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CHANCE OF GREEN JONES IN THE DERBY. His Owner Declares Him the Equal of Any Candidate in the Race. By C. A. Bergin. Louisville. Ky.. April 11. — "The horse that beats Green Jones in the Kentucky Derby will be proclaimed the winner of the #20. 000 stake." This was the statement made by Grover C. Bak-dk after hi- had inspected the colt, and witnessed sW fast work at Douglas Park this morning. Mr. Raker had just returned to his home in this city after having spent the winter months at New Orleans and Hot Springs. In partnership with his brother W. H. Baker, he owns Green Jones and a score of Other horses, that are being fitted ben for the Kentucky racing season. Not having seen the stables Derby eligible for nearly four months. Mr. P.aker was considerably surprised upon his return here to note how the soli of Handsel hail grown and filled out. He was more astonished when he saw him work five-eighths in the fast time of 1:03 and gallop out three-quarters in 1:17. "I honestly believe." he declared, "that Green Jones fully meets all the requirements of a Derby winner and. after witnessing him in action in a preliminary work-out. I am more than ever convinced that he stands a royal chance to win. I have looked over the Derby prospects being trained at the Southern tracks and also those that are receiving their preparation on tin- local courses, and while I do not intend to uuder.lte the abilitv of any of them. I am forced by keen observation and an intimate knowledge of what Greet] .lones can actually accomplish, to conclude that when it eeoaes to a reateal of a mile and a quarter, he is the peer of them all. Of course. I may be wrong in my opinion and there may be found among the other ebgibles. one or more that will demonstrate ids superiority, but as Missouri is say native state Ive got to be shown. Believes American Colt Will Win Derby. "I h.-iv- not seen North Star III., or any of the other Macomber colts, and whereas, there is no doubt tiiat the Macomber stables most prominent aspirant for Derby honors, was a great colt in England. I do not thing he can successfully -o|m-with Green Jones, or other home-bi-.-ds that I might name. If Green .lones doesnt win the Derby, some other American colt will." In view of the Baker colts fine showing in his training for the race, it is not surprising that .Mr. Rakers opinions are shared by experienced and observing horsemen here. This, in spite of the fa t that the majority have flocked to the standard f Hairy Kelly. Next to the Schorr colt, these same men will tell you that they favor Green Jones. Di buying the colt as a two-year-old. the Baker Brothers had tin- winning of this years Derby in view and. on this account, he was not required to do much racing in l!»li. Several offers for the colt have recently been made, one as high as |2S,aaa but all have been turned down, with the frank admission on the part of his owners that the cdt was n.-t for sale at any price. Green Jones comes from a family of stayers, his dam being Floreal. winner of tin- Keatarky Oaks and other races. Flore.il is a half-sister to Floral Day and Leo Ray. His second daaj was Any-Day, a slater to Caiman and dam of four wi rs". His third dam was Happy Day, dam of Dama. Sensational. Caiman. Any Day and first Bora, all winners over a long distance. As the date for the running of the Derby draws Bear, trainers are hastening the preparation of their charges for the rich race. Cp to the present, nothing sensational has been attempted, trainers being satisfied o indulge the colts at distances varyiag from five-eighths to a mile. Really fast trials have not been in ord r. but from now on work of the ambitious kind will be undertaken, when the eligiblcs will be asked to extend tin nisi Ives at one mile, to be followed in line by the real test of a trial at one mile and a quarter. Tin-trial at the full Derby distance, will settle the qaestiea whether a colt is possessed of suffieient speed and stamina to entitle him to a place in the list of contestants on the day of tin- race. Well-Known Horses Training Satisfactorily. White tie- oerfoi malices of the Derby eligiblcs ar a most observed, the work of the other horses in«1 training is not beii.g altogether overlooked. Within the pasL few days several of the better ka wn horses of inaturer age. have been going aleag in their work in a manner that leaves nothing to be desired by th ir trainers. Conspicuous among these have been Water Witch. Bayberry Candle. Beaaser, Royal II.. Franklin. Bulse. Sleeth. Prince Dermis. Hodge. Trappoid. Lady Always. Rancher. Liudcu-thal. Kllison. Lady Rotha. Grovor Hughes. Passing Fancy. Kathleen. Ima Frank, Old Koenig and Itiiiig-hur.-t. Their work has attested their readiness for the bugle call. Judge Allie W. Young, a member of the Keatarky State Racing Commission, was a visitor -,,, the local tracks this morning. While here, he conferred with the horsemen regarding the proposed change in the rules governing selling races. He said he bell -ved the rules would be revised to permit of any earner in a race claiming any other horse out of that race. The claim, however, must be lodged fifteen aiiaates prior to the race. He said he believed rlis was tie- only solution of the vexatious question. R. J. Powers has reached here from Hot Springs, although he did not bring any horses with him. Little lord and Nathan R. are the only hois. . that Powers owns, and these will be transferred from Hot Springs to Devonshire Park in Windsor. Prank McKenna and George Reed, well known patrons of the sport, are recent arrivals here from Hot Springs. Trainer "P.abe" Hard has gone to Lexington, taking with him the horses he owns in partnership with M. C. Moore, the Dayton. Ohio, turfman.
