Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1908-10-08
j. S. DEWELL
Attorney-at-Law
Office over State Savings Bank
Missouri Valley, Iowa.
TALES OF THE DERBY
Mysteries Of tn Famous Classic
Of the C. yIish Turf.

Mysteries of ti,s Famous Classic
Of the c. glish Turf.
IA SCHEME THAT WENT WRONG
Tho Plot to Rob Teddington Of the Blue
! Ribbon In 1851-Leander's Missing
Head-A Dramatic Episode-Win-
ners Foretold In Dreams.
If it We're possible to write the full
and true history of the Derby it would
contain some startling revelations OF
strange doings behind the scenes of
which the public has little suspicion
and no actual knowledge.
There Is, for instance, little doubt
that a very different tale would have
been told of Teddington's Derby but
for the prompt action of his wide
awake owner. Sir Joseph Hawley.
When the kcntish baronet attended
was amazed to find the boollmakers
eager to lay odds to any amount
against his colt, who was looked on as
Il certain winner of the blue ribbon Il
few weeks later Sir Joseph ut once
scented mischief. and. Leaving the
coursc. he travelled as fast ais relays
of swift horses could take him to his;
training quarters, where he commune
Gated his suspicious to Alec Taylor. his
trainer.
AS the result of their deliberations
another box placed under the charge
of IL different boy and Il strict watch
Kept over him night ard day. What
over scheme was ON foot to disable the
horse was thus cffcctually checked
VcdtiiIgton soon resumed his place as
first favoritc in the betting and. as ev-
ers-aody expected. won the Derby with
ease.
Another mystery which has not been
SOLVED TO this day is associated With
| I.candcr and that memorable Derby of
| IN. II WAS more than suspected that
| l.canGer was II four-ycar-old. but thprn
Was not sufficient evidence on which
1 to base an objection to his running In
the race his fctlocE was broken 10y {,
! l:ir.; from Running Rein. and he was
! c."Iec!ualy placed hors dc combat NC
was shot and l,uricd. but when Il party
or a!,ortsGcn who wished to test their
svpiciol:s Ga:s vi, his body at dead OF
Eis.llt they found that the head. which
alone coul;l settle the NATTER was gone
nat;,a. tho second favorite for this:
! race. Was mace safe by Il cunningly
Gsviscl bol;.s, but who administered
1t ";:s; never discovered. and. to crown,
u: Dnrby as The most shady and
fraudulent on record. Running Rein,
who came in first. was fo..lld to lr
nps, o.!.er than Macclbee#. II four
vc":Dld. and thus an i,npos,o:. of the
first water. But when /. Ge;':...,c leces
sary to produce the horse for M cN-
animation by experts it was found that
he. like Lcandcr's tclltale head. had
been spirited away.
In connection with Running Rein. by
the way, IL dramatic story is told. \
Captain Osborne had backed Orlando
TO- :, very heavy sum. and when Run
Mig Rein came in first he was faced
with the alternative of blowing on
lii; brains or being declared default
q" lie was just on the point of choos
Ing death rather than dishonor when /;
ming Rein" ran the missivc, which
was from friendly tout, sis an i'm
postor and he won't get the Derby
stakes Fay up all the bets on Orlando
YOU can set. and you will make a for
time"
Tie captain put away his revolver
followed the tout's advice and, instea,
of providing work for the undertaken
foan,l himself $4,000 in pocket
Fe" horses have ever started II hot
to-. favoritc for the Derby than Nc
Grcgor in 1870. SO rosy were Iii
chances that odds of o to 1 We're lai,
on him to an enormous amount. ant
Won. TO the consternation however
of his bnckcrs. he seemed unable t
move freely in the race and finished
bad fourth behind horses who wer
not In the same century with him.
There was no doubt whatever tina
Mac@regor had been druyged, but VIII
the rascal was who did the dastardl
trick is as much Il mystery today MS
WAS at the time.
1t Is of this race that the followin
remarkable story is told: During til
night before the race Il jockey calle
swift saw the finish of the Derby in
dream. lie saw Kingcraft. which h
recognized, pass the post a winner b
II length and a half, followed by
dark brown horse which he could nc
Identify and with Macgregor, the f;
vorlte, bad fourth. In spite Of til
jccring of his friends, to whom he toll
the story, he backed kingcraft fo
every sovereign he could raise, and.
his delight as to the disgust of tn
scoffers. he saw his dream exactly n
produccd-thc favorite badly beate
and the despised Kingcraft winning
small fortune for him.
Even more remarkable is story {
that great Derby race of 1862, won b
the dcspised outsider Caractacus, iii
den by Parsons. the stable lad. A
though Curactacus was so badl
thought Of that Jim Goater poll
plank refused to ride him and odds {