76 HISTORYOFTHE 



TWENTY-FIFTH DERBY 1899 



The twenty-fifth Kentucky Derby was run on Thursday, 

 May 4, and was won easily by A. H. and D. H. Morns' Manuel, 

 ridden by Fred Taral, who had come on from New York ex- 

 pressly for the mount. The weather was warm and pleasant, 

 though cloudy, and the track deep with dust. The race was a 

 poor one from the standpoint of time and would seem to indi- 

 cate that with the single exception of Manuel there was not a 

 horse of Derby class of ordinary years in the field. Some ex- 

 cuses could be made for Corsine, as he traveled from the Pacific 

 Coast and was giving from five to twelve pounds to his op- 

 ponents. But the son of Riley showed no speed at any part of 

 the journey, though he seemed to be in fine form, and will have 

 to improve remarkably to win rank among the good horses of 

 America. There is not much to say about the others, except that 

 they finished behind Corsine. Mazo will probably do much better 

 at shorter distance, but Fontainbleau and His Lordship seem to 

 be counterfeits. The latter was trained to the hour by his trainer 

 and part owner, Mr. John Smith, who showed his skill in the de- 

 velopment of the crack Mclvor in his first year on the turf, but 

 he shut up like a jack knife when collared and dropped out of it. 

 But few words are needed in addition to the form-sheet in 

 describing the race. His Lordship took the lead before reaching 

 the grand stand and going down the back stretch seemed to be 

 leading easily with his mouth wide open. Taral had Manuel 

 under a wrap close up in second place and approaching the turn 

 from the backstretch he nailed the leader. There was a moment's 

 struggle and His Lordship fell back sulky and beaten and was 

 no longer a contender in the race. Coming into the homestretch 

 Corsine made his run and half way home came up under the whip 

 and for an instant ha^l his head at Manual's hips. But Taral 



