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[ . i ; . i 1 i l s 3 i . ,. c X s I f s - e I o •, e g i; 0 t of k -. r, •s . I. d ■s e BIG SMOKE TRALMNG WELL P0LISTENA IMPRESSES ONLOOKERS BY HER FIRST GALLOP AT CHURCHILL DOWNS. Kentucky Derby Fever Spreading to Canada — Old Grover Hughes Indulges in Pranks Unbecoming His Age — Rancher in Form. Louisville, Ky., April 7.— As his training advances, good judges among horsemen more and more fancy the chance of T. C. Bradley and Co.s Big Smoke in the Kentucky Derby. This winner of the Fort Thomas Stakes and. which ran second to Dominant in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last summer, seems to improve on every occasion that lie appears on the track, and there is no question that if he meets with no mishaps in his preparation from now on, he will be a keen contender in the Derby. In spite of the great array of fashionably-bred three-year-olds engaged in the Derby, there is no better-bred entry than the star of trainer Will Wallaces stable. ile is what is called inbred, much like the noted Luke McLuke, winner of the Kentucky Handicap in 1914. Big Smokes sire is Duke of Ormonde, a son of Orsini, which is by the Epsom Derby winner Ormonde, while his dam is Gold Lace, a daughter of Ormonde. Duke of Ormonde was out of Santa Delia, by St. Serf. Gold Lace is the dam of that high-class horse Textile and her dam, Libberti-flibbet. is by Bullion, a son of War Dmce, I ml a horse that the late pedigree authority. S. Y". Keene. essayed to prove possessed more Boston blood than any horse ever in the stud in America. This granddam of Big Smoke was a superior broodmare, among her produce being the great two-year-old Geo. C. Bennett, which died at that age. and the speedy sprinter Heath n. Big Smokes third dam is Flibbertigibbet by Kingfisher, which mare produced the good performers Celinda, Kinnikinnnick. Flitter and Fly by Night. She in tnrn was out of Filagree by Stockvvell, the last named being the dam of such noted racers as Finework. Fiddlesticks winner of the Wither Stakes, Finesse and Fillctte, the dam of Filigrane, Fidelio and Fides. In America from tiiis family there have also come such distinguished horses at St. Matthew, winner of the Junior Champion Stakes; Buckvi-dere, winner of the Memphis Derby, and Charade, that won the Metropolitan Handicap from His Highness and is the only racer that beat Tammany when the pair were three -year-olds. This is the No. 5 family of the Bruce Lowe figure system, to which belong the great French horse Gladiateur, the only horse that ever won the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby and St. Leger in England and the Grand Prix de Paris in France. Doncaster and Hermit, both great Derby winners, also trace to this line. So. if breeding goes for anything. Big Smoke surely has Kentucky Derby credentials, and so far his racing career recommends him as worthy of his rich breeding. That interest in the coming Kentucky Derby is widespread, is illustrated by a letter received from the sporting editor of a Canadian publication to manager M. J. Winn. This communication stated that widespread general interest was, this early, being shown throughout Canada in the running of the Kentucky Derby this year, and that the publication would be pleased to print any advance notices sent to them of the big race. Undoubtedly this season the Canadian patronage at the Downs will far exceed that of any other year and many of the prominent turfmen of the Dominion will this spring see, for the first time, the Kentucky Derby. Stalls are being bedded down at the Downs for the racing strings of E. J. OConnell. J. Hogau and Shelby West, which will arrive here from Hot Springs. OConnell has three horses, headed by the speedy filly Carrie Orme. while Hogan has six horses in his stable. West has only one horse in training at the present time. Dr. B. Talbot, with his wife, has arrived hero for the racing season in Kentucky. This skillful veterinarian spent, the winter at New Orleans and Hot Springs. lie has not missed a meeting in Kentucky now for many years. That popular racer G rover Hughes had a narrow escape from serious injury at the Downs one morn-; ing recently. He was being exercised by being led by a boy on another horse and broke away. He ran through the track gate to the stable grounds and then showing wonderful good folding when he found he was loose, circled practically every barn on the track before the stable hands finally corrall-. ed him. He was taken back on the track and ap- parently was none the worse for his playful antics around the barns. Grover Hughes, while now eight years old. bids fair to be a good breadwinner for J. Vmensettcr this year. He has not raced since last fall. The first work of anything like strong exercise. trainer George Strate has as yet given George AYingfields English filly PoLstena. was in the rather heavy track at the Downs last Wednesday. when she worked three-quarters in 1:24. At times she would fairly fly an eighth and then her rider would get her pulbd down to a slow canter. Her track appearance made a great impression on horsemt n and all unanimously agreed that she is fully worthy of ail the good things that have been saici about her. Strate is wild about the big hand- some bay filly and laughingly remarked the other day "that some time she would meet Hegret," and then, he added, "that Kentucky D-rby winner will have an unbeaten record no more." Trainer Charles Hughes, who has just returned from Lexington, expresses himself as much pleased with some of the horses he saw there and is of the opinion that Swoon, the English-bred gray colt, in P. T. Chinns string, will make good all the things said about him when he comes to race. He says that several others of English breeding in the Chinn stable act like t_J could run fast. Trainer John Walters, who is in charge of G. M. Heiidrics string at tiie Downs, will not take up several of the two-year-olds owned by that turf- f man, that are imported, until later in the year, they now being at the E.lenwold Farm in Tennessee. The four-year-old Rancher in this stable, could not look better than he does at the present time. Th* three-year-old Sands of Pleasure is also training extra well. While he at first did not think of niefafj* Handier early this year, it is among the probabilities that he will now change his mind and start him several times during the coming meetings at Churchill Downs and Douglas Park.
