Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-19
EASILY DlSPOSES OF OXFORD
AND PASADENA
One Of the Largest Crowds Of Season
Turns Out to Witness Running
Of Southern caIifornia's
.W Classic
BY FOREST LOWRY.

prizes. The Darby" Is stake that is
Offered for runners of the three-year-
old idivsion, and It may be said that
many a time the stake has been won
by a horse that was not worth the
price he brought home to his winner
through the winning. Just so yester-
day when DR.. Leggo turned up an easy
winner in an event in which his trainer
did not think that he had a possible
chance.
In England. in the east, in the middle
west and here on the Pacific coast there
is always a stake called the Derby and
there are men who have seen the Derby
in all parts that will say they never
saw what was supposed to be a real
good horse win one Of these stakes.
Liked McLaughlins Entry
Yesterday the Ascot Derby was run,
and this is not to say that DR.. Leggo,
the winner, Is such a bad colt, but at
that no one can say that he is of the
very first class. G. w. Wilson discov-
cred that DR.. Luggo had a chance in
the big event and shipped the colt from
San Francisco in hope of getting the
long end of the purse, which was S224O.
Just before the horses went to the post
j. j. McCafferty brother of Charley
McCafferty, trainer of DR.. Leggo
went through the betting ring and ad-
vised his friends to bet on the Nc
Laughlin entry-Pasadena and Oxford.
On top of this strange move the
result of the Derby would tend to
demonstrate that the running of some
of the horses at the Los Angeles Jockey
clubs track is largely Influenced by the
odds laid against them in the ring. DR..
Leggo in his previous race here was
short odds. He was on that occasion
afflicted with the slows. Yesterday
coupled with Big Beach, with to 2
against them and the race worth over
$4,000. DIR. Leggo showed amazing speed
and defeated a fast lot of handicap
horses in common canter.
High Class Field
Eight horses, the very best in train
ing in the south, made up the field for
the Derby. There were originally ten
carded to go, and of these Invader and
Cigarlighter refused. 1t wasn't much
of a field to run for good stake, ana
so much good had been said of Oxford
and Pasadena, that those who knew the
others from having seen them race in
these parts (save DR.. Leggo), were
willing to help support the McLaugh-
lin entry as favortes at to 8, ana
they went to the post strong odd-on
choices.
DR.. Leggo and Big Beach were given
second call among the players over
Sandstone, Kehailan and Girdlestone
with Skeptic the extreme. outsider.
From a spectacular standpoint the
race was not much. Everyone knew,
or at least thought that if the Nc
Laughlin pair were anything like up to
touted class that the race was theirs.
Dr.. ,Leggo Wins
The field was sent away to per-
feet break, but right after the start
Kehailan and Pasadena bumped each
other badly. Skeptic broke in front and
passed the stand with his mouth wide
open. Pasadena hung on and at
the three quarter pole assumed COM
humping on the first turn, was care
fully handled on the second turn ana
gradually got up within striking dis
tance of the leaders. Bonner did not
call on DR.. Leggo until we'll into the
back stretch, where he easily over
hauled Pasadena and flashed into the
lead. In the final quarter he had things
all his own way and with Bonner pull
ing him up, the Wilson colt held the
others safe.
Pasadena, who finished second, |
showed a world of speed and through
the stretch stood long hard drive
gamely. Oxford anchored with the
weight, was never dangerous and on
the end had all he could do to stall
off Kehaian for third money. The
others were always outrun and had
no chance.
Bookmakers Lose
Derby day, a good card and beauti- !
full weather, drew out the largest
crowd of the season to the races yes
terday. The grandstand was filled to
the overhowing and the betting ring
room" only between races. The book
makers were kept busy handling the
crowds money and in view of the
fact that four out of the six favorites
won and, that every winner was we'll
backed, they must have had {. bad day. |
Six 4-year-olds and upward went to
the post for the mile condition race,
first on the card. Padua was the fa-
vorite at even money. He was slow
to begin, but moved up gradually on
the outside of the others on the back
stretch. He swung wide turning for
home but had the race at his mercy
from the paddock home. Borghesi
showed most of the speed for six fur
longs, stood the last sixteenth drive
gamely and was much the hest of the
others. Sinner Simon. the touted good
thing faltered after looming up dan