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PLEASED WITH CONDITION OF ESC0BA K. D. Alexander Inspects His Derby Candidate and Sees Him Work a Fast Mile. 1-onisville. Ky.. April 10. — Kenneth 1. Alexander, owner of Kscoba. second choice for the forthcoming Kentucky Derby, paid a visit to Douglas Park yesterday morning for the express purpose of inspecting Kscoba and several two-year-olds that John S. Ward is training for him at that track. He was accompanied by John H. Morris, well-known horseman ■»«-• riH:1;-*- of Mr. Alexanders breeding in terests In Kentucky. It was at Mr. Morris Bosque Bonita Farm, in Woodford County, where Kscoba was bred and where the crack colt was turned out after winning the Breeders Futurity last September. It was Mr. Morris who brought the colt to Louisville in the early part of last December and turned him over to Mr. Waril to be trained for his Derby engagement. Mr. Morris regards the colt with almost as much favor as does his young owner, and naturally he was anxious to see him and note how he was progressing in his trainiug. Both he and Mr. Alexander were well pleased with what they saw and they both complimented trainer Ward on the splendid results he has attained. With Roscoe Goose in the saddle Kscoba was given a work-out at one mile and the colt acquitted himself most creditably by rattling off the distance in 1:49%. The timers caught him in the following fractions— 12 and. 24%. 37*4. 50. VJ»Yi. 1:1« /-.. 1:29**-,. This was good time considering the fact that a i-old. raw wind was blowing up the back-stretch at the time. The colt went at a pretty even gait and finished trying to go ou. Trainer Ward had instructed Goose to make the mile around 1:45. Goose said afterward that the colt ran like a really great horse and could have turned the mile in 1:39. COLT GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN DERBY. Both Messrs. Alexander and Morris were eminently pleased with the colts splendid showing and both expressed themselves as lieing satisfied that the colt is good enough to win the Derby. In talking about his plans for the future Mr. Alexander stilted that he expected to remain in Kentucky till May 15. or a few days after the runuiug of the Derby. Mr. Alexander had just returned from a trip to Washington, where he went to applv for eiilistment in the naval aviation service. He was referred to the naval recruiting station in Louisville and yesterday afternoon he visited the station and was accepted after passing the required examination. Mr. Alexander is quite modest in discussing his work in the Euro|iean war fields. His first service after leaving this country last spring was with the American field service. He served as an ambulance driver in the vicinity of Toul. where the American troops are reported to be stationed, and was then transferred to Serbia, where he saw service iu the vicinity of Mouastir. covering a period of three months. He then joined the American Bed Cross and was sent to the Italian front, iu the Piave region. He secured his release February 15. and. after s-M*iidiug about a mouth iu Paris, returned home by way of Southampton and Liverpool. He is anxious to returu to the scene of strife, but he wants to lie one of the active fighting forces of the American army, hence his decision to enlist iu the aviation branch of the service.
