Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-04
OUTSIDER WINS
HISTORIC DERBY
SlGN0RlNETTA TAKES EVENT
FROM CLASSY FIELD
ITALIAN HORSE, DEsPIsED IN THE
BETTING, RoMPs IN
American, British and French Horses
Are tcIassed-Record Breaking
Crowd Sees Kings Horse
Run Thirteenth
Nv Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
LONDON, June "A rank outsider,
Signorinetta, owned by Z. Gtnistrelli
and held at 100 TO l against, today de-
feated all the American, British and
French cracks and captured the Derby
stakes. valued at $500 sovereigns, and
the greatest prize of the turf world:
The Italian horse simply cantered
home from the hot favorites by two
lengths. A neck only divided the Sec
ond horse, the duke of Portland's S Prim-
er, and the third, Barclay walker S
Ilangwm. Mercutio led 10 the mile
post, when August Belmont's Norman
III drew to the front. The American
horse, however. going down the nil.
was overhauled by Mountain Apple,
ridden by Lyme, an American jockey.
Lyme held the lead, with Signorinetta,
Primer and Llangwm ridden by
Maher, another American jockey, in
close attendance until the quarter
mile home, when Signorinetta, the only
filly in the race, came on with a rush
and romped home in easiest fashion.
Mountain Apple was fourth.
Lured by the fact that at least half
of the horses which were to run in the
historic Derby were considered possi-
BILE winners, the largest crowd that
has been seen in many years assem-
bled at EPSON Downs. Special trains
from distant points in the provinces
brought thousands, and a hundred
special trains left the various termi-
nails in London crowded to suffocation
for the famous race course.
The procession by road made its
start during the night. Later the
fashionable racegoers came on in
coaches and motor cars.
King Edward Attends
King Edward and Queen Alexandra,
the prince and princess of Wales, the
duke and duchess of Connaught and
other members of the royal family
went down by train.
The numerous American contingent
included Mr.. and Mrs. William X.
Vanderbilt, August Belmont and Mr..
and Mrs. Perry Belmont; Commander
John II. Gibbons. the naval attache at
London, and Mrs. Gibbons; Captain
Sydney A. Cloman, the military at
tache, and. Mrs. Cloman; Mrs. Phil
lips, General Leonard Wood and Mrs.
Wood, Colonel George Andrews and
Richard Croker.
The Derby was made particularly in
teresting from the American point of
view by the fact that for the first time
in the history of the race Norman I'LL
an American colt owned by August
Belmont of New York, by Octagon-
Ninevah, was the favorite, while Will
liam X. Vanderbilt's French bred colt
Seasick II, by Elk-Safsaf, also occu-
pied a very good position in the bet
ting.
The Derby was wen last year by
Richard Croker's Orby, but this year
Croker had no horse entered. The
Derby had been won three times by
Americans-by Mr.. Croker in 1907, by
Pierre Lorillard in 1881 with Iroquois
and by the late William c. Whitney in
1901 with the English horse Volody-
ovski, leased for the year from Lady
MeuX.
Great Crowd Is Happy
The oldest Derby-goers say that
there never was happier day or such
a great crowd at EPSON Downs. 1t is
certain that never in recent years has
SO much enthusiasm been evinced.
From early in the morning all the
roads leading to the Downs had been
crowded with vehicles. So thick were
they that on the main thoroughfares
motor cars and carriages had to move
at a snairs pace.
Included in the crowd were many
Americans, and the Stars and Stripes
flew from many coaches and automo-
biles.
Richard Croker also was one of the
early arrivals. He was f, llowed closely
by the Vanderbilts and the Belmonts,
and as the afternoon advanced the
crowds increased until a black compact
mass covered the entire course. A. G.
Vanderbilt was among the late arrivals,
coming down on his famous coach with
a party of friends. The coaching stand
was largely monopolized by Americans
The younger generation was repre-
sented by a party of young girls, be-
decked with the national colors and
armed with horns.
Some delay was caused at the post
by Azote and Vamez breaking the tape
but ultimately a good start was ef-
fected.
Only one of the favortes flattered his
supporters at any point on the course,
This was Mountain Apple, which took
the running on entering the stretch.
He was pursued by Seasick II,
Royal Realm, ,Signorinetta, Primer and
Llangwm, but the pace was too fast for
the son of Persimmon, and with the
quarter mile still to go he dropped back
beaten.
Winner Goes in Front
At this stage the italian filly, which
had been occupying nice place in the
center, raced to the front. Mountain
Apple came in fourth.
Not since Jeddah, another 100 to 1
outsider, won the Derby in 1898, has
there been such an utter rout of favor
ties. Signorinetta has never been seen
to advantage. She could only reach
first place in this years Newmarket
stake. 1t is probable that the filly did
not carry more than $25 of the public
money, and her victory was received
with blank dismay. The quoted price
on her, 100 to l, was purely nominal;
the layers were having any prices
asked. Except the bookmakers, who
had reaped perhaps the richest harvest
OF their lives, there was not a cheer to
proclaim the victory of the Italian
entry.
The only horse considered a possible
winner to secure place was
Llangwm. with Maher up.
Both Norman III and Seasick II
started well enough and made the rum
ming in the early part of the race, but
they soon fell into the Tuck.
Seasick IL finished sixth, King Ed
wards Pierrier thirteenth, Norman III
fifteenth and AZote seventeenth.
Signorinetta Is tha first hlly to win
the blue ribbon since 1882
Probably this was the first time in
the history of the Derby that a man
garbed as the owner Of Signorinetta
was. in an old Weatel- beaten straw hat
and stable clothes, led in the winner in
the class race. SignOrinetta is entered