The Washington herald., 1920-02-05
Kentucky Derby Richest
Of All American Stakes
Classic at Churchill Downs for Three Year
Olds Will Be for a $4,000 Purse-Preak-
ness at Pmlico Also Valuable Race

Louisville. Feb. 4-By raising the
value Of the coming Kentucky Derby
+ % $1,000 in added money the Kentucky
Jockey Club Is in a fair way to make
Churchill Downs and the country's
most widely known and popular
spring special for three-year-olds the
richest race for three-year-oIds pro-
noted in any Enslish-speaking coun-
ty. The subscriptions. or entrance
fees and starting charges will be as
sessed in the Derby, and these will
certainly swell the purse to $1,000. II.
indeed. they do not make 1t $4,000.
No person who has followed racing
in this country has any doubt of this.
No man who has a three-year-old of
sither sex that has shown anything
in the way of speed and endurance.
whether under silks or in private gal
Op. doubts that he Is the owner of a
potential Sir Barton or another Pur-
chase. and the owner of such a colt
or filly would not be human if he
we're not willing to risk a matter of
800 or 1900 in entrance and starting
'ees with s50.000 or $4,000 stake
n sight.
VIII Nnme Entries.
Nor would he be racing horses if he
could not afford to take such a chance.
The entries for the coming Derby have
not yet been made. but il is a safe
1et that all the first and second class
two-year-olds of the season of 1919
and many of the third raters will be
found to be eligible when the Ken
lucky Jockey Club publishes its list
presently.
That the coming Preakness. the
Maryland Jockey Clubs great spring
special for three-year-olds. will have
q value of 5000 is improbable. The
Maryland Jockey Club is plenty enter
prising. Possibly $500 may be piled
on the 5000 in added money. which
the Preakness paid last season, when
Sir Barton. fresh from the triumph
over his stable mate, Billy Kelly, in
the Kentucky Derby easily defeated
Eternal and Sweep On az Pimlico
track. and there is sure to be stiff
starting fee. But the Maryland Jockey
Club is committed against entrance
fees. so there is small chance that the
value of the Preakness may be swell
ed grossly by subscriptions. Starting
fees will not suffice to bring 1t up to
the Derby in value.
The Kentucky Derby will have
something on the Latonia cham
oionship. which paid the owner of
Mad Halter a matter of $4,000 last
fall. 1t will completely throw in
the shade such races as the British
Derby. which is renewed annually
at EPSON Downs. and the st. Leger.
which is run at Doncaster in the
autumn. 1t will surpass in value
even the Prix du Jockey Club. bet
ter known in English speaking
countries as the French Derby.
The British Derby. unless the rec
ords misIead, never paid a greater
sum to the winner than S32.25O.
Nor did the St. Leger. The French
Derby's highest value seems to have
been $4,000. Edmond BIanc's Ajax
won it the year 1t paid that sub
stantial sum. 1904. Last year. after
five seasons slumber. the French
Derby had a value of $500.
Rich French Classic.
The only race exclusively for 3
year olds to be found in the racing
manuals that annually yields a
greater sum than the advanced Der
the Grand PriX de Paris, race of
one mile and seven furlongs for 8
year Olds of all countries. When
Houli won the Grand Prix de Paris
for one A. Fould in 1912 the prize
was $4,000. When the all conquer
ing Sardanapale won in 1914 it was
$1,000. There was no racing at
LOngchamps between 1914 and 1919.
but when Galloper Light defeated
Master Good and Insensible in last
seasons revival of the Grand Prix
lie Paris. he earned a purse of $780,
20 for Captain Anthors de Roth
schild, his fortunate owner. Maybe
the new dispensation in Kentucky
will ultimately meet the Grand Prix
ie Paris figures and make the Ken