Evening star., 1936-04-25

fore and since the Derby, which was
the only race he ever won.
The ladies, incidentally, have had
their share of luck in the Derby, al
though they are far in the minority
as contenders.
The most dramatic of these tri-
umphs was that scored in 1924 by
Black Gold, owned by Mrs. R. M.
Hoots, widow none too we'll fixed
with this worlds goods. Bred in Okla
homa and named for that liquid
wealth that pours from the soil there,
Black Gold was Mrs. Hoots' only
horse. One of those unquenchable
optimists of the race track for whom
tomorrow is always better day, the
widow had won the Louisiana Derby
with the colt, and, in high hopes,
moved on to Louisville. Fate was with
her. The evil-tempered Sarazen, pride
of the wealthy Mrs. William K VAN
derbilt, failed to train up. Wise Coun-
sellor, another likely prospect, also
fell by the wayside, and that's the
way it went, until post time saw
Black Gold installed a 1910 favorite,
and then win as favorite should in
a bitter stretch drive with Chilhowee.
The Black Gold saga ended in a
claiming race in New Orleans three or
four years later when the stout
hearted widows mite broke down and
was destroyed.
The "a Derby was notable on
couple of other counts also. After
his Louisiana victory, Black Gold got
quite a play in the Winter books at
odds as good as Is to l, and when he
won, bookmakers all over the country
were forced to the wall, the late Tom
Kearney of st. Louis and Tom Shaw
OF New York being about the only op-
orators of size who emerged from the
debacle, and paid of. Kearney said
the race cost him $4,000.
The other untoWard incident was
the placing. AS the judges saw the
finish, it was Black Gold. Chilhowee
and Beau Butler. Actually the third
horse was Bracadale, Beau Butler, a
Bradley horse, winding up fifth as pic
lures later plainly showed. 1t was
just an unexplainable mix-up that was
no help at all to those holding show
tickets on Bracadale. Beau Butler
hackers didn't kick.
THE race Of 1884 was almost suf-
frage parade. In front and going
away was Cavalcade, Haunting the
royal blue and white OF Mrs. Isabel
Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable.
Second was Discovery, and third, Mrs.
F. j. Heller's reformed platter, Agra
rian. Discovery was-and is-the
property of young Alfred Gwynne
Vanderbilt, but it so happens that
Vanderbilt raced the Sycamore horses
which just q short time before the
"a Derby had been turned over to
him by his mother, Mrs. Margaret
Amory, which gave her at least pro-
prietary interest in that affair.
Taking their dust were Widener's
Peace Chance, Bazaar and Matt Hari,
grand fillies owned by Bradley and
Charles T. Fisher, and a half-dozen
more good ones.
That race demonstrated, too, what
q tough row fillies have In coming up
to form for the Derby. Through the
81 years, Regret, owned by Harry
Payne Whitney, is the only one to fin-
ish on the head end Of the process
sion, showing the way in 1915 when
favorite at little better than to 2.
Last year, the highly-touted Nellie
Flag drew the bulk of the play at
little under to land ran out.
But any horse player knows that
there Is always chance for an upset;
so the hllies have their following.
It is something along the same line
Of reasoning that invariably sees the
winner Of the Belmont Futurity touted
highly for the Derby, despite the fact
that no Futurity victor ever has gone
on to triumph In the Derby. and more
often than not has failed to face the
starter.
That, however, Is all q part Of the
annual excitement.
And, come to think, maybe there Is
something to the idea ut that.