. Many times
 the phantom-llke speed of this horse has | astonished the oldest and best informed | turfmen, but never to such a degree as | in his singular performance at Memphis. This race was the contest for the Gold | Cup, the great social turf event of the | meeting; it proved to be the most spec l y. l Owing to the various withdrawals, the | race had lost somewhat of it's interest, l and contrary to the original ideas of | Mr. Billings, he had to start The Monk l so that this important event would not | be a walk-over for Lord Derby. Lately 1 The Monk had not shown his finest and | most rugged form; in fact he appeared l stale to the extent of being two or three seconds off; while Lord Derby was known | to be "cherry ripe" and ready for the l struggle of his life. It was not believed | by any of the experienced horsemen pres | ent that The Monk could put up even an interesting contest, and the betting
 was at prohibitive odds and lightly in-
 dulged. But how different was the re-
 suit and how frightfully near was the
 fayorite to defeat; and yet he astonished
 the turf world at the marvellous speed
 he exhibited to close the long gap caus-
 ed by bad behavior.
 The Bell Sounds.
 It was very late in the afternoon when
 the bell sounded for the entries in the
 Gold Cup to face the starter On taking
 the word in the first heat, MT. Billings
 scored up at terrific clip, sent The Monk to the front-Lord Derby trailing in easy
 style, they reached the half in 1:O5 from that point to the three-quarter pole Lord Derby was still moving easily, far ir the rear, Smathers relying on the supert finishing powers of his electric trotter Rounding the last turn, Mir Billings be can to drive for the wire. Into thu Stretch they came, The Monk man, lengths in the lead, and never until wei wiuthin the long distance did Derby seen to have a possible chance for the heat MT. Billings used his Lest endeavors, urg ing and encouraging his somewhat tire ihorse but Lord Derby was on his strid and with one of his mighty rushes, 4 nfpped The Monk, by an eyelash at tn l wire.
 Interest was now manifestly revivin