Montana Medicine Show: Spokane

Welcome to the Montana Medicine Show. I'm Derrick strong. The feral bred stallion Spokane was the pride of the northwest. The only Montana born and trained horse to win the Kentucky Derby. Fold in 1886 on the Doncaster ranch near Twin Bridges Spokane's owner was Montana mining magnate know Armstrong local newspapers describe this ideal race horse as a deep chestnut colt 16 hands high with a tapering neck and magnificent shoulders deep chest and absolutely perfect legs. Nationally though Spokane was an unknown when he ran the 15th Kentucky Derby in 1889 in a David and Goliath match up bookies gave 10 to 1 odds against the long shot but Montana's pride broke the Derby record and defeated Proctor not a Kentucky gelding once described as the greatest horse that ever looked through a bridle. The New York Times called it the greatest Derby ever run. Whips flew and Spurs dug against the sides of the flying pair. The rush was

tremendous. Spokane sped past the judges winner of as great a race as Americans have ever seen by little more than the length of his nose. Headlines blared the whole country goes wild over the Montana wonder the St. Paul daily glow proclaimed. There are thousands who now firmly believe that Spokane is the fastest horse on earth. During his brief three year racing career Spokane netted nearly twenty seven thousand dollars. From cage realty studios. I'm Derek strong. Montana medicine show is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. A private corporation funded by the American people.