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DERBY NOMINATIONS Entries for Kentuckys Most Famous Race Close Saturday. Expect All Previous Records to Be Smashed Wise Counsellor and Sarazen in Favor. LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 21. Nominations for the Kentucky Derby will close Saturday, February 23. An official list of these nominations will not be announced, however, for a week or ten days after the close. This delay is caused from the fact that nominations mailed on the last day will not reach the office of the Kentucky Jockey Club, at Latonia, for several days and to be fair with nominators in far-away California and other remote places the management gives the last minute nominators time for the full list of nominations to be checked before announcing the list. Advices from Latonia are that the nominations will exceed those of the past few years when approximately 100 three-year-olds were named and that the nominations will come from every section of the country. Not only will the official list include all the best two-year-olds of last year, but in addition several thoroughbreds that never faced the starter. Like in England, there arc few breeders in America who retain some of their highly bred youngsters until they reach their three-year-old form before racing them. These instances are rare, but on occasions like the Derby, it is frequent that such animals are named by sportsmen who consider it is "the thing" to have one of their own breeding named for the Derby. This qomes from the fact that the conditions of the Kentucky Derby gives the colt, gelding or filly which was not developed as a two-year-old a chance to show its owner something in the beginning of its three-year-old form. As the nominating fee for the Derby is but 5, several names will appear in the official list which will sound new to the followers of the sport. SMALL INITIAL PAYMENT. The first payment of 5 is all that is required to keep a nomination eligible for the Derby up to the time of the race. This is considered by owners of three-year-olds along this time of the year a mere trifle in comparison to the 0,000 or more that goes to the winner of the Derby. It will be but a few days now until the official list is disclosed and then the future bookmakers Avill be in the field for business. Already prices have been laid against supposed nominations, but little business has been noticed along these lines. What few wagers that have been made locally are on Wise Counsellor at 10 to 1. This probably will be the future book price at the opening against the Ward colt and, if fanciers of the son of Mentpr here carry out their expressions, there will be many "takers" of these odds in Kentucky. Sarazen, it is said by competent price-makers, will be offered at the same odds. There also will be many players in Kentucky who will "take" such colts as Battle Creek, Mr. Mutt, King Gorin II., Worthmore, Black Gold and Altawood, if the odds are long enough. It is said that the Rancocas Stable will have the largest number of nominations for the Derby and that H. P. Whitney will name nearly as many. In the Rancocas nominations probably there will be such sterling three-year-olds as Mad Play, Bracadale, Tes- ter, Hourmore, Purchaser, Sheridan, Finn Lag and Honor. Mr. Whitney probably will nominate Transmute, Gonfalon, Klondyke, Whiskalong and Husky. Of course, George D. Widener will name St. James, last years largest money-winning two-year-olds, and John E. Madden his three likely three-year-olds, Stage Coach, Gypsy King and Polo Ground. MADDEXS "DARK HORSE." Polo Ground is a chestnut colt by Omar Khayyam from Prude. He never started last year, but it is known he is held in high esteem by the master of Hamburg Place. He is going good in the hands of "Chuck" Walker at Churchill Downs and he may be just one of those kind of thoroughbreds which could win. The wily Mr. Madden entered him ence or twice last year out East, but for some cause or other he did not let him "show his stuff." Graeme and Dudley, both Light Brigade geldings, will certainly be named by Senator J. N. Camden. Gallagher Brothers are sure to nominate their good colt Chilhowee. The son of Ballot was a good two-year-old and, as the Ballots improve with age, he may be a champion this year. Frederick Johnson is pretty sure to name his crack filly, Dare Say, by Cudgel Tor-penkowt for both the Derby and the Oaks. This is a good racer and may go right along with the colts. The same can be sail of Harned Bros. and Jones good filly, Glide. Gifford A. Cochran probably will name his fine band of three-year-olds Sunsnero, Sun Flag and Revenue Agent. J. S. Cos-dens offerings probably will be Baltimore II. and Nautical. H. It. Bradley Idle Hour Farm is sure to name Beau Butler, Bob Tail and Befuddle, and probably others. J. K L. Ross probably will nominate Wheatstack, Battonier and Turnbcrry. Mrs. Payne Whitney Greentree Stable may name See It Through, The Vintner and others, and Willis Sharpe Kilmer probably will name several of his good Sun Briars.
