view raw text
S , , 1 . , HARRY KELLY GIVEN A GOOD WORK-OUT. Schorrs Kentucky Derby Reliance Shows Well in a Good Race Gallop at Seven-Eighths. Ry Charles A. Re-rgin. Louisville, Ky.. March 31. — In preparation for his engageim nt in the Kentucky Derby, to !*• decided the afternoon of May 12, Harry Kelly, J. W. Schorrs most prominent aspirant for the rh li Stake, was this morning, at Douglas Park, given his first really important work since the spring training season commenced. The colt was sent seven-eighths, the longest distance of any of the locally-trained eligibles has this far been asked to go. That he acqnltted himself to the satisfaction of trail er George Land and others, who witnessed th ■ gallop, goes without saying. With a stable companion as a pacemaker he ran the distance in 1:85%, reeling off the ipiarter in LC4h, the half in ..4f. and the three- quarters in 1.20%. He was fighting for his head all the way and was running just as e.i-.iiy in the last eighth as in the first. Well-informed horsemen who witnessed the work Wave much impressed, and the manner in which the co.t ran. tended strongly to the conviction that he is something better than .1 sprinter and that he xvill be able to traverse the Derby route of a mile and a ipiarter. He pulled up sound and strong and was not even laboring at the end. The Schorr colt has all along ruled a favorite with local turf critics and his latest showing has been the means of installing him in evn stronger favoritism. There is no question but that he may go to the post in the Derby a strong first choice with the western turf enthusiasts, and, probably, the shortest priced starter in the list of candidates claiming western ownership. Cudgel. Batter scotch II.. Penrod nnd Spring Wheat, tin other Derby eligibles in the Schorr stable, are all training well, notably Cudgel, which, will: Harry Kelly, will probably be selected to carry the stables colors in the big fixture. Harry Kelly Well Advanced in Training. Trainer I-and has bath Harry Kelly and Cudgel pretty well advanced in their training, and Imth could work a mile in 1:43 or better at this stage of their training, without incurring any risk of breaking down. Of the two Harry Kelly is the most likely one to successfully withstand the severe course of training incident to the Derby. He is a powerful animal, and what is most important in a racer, he is strong limbed, and runs well re-gardh * of weight. He is a wonderfully quick beginner and this, combined with his great burst of spaed, should prove big factors in his favor. Whether the son of Fltimus can maintain his speed and win at a mile and a quarter, is not bothering ■*■ his admirers. They point to the fact that Luke McLuke, also by Fltimus, could successfully cover a long distance of ground. Tiiey believe that Harry Kelly will ultimately become as great a horse as Luke McLuke was. It is doubtful whether a three -year-old race scheduled for decision in this country in the last twenty-five years lias attracted a better entry of colts and fillies than this coming Kentucky Derby, which will In- tin- most valuable three-year-old race of the season of 1917. Moreover, the Derby will be the no :111s of attracting to Louisville one of the best arrays of horses of all ages that will be seen 011 any tracks on this side of the Atlantic, prior to the midsummer meeting at Saratoga. Two-year-olds and matured campaigners of good class are coming, or are already on the scene to strive for Kentu-kys stakes and valuable overnight purses. Thirty-five, or considerably more than half of the list of nominees are air ady on or close to the battle ground, whir" the great contest will be decided, while others that have been receiving their pn paration at ether places will be here soon. Every one of tiie locally trained candidates is training soundly, while similar reports come from the other training centers. Not one of the eligibles has suffered any mish:p since the training season common -ed aad not a single ease of illness among them has to be recorded. This is a remarkable state of affairs, in view of tin- many candidates that have hid to be thrown out of training in former years, owing to si kness or other causes.
