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PUBLIC MUCH AT SEA • ■ Over Prospective Starters and Winner of Kentucky Derby. — -♦ Wida, Fit Horse Already, Works Mile and an Eighth in 1 :57 y5 — Prince K. Fast. ♦ LOUISVILLE, Ky.. April 12.— The Kentucky Derby situation grows more puzzling as the time draws nearer for the big race. Never was the public so much at sea as to the probable starters, to say nothing of the probable winner. All kinds of rumors aro floating around in the East as to the best of the three-year-olds in that territory which may come to Kentucky for the Derby. Many thousands of dollars have been wagered in the future books throughout the country on the race. Right now the betting It S to 1 no person can name a certain starter in the race and even money one cannot pick the winner in ten selections. Surprises come every day at the Louisville tracks. The one this morning was in the shape of the brown colt Wida, variously quoted in the future books at from Ml to 500 to 1. Wida showed a creditable mile and an eighth in a gallop at Churchill Downs. He was timed Cue first quarter in 24%, half in 50, three-quarters in 1:16%, mile in 1:43% and the mile and an eighth in 1:57*5. He did this easily, but the argument is that Wida is a dead fit horse, having raced at Havana all the winter, winning his last four times out at that track. But Wida is well enough bred. He is by Dick Finnell from Last Leaf, by Kilkerran. Old fashioned American breeding for many generations back on ooth sides. PRIXCE K.S MILE IX It4l%. Prince K. was a fast colt this morning, but his rider. T. Brothers under instruction, took a good hold of the colt and restrained him throughout the mile. He galloped a quarter in 25:~, half in 51, three-quarters in 1:17 and the mile in 1 :44% Valador, from W. L. Martins stable showed a good mile when he went the first quarter in 24"r.. half in 49%, three-quarters in 1 :16r; and a mile in 1:45%, Mac Lir, one of the Madden Derby candidates, was sent a half mile in 49%. This is the fastest work of any of the Madden elig-ibles. Sandy Hatch, another Madden eligible, worked with Shadowdale. a half in 4.». Lord Granite and Blue Stone, the Loueh-heim Derby pair, went together the quarter in 25%, half in 51%, threc-i-quarters in 1 :17Ts and a mile in 1 :4C. Both colts were under restraint all the way and could have gone much faster. SKEF.ZIX IX COXDITIOX. Skeezix. the F. J. Kelley Derby eligible, showed a sparkling three-quarters, which convinced the work watchers that trainer Van Meter has not been idle with the son of Sweep during his sojourn in California during the past winter. Skeezix worked with Chat-terton. They were caught in the first quarter in 24%, half in 4;i45 and three-quarters in 1 rll4. Chatterton was pulled up at five-eighths, which he did in 1 :02. Kitty "Williams, the Louchheim Oaks candidate, worked three-quarters as follows: Quarter. 24. half. 49-3. three-quarters. 1:17%. This filly is extraordinarily fast, but possibly nothing more than a sprinter. Flintstone and Dozer, said to be the best of the Madden Derby colts, were cantered a slow three-quarters in 1 :22. The quarter post was reset today off the turn to the homestretch. This will permit the Derby field to get a straight course of more than a quarter of a mile before making a turn. The track at this point is 120 feet wide. More than thirty horses could start here without crowding. The club house turn, just after the finish, also has been widened to 120 feet and with the track M feet or more wide all around, there is scarcely any danger from big fields causing an accident. Robert McCarvey arrived at the Downs with his stable of seven horses from Mobile, Ala. W. L. Drake has lost his good plater. J.m-ku. by Uncle. The useful racer died Tuesday night at Douglas Park, from pneumonia. It was ati off day at Douglas Park, nothing more than long gallops being indulged in by the Derby candidates. ♦— _
