Regret, a chestnut daughter of Broomstick--Jersey Lightning, to-day
overcame tradition that has withstood since Aristides, the "little red
horse," triumphed in the inaugural running of the Blue Grass State classic
in the spring of 1875, and gained for her owner, Harry Payne Whitney, the
Eastern sportsman, the sum of $11,450 and what is infinitely more to him
the honor of winning The Kentucky Derby.
Regret, the scion of illustrious thoroughbreds, achieved an easy victory,
and, while she may not be the greatest horse that ever won the Derby, the
daughter of Broomstick and the granddaughter of Ben Brush furnished a
spectacle for more than 40,000 persons at Churchill Downs that will not
soon be forgotten. Dashing to the front with the rise of the barrier, she
made every post a winning post and came on to laurels that were rightfully
hers.
Behind Regret trailed the greatest field that has ever worn silks in this
premier turf event. Pebbles, also carrying the colors of the Eastern
invasion, straining aching muscles, pursued the flying leader to the wire.
In his wake were Sharpshooter, another representative of the East; Royal
II, the English-bred colt; Emerson Cochran, Leo Ray, Double Eagle and the
rest of the struggling field. Sixteen pure-blooded animals accepted the
issue, the largest number in the history of the race.
Far Back was For Fair, a winter king; Ed Crump, the hope of the
Tennesseeans; Norse King, a star of the Maryland racing, and others. Each
had done nobly, he had done his best, but it was not enough to-day. Old
horsemen squinted their eyes unavailingly; they could not recall a Derby
wherein so many good horses had been found wanting. For when was there
such a field as that in the forty-first running of this turf fixture?
Regret and her victory will long be talked of where the turf is discussed.
"A filly cannot win the Derby" has been a familiar slogan in Kentucky. But
no filly of Regret's type has ever before aspired to this turf honor. Of
richest lineage, trained by the master hand of James Rowe, and ridden by
the clever Notter, Regret's claim demanded consideration. Those who
scoffed at her chances did not consider.
After a short delay at the starting pole, all breasted the line together
and up went the barrier. Down the stretch came the charging thoroughbreds;
past the grandstand they sped with Regret leading by a half length,
Pebbles second and Sharpshooter third, overlapped by Ed Crump. The others
were in close attendance.
On swept Regret, Jockey Notter sat well forward and the filly moved with
the utmost precision, maintaining a moderate rating stride that bespoke
much reserve. Pebbles still hung at the saddle girth, his long sweeping
strides a source of discomfort to the backers of the favorite. Plain it
was that Pebbles was the chief contender, and in the interest of the
thousands it was a two-horse race.
Around the first turn and up the back stretch went the flying leaders. At
the five-eighths pole Pebbles challenged, and momentarily seemed to make
up a few inches on the pacemaker, but Notter loosened his reins a notch
and Regret responded easily. Sharpshooter was still leading the pursuit.
Ed Crump, a close attendant, then made his move. Near the end of the back
stretch the Schorr colt crept up. He was ridden by Jockey Goose, a
Louisville boy, and his friends sounded above the din, "Come on Roscoe."
But Ed Crump was not equal to the occasion. He tried, but failed and
dropped back further and further as the journey progressed.
As they took the turn by the old clubhouse Pebbles made a determined bid
for the honor and glory that go to the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Again
Regret met his challenge easily. She moved away from her dogged rival and
came into the stretch with a lead of a length and a half. Sharpshooter
plodded stubbornly after the Butler crack, his steel-like cords playing
beneath the skin. Three-sixteenths of a mile from the wire Notter shook up
the filly slightly and she came on down the rail two lengths in front of
Pebbles. Sharpshooter, driving madly under the urging of Jockey Butwell,
held Royal II. safe.
Regret pulled up remarkably fresh after her long journey. When she came
back into the charm circle before the judges' stand she was still full of
run. When the wreath was placed around her neck and Jockey Notter boosted
up on her bare, sweaty back the cheering which had accompanied her victory
was a mere whisper in comparison to the ovation she received when the idea
that the unattainable had been attained and that a filly had conquered the
princes of the turf and won a Kentucky Derby, penetrated the head of the
vast throng.
Regret was bred at Mr. Whitney's Brookdale Farm, in New Jersey.
Under a smiling sun, forgetful of world's tragedy, society assembled a
brilliant gathering around the clubhouse grounds to witness the running of
the Derby to-day.
Mr. Whitney was one of the first men out on the track after the race was
over, and as Regret was jogging back to the stand he remarked: "Isn't she
the prettiest little filly you ever saw? You know," he continued, "this is
the greatest race in America at the present time, and I don't care if she
never starts again. The glory of winning this event is big enough, and
Regret can retire to the New Jersey farm any time now. I told Rowe I
didn't care if she never won another race if she could only land this one.
I have seen much bigger crowds than this one in the East and abroad, but I
never saw a more enthusiastic one. It's great" and the expression on his
face as he stood patting the mare's neck was the best evidence in the
world that he is a worthy representative of his illustrious father, than
whom racing never had a better friend.
This was the largest field which ever went to the post in the Kentucky
Derby. In 1875, when the first Kentucky Derby was run, and Aristides, the
little chestnut horse was returned the victor, fifteen competed for the
prize and honors. In 1882, when Apollo was victorious, fourteen went to
the post, but never in its long history did sixteen horses fight it out.