Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-08
f. - N,e.4A-eS
MOST SENSATIONAL RACE
In Turf History Was a Derby Won +
UD:s.anN

NIuSCIs
The history of the turf contains many
stories of fraud. but none more auda-
cious and impudent than that asso-
ciated with the, Derby of 1874, which
has been described as the most sensa-
tional race or record-at least In Its
developments.
The derby of that year was won, as
the record tells US, by 'iNIr. A. Wood S
Running Rein by The Saddler, out OF
Queen Nab, by Duncan Grey" ridden
by Mann The same horse had won a
2-year- old race at Newmarket m the
previous autumn, and 1t was then ru-
mored that he was a year older than
was claimed and when he romped in
first in the Derby Col. Peel. whose horse.
Orlando, ran second, promptly lodged
an objection against the winner and
obtained an injunction against the pay
ment Of the stakes to MIR. Wood until
the dispute had been settled, in the law
courts. Messrs. Weatherby according
ly paid the stakes into court, and left
Mr.. Wood and Col. Peel to fight the
matter out.
Col. Peel's contention was that the
winner Of the Derby was none other
bred by Sir Charles Ibbetson. and thus
DISQUALIFIED KY age for the Derby, and
SO zealously and successfully did he and
Lord George Bentinck collect evidence
that when the great action, Wood VS..
Peel came or for hearing before Baron
Anderson at Westminster they were in
a position to prove their case up to the
hilt
Scarcely ever has a cause celebre
created so much excitement. The court
was crowded to suffocation; hundreds
were unable to gain admittance, and
feeling ran dangerously high. After
counsel had opened the case for the
plaintiff the judge very sensibly sug-
gested: produce your horse and let
him be examined by experts. That is
the best answer to the whole question:,
and the case was adjourned for the
production Of Running Rein on the fol-
lowing day.
When the next day came, however,
plaintiffs counsel had to. confess that
the horse was nowhere to be found--it
had been spirited away. Whereupon
Baron Anderson was furious. This is
horse stealing" he exclaimed, "a case
for the central criminal court; and if l
try the parties and they are convicted,
I'll transport them for life, to a dead
certainty" Under the circumstances,
Mr.. Wood withdrew his action, stating
that a gross fraud had been practiced
on him by his rascally trainer, verdict
was given for Col. Peel and Orlando
was declared. winner of the 1874 Derby,
in place of the fraudulent Running
Rein. exposed and deposed.
But this was not the only sensational
feature of this remarkable race. Rattan,
the second favorite, was poisoned and
effectually put out of the running, a
dastardly act which killed his owner,
-"Old Crocl,ford;" and Leander, another
4-year -old who had been struggled in
to the race had his fetlock broken by
a kick and had to be killed When he
was dug up next morning by party
of sportsrnen who suspected his age
it was found that Leanders head,
which would have revealed the fraud,
had, disappeared during the night.
Rattan, by the way, was by no means
the only Derby horse who has been
made safe" by poison administered on
the eve of the race. Every horse in the
1882 Derby, with the solitary exception.
OF Perion, was drugged, tho ST. Giles
was the winner; and it will be re-
membered that shortly before the Der