The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-03
A Rank Outsider Defeats French,
British and American Cracks.
THE PURSE A FAT ONE
The Largest Crowd in Years at
EPSON Downs.
The King, Queen and Many
Noted Americans Present.

Signorinetta, owned by E. Ginistrelli,
| and quoted in the betting at 100 to 1
against. today defeated all American,
British and French cracks, and cap
tured the derby stakes, valued at g.
500 sovereigns and the greatest prize
of the turf world. The Italian
horse simply cantered home from the
hot favorite by two lengths. A neck
only divided the second horse, the
Duke of Portland's Primer, and the
third. Barclay Walkers Llangwam.
Mercutio led to the mile post, when
August Belmont's Norman III drew to
the front. The American horse, how
ever, going down the hill, was over
hauled by Mountain Apple, ridden by
Lyme. an American. Jockey. Lyme held
the lead. with Signorinetta, Primer
and Llangwam, ridden by Maher, an
other American jockey in close at
tendance until the quarter mile home.
when Signorinetta, the only flly in
the race, came on with a rush and
romped home in easiest of winners.
Mountain Apple was rourth.
Lured by the fact that at least half
of the horses that were to run in the
possible winners, the largest crowd
that has been seen in many years as
sembled at Epson Downs. Special
trains from distant points in the
provinces brought thousands and a
hundred special trains left the var
| ious terminals in London crammed to
suffocation for the famous race course.
The procession by road made it's
start during the night. Later the
fashionable racegoers came on in
coaches and motor cars.
King Edward and Queen
Alexandra, the Prince and Princess of
| Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Con-
naught, and other members of the
| royal family went down by train.
The numerous American contingent
included Mr.. and Mrs. William K.
Vanderbilt, August Belmont and Mr..
and Mrs. Perry Belmont: Commander
John H Gibbons, the naval attache
at London and Mrs. Gibbons, Captain
Sidney A. Clomans the military at
taches and Mrs Cloman; Miss PhiIlips.
| General Leonard Wood and Mrs.
| Wood: Colonel George Andrews and
| Richard Croker. 7
The derby was made particularly
interesting from the American point
| of view by the fact that for the first
time in the history of races. Norman
III, an American colt, owned by Aug
ust Belmont, Of New York by Octa-
gon-Nineveh, was the favorite, while
William K. Vanderbilt's French bred
colt, Seasick II, by Elk-Safsaf, also
| occupied a very good position IN the
| betting.
| The derby was won last year by
Richard Croker's Orby, but this year,
| Mr. Croker had no horse entered. The
| derby was won in all 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
Volodyovski, leased for the year from
Lady Meux
The Oldest derby goers say that
| there never was such a perfect day or
great crowd at EPSON Downs. 1t is
| certain that never in recent years has
so much enthusiasm been evinced.
| From early morning all the roads
leading to the Downs had been
crowded with vehicles. So thick were
they there on the main thoroughfare,
motor cars and carriages had to move
| at snail's pace.
| Included in the crowd were many
! Americans and the stars and stripes
flew from many coaches and automo-
biles.
| The royal party arrived before the
| first race was run.
| Richard Crocker also, was one of
| the early arrivals. He was followed
closely by the Vanderbilts and the
| Belmonts and as the afternoon ad-
vanced the crowds increased until be-
| tween the races, a black compact mass
| covered the course from Tattenham
Vanderbilt was among the tate ar
| rivals, coming down on his famous
coach with a party of Americans. The
younger generation was represented
by party Of young girls bedecked
with the national colors and armed
| with horns.
! How the Horses Raced.
| Some delay was caused at the post
| by Azote and Vamose breaking the
tape, but ultimately good start was
| effected
Only one of the favorites f1attered
1 h io OF oiy,+
course. This was Mountain Apple,
| who took up the running upon enter
| ing the straight. He was pursued by
| Seasick II, Royal Realm, Signorin-
| eta, Primer and Llangwm, but the
| pace was too fast for the son of Per-
simmon and with the quarter mile still
to go he dropped back beaten. At
| this stage the unfancied 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
outside won the derby in 1898, has
there been such an utter rout of the
favorites. Signorinetta had never been
seen to advantage. She could only
reach fifth place in this years New
market stake. 1t is probable that the
| filly did not carry more than $25 of
| the pub1ic's money and her victory
! was received with blank dismay. The
quoted price on her 100 to 1 against,
was purely nominal; the layers
would have given any price asked. Ex-
cept from the bookmakers, who had
reaped perhaps the richest harvest Of
| their lives there was not a cheer to
proclaim the victory of the Italian en-.
| try.
| The only horse considered a possible
/ winner to secure place was Llangwm
with Maher up.
| Both Norman III and Seasick II
4 started we'll enough and made a run
| ming in the early part of the race, but
! +r,or, coon fall into tha r1ic1x