While the weather was cloudy and hot and looked threatening, the rain held off during the day. The track while not so fast as we have seen it, was in capital condition, safe and good. The attendance was very large, fully ten thousand people were on the grounds. The populace availed themselves of free entrance to the inner field, which had a large number of people, on foot and in all kinds of vehicles. The inside or training track was lined with people from the timing stand to near the three-quarter pole. The Grand Stand and betting ring was crowded to overflowing, and the ladies were out in large numbers. For the twelfth Derby, ten started, Ben Ali was the favorite, Free Knight second choice and Blue Wing third. Ben Ali won it is true, but we doubt whether he was up to concert pitch, but we confess Blue Wing is a much better colt than we gave him credit of being, and think he ought to have won the race. He ran wide on the turn; his jockey let him swerve just at the critical point of the race, and was only beaten three parts of a length. Free Knight ran a good race—indeed it is the best field we have seen since Aristide’s year. There is hardly a starter in the race but what will pay his way and be a useful horse. This is the third time the race has been won by a son of Virgil—Vagrant, Hindoo and Ben Ali—and Vera Cruz would have won save an accident at the start. Seven of the starters were bred in Kentucky—Ben Ali, Blue Wing, Free Knight, Sir Joseph, Grimaldi, Harrodsburg and Masterpiece; and Lafitte and Jim Gray are by Kentucky owned stallions, and the sire and dam of Lijero were bred in Kentucky, showing the State still holds the highest place in the production of the horse. Take it all through it was the best race, so far as interest and contest are concerned, ever run for the Derby or any other race, and we doubt if such a field and such a contest will be witnessed again during the year. Every year seems to add interest to this great race. It will be seen by the time made that the pace was a hot one from start to finish, and few such races from the time standard have been run so early in the year with 118 lbs. up and by the way this is the first year the weights have been 118 lbs., and is the fastest run race.

The start was a beautiful one, the ten horses going away on even terms, Blue Wing in the lead, Grimaldi second, Masterpiece third, followed by Sir Joseph, Ben Ali, Free Knight, Jim Gray, Harrodsburg, Lijero, and Lafitte in order named. Masterpiece took the lead as they entered the main track, Grimaldi second, Blue Wing third, rest well up bunched. Passing the stand Masterpiece still led, Harrodsburg second, Jim Gray third, Free Knight fourth, rest in close order. There was no change at the quarter, but the pace was still hot. Nearing the half, Free Knight was a head in front of Harrodsburg second, Jim Gray a head behind him third, with Ben Ali, Blue Wing and Masterpiece close up and bunched. At the three-quarter pole, entering the homestretch, Free Knight was a half length in front of Ben Ali second, Blue Wing third. Now commenced the real struggle for the race. All three were driving, Ben Ali and Blue Wing were head and head at the furlong pole, Free Knight a half length behind. Blue Wing swerved to the outside and lost some ground, and Ben Ali gained a length or more when he entered the stretch. Fitzpatrick rode wide on the turn, carrying Blue Wing out, which enabled Ben Ali to take the rail. After a driving race home, Ben Ali won by a scant three parts of a length, Blue Wing second, two lengths in front of Free Knight third, followed by Lijero, Jim Gray, Grimaldi, Sir Joseph, Harrodsburg, Lafitte and Masterpiece in the order named. Time—half 50, three-quarters 1:16, mile 1.43, mile and a quarter 2:10, race 2:36½.

SUMMARY

Third Race—The Kentucky Derby, for three-year olds; $100 entrance, h f; or only $10 if declared on or before May 1, 1885 or $20 if declared on or before May 1, 1886; money to accompany declaration; with $1,500 added, of which $300 to second and $150 to third. 1½ miles. 107 entries 3 void by death of nominator, 5 declared May 1st, 1885 and 52 May 1st, 1886. Value $5,440.

Betting—Ben Ali $500, Free Knight $370, Blue Wing $260, Jim Gray $115; field $140.