to do
so. It was that inborn love of sport, that can be found in the hearts of
the majority of men. It is the greatest compliment that can be paid to a
racing association for that kind of a gathering to attend its meetings. As
a whole, it was not there to speculate but prompted by a feeling of
admiration for deeds of prowess and with an earnest desire to see the best
horse win.

This was the kind of an audience that witnessed the nineteenth renewal of
the Kentucky Derby. The event itself might be regarded as somewhat of a
disappointment, in the fact that the winner so far out-classed his field
that he had too easy a thing of it. With Lookout eliminated, the contest
between Plutus, Boundless and Buck McCann was a stubborn one, and not
until very near the wire was the issue settled, as to who would get second
place. There was no trouble about who would get first place; that was
settled shortly after the flag fell. There were six starters in the Derby,
namely: Cushing & Orth's pair, Lookout and Boundless; Scroggan Bros.' Buck
McCann; Bashford Manor Stable's Plutus; J. E. Pepper's Mirage, and C. E.
Railey's Linger. Kunze rode Lookout; R. Williams was up on Boundless; A.
Clayton on Plutus; Thorpe on Buck McCann; Isaac Murphy on Mirage, and
Flynn on Linger.

Cushing & Orth's pair was odds-on favorites and the bulk of the big
speculators' money went on the entry. There had been a great air of
mystery about the preparation of Plutus for the Derby, and the talent
appeared to be at a loss as to how to estimate him. His race showed that
Trainer John Morris has been doing some good work with the colt and has a
stake-horse in his stable. Plutus and Buck McCann were about even second
choice, both to win and for place. Mirage, with Isaac Murphy up, found
some followers, but principally "pikers," for the place on which odds of 3
to 1 could be had. There was a long price about Linger's chances with few
takers. There was a general impression abroad that Railey's colt could not
take up the weight and go the distance, and all who reached such a
conclusion had it down just about right. But neither Linger nor Mirage
will ever be able to beat Lookout at any weight or distance when the great
son of Troubadour is at himself. They don't belong in his class. The
others in the Derby are nearer his class, but it is my opinion that he
will always hold them safe, under anything like equal circumstances. He
won the Derby so easily that it places him