SEVENTEENTH DERBY 1891
A cloudy and hazy morning, but still spring like day, lending the Louisville Jockey Club an aspect brighter than it has ever worn since its inauguration in 1875, combined with the great improvements made during the past winter and spring, there seems every hope of a pleasant, brilliant and successful meeting. We have had a remarkable season, rainy and wet during March, and when winter broke summer came upon us with a burst, there being as usual no intermediate season between winter and summer. The country is dry; and the track deep in dust, still the country wears a hue of green, the trees are in full leaf, and the pastures clothed with a carpet of emerald green. The crowd to witness the seventeenth renewal of the Kentucky Derby was the largest and most immense ever assembled on the course, except at the Ten Broeck and Mollie McCarthy race, and many thought the crowd larger. During the years of this race men have written lovingly of Louisville and its track, and sounded the praises of the great three-year old event. The crowd was so great that locomotion was almost impossible, and being a free day the inner field presented one mass of humanity from the head of the stretch nearly to the first quarter pole. Derby only brought four to the post. The race for the first mile was merely a big exercising gallop, the first mile in 2:01. They ran from the half mile pole home in 51¼ seconds, and Isaac Murphy had to ride Kingman hard to win by a length. This is the slowest time a Derby has ever been run in.
The Kentucky Derby for three-year olds, foals of 1888; $100 entrance, half forfeit, $10 if declared on or before May 1, 1890, $20 if declared on or before May 1, 1891; money to accompany declarations; with $2,500 added, of which $300 to second and $150 to third. 1½ miles. 83 noms. Value to winner $4,680.
| Jacobin Stable’s b c Kingman, by Glengarry, Patricia; 122 lbs., Murphy | 1 | |
| T. J. Clay’s b c Balgowan, by Strathmore, Trinkitat; 122 lbs., Overton | 2 | |
| Eastin & Larabie’s b c High Tariff by Longfellow, Christine; 122 lbs., Williams | 3 | |
| Bashford Manor’s b c Hart Wallace by Longfellow, Stephanie; 122 lbs., Kiley | 0 | |
| Time—2:52¼ | ||
Betting—2 to 5 Kingman, 3 to 1 Balgowan, 10 to 1 High Tariff, 6 to 1 Hart Wallace.
EIGHTEENTH DERBY 1892
The eighteenth Kentucky Derby was run in the cold. The weather did not check the crowd, and fully 10,000 people watched the race from the grand stand and free field and cheered Azra and Huron as they passed under the wire. It takes more than bad weather to dampen the enthusiasm over the Kentucky Derby, and only a positive assurance of poor racing will lessen the crowd. Signs and predictions of the weather prophets failed, and instead of the bright May-day weather promised by the bureau, the air was chilly and damp, and the sky hung with leaden colored clouds during the greater part of the morning and afternoon. In the early morning the sun shone, and though cool the indications were that the afternoon would be an ideal one for racing. Instead, however, a cold wind sprang up from the northwest and turf lovers saw their dreams of a beautiful day fade into typical fall weather. There was enough virtue in the wind, however, to dry off the track, which, with the exception of a little stickiness, was in a fair condition. The officials of the day were as follows: Judges—Col. M. Lewis Clark, R. A. Swigert and Washington Hessing. Timers—Norvin Harris, Van Kirkman and Lew Tarlton. Secretaries—Joseph Swigert and Charles Price. Starter—J. B. Ferguson. Clerk of the Scales—L. P. Ezekiel.
The third race was the Kentucky Derby, with three starters, Huron, Phil Dwyer and Azra. The betting was on the Corrigan pair, while Azra’s few friends put up their boodle freely. Three minutes before the start the same persons who were most enthusiastic at the finish were repeating over and again: “Oh! what a farce the race will be. Three horses only to gallop around like the hippodrome races of a circus.” The following is a description of the race:
From the first jump Corrigan’s intentions may be read, Huron is to set a pace that will kill Azra, and Phil Dwyer is to win. Swinging the big colt to the rail, Britton gives him his head. Racing like El Rio Rey or Proctor Knott, he draws away from Azra, whom Clayton holds well in hand, and length by length increases his lead until five lengths of daylight lie between the green and light-blue jackets, Phil Dwyer, held in reserve by Overton, a length and a half in the rear. Nearing the first quarter the wrap on Azra is slackened a little and, though all go wide at the turn to seek the dryest going, Clayton takes ground by passing nearest the rail. Down the stretch to the stand they come, and it begins to be apparent that a stubborn contest is in progress. Huron’s head is swinging, he is running easily, and as he swings along with his splendid action two lengths in the lead, a cheer breaks out. In every way he looks the winner, but at his heels comes one that will follow him with dogged courage till the last gasp. Under Clayton’s good guidance, Azra is holding his own, though seemingly between two fires, for if Huron does not run away from him, there behind him is Phil Dwyer running under a pull and ready to take up the fight.