132 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



series of eleven years in which titled owners came 

 to the front ; whilst ever since, the dukes, lords, 

 and baronets have had a fair share of the honours 

 of both the Derby and the Oaks. On thirty- 

 two occasions the Blue Ribbon has fallen to a 

 duke. 



Although " nomination " to run in the race re- 

 quires to be made when the animals are yearlings 

 — long before it can be known whether or not they 

 will be able to compete with advantage to their 

 owners — large numbers of horses are annually 

 entered for it. At one time the value of a race- 

 horse was greatly increased by its being entered 

 for the Derby ; so much so, indeed, that breeders 

 and other owners would frequently enter as many 

 as half-a-dozen animals, in the hope that one of 

 them might win. Now, however, so many more 

 richly endowed races are run in the course of the 

 year that in time the Derby may come to be less 

 cared about by owners of blood stock. Races are 

 at present run of the value of ^10,000, which 

 largely exceeds the value of the Derby stake. 

 Gentlemen go to great expense in the purchase 

 of yearlings which they think likely to shape into 

 winners of the classic races. One nobleman is 

 known to have expended many thousand pounds 

 in the course of his life in the hope of being at 

 last placed in possession of a horse good enough 

 to prove victorious. On some occasions the Blue 

 Ribbon has been won by animals that cost a 

 comparatively small sum, and several gentlemen 

 have taken the prize by aid of a horse bred by 

 themselves. Again, animals which have won have 

 been sold at a very high figure ; two of these may 

 be named — Blair Athol, which once changed 



