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Here and There on the Turf Placing of Derby Colts. Elevation of Judges. Confusion of Colors. Downs Beautiful Course. The running of the Fiftieth Kentucky Derby * will long be remembered for many reasons. 5. The gamely fought finish of the unfashionably y bred winner, Black Gold, will never be forgotten — by those who watched the mighty struggle. The soul-stirring striving for the places will [j ever be remembered, but the outstanding memory . with many will be the unfortunate mistake that was made by the placing judges when a I Beau Butler was awarded third money, while e Bracadale, the one that was actually fighting 5 ! it out with Chilhowee for second place, was not awarded even fourth at the finish. It was S ! 7 a trying finish to decide when, Chilhowee and j Bracadale fighting it out along the inner rail, Black Gold rushed down outside of them. The little black colt in a measure obscured by r a vision of the two next to the rail and Chilhowee almost covered up Bracadale, making it easy for the placing judges in their positions s 1 , to mistake the white and green trimmings of f 2 : the Rancocas Stable for the white and green t * 3 carried by Edward R. Bradleys Beau Butler. • 4 4 The placing judges must not be criticised j 5 • 6 too harshly for their mistake and it was one ; 7 7 that could hardly have happened if they were ! judging the finish from a higher elevation. It t has been urged before that the judges should 1 1 1 be at a higher el -vat ion, where it would be k 2 possible to see over the top of the horses, and 1 2 3 this mistake brings home that contention with 4 peculiar force. There are finishes so close that they have 1 5 to be sighted as one would sight a gun, but this sighting can never identify the rail horse , 7 il he is covered up by the one with which he isighting for victory. * 1 This sighting will discover the winner to 1 the fraction of an inch, but it is of no use 3 unless it is possible at the same time to identify 4 4 the horse. Undoubtedly Chilhowee was prop- _ erly placed by this sighting process, but it prevented the identification of Bracadale and for 6 that reason he was denied any share of the 7 7 prize, while a horse that was not even fourth was moved up into third position. 1 1 o It would be a simple matter to so construct 3 the judges stand to obviate any chance for the unfortunate confusion of colors that came * in the placing of the Derby horses at the 5 finish. There could be retained the sighting 6 and if it was found necessary one judge could „ be assigned to that duty. Back of him there should be other judges at an elevation that would make possible the positive identification of each runner. That is only possible from ■ an elevation and the fiftieth Kentucky Derby j of o should surely bring about this important I j p change in the construction of the stand. The . he Kentucky Jockey Club has ever been a pioneer in race track appointments and if the importance of this change has been made clear J it will at least be given a consideration. w is is There was another lesson taught in this c unfortunate placing and that was the confus- a: ing similarity that is permitted in racing colors, b Certain rules are laid down for racing colors, si but they should be amended until it would be impossible to have the similarity that exists. Ci One color rule prohibits the use of vertical fi halves and it is a good rule, but it does not for fc seem to be rigidly enforced. oj on Edward JL Bradley hai jtarticulandrly At- ja ■ of o j I j p . he J w is is c a: b si Ci fi for fc oj on ja tractive racing colors, but they seem to come dangerously close to violating this regulation colors. His are vertical halves, but it is possible they are permitted for the reason that uses hoops on the jacket. The colors of the Idle Hour Farm are vertical halves of white and green, with green hoops on the white side of the jacket, and white hoops on the green side. But the result that going down the backstretch the Bradl?y colors are green, while in the homestretch they are white. That is, gre?n is the dominating backstretch color, with white about all that shows in the homestretch. Colors are registered that are exact duplicates, except for a letter or design on the front and back, and they are just as confusing, it is inipcsiible to distinguish a black H a white jacket from a black M on a white jacket while the horse is galloping. Racing colors should be more distinctive and there should be a rigid enforcement of the rules to see to it that there should be no chance for confusion. Frequently there is a real sentiment to the colors. The turfman may choose his colors with care and select a shade or a design for excellent reason, but he must be kept within the rules that are laid down, and the rules should make duplications impossible. Not half has been told of what has been done at beautiful Churchill Downs in its remodeling and enlarging. It has become the last word in race course construction and luxurious com veniences for the patrons. It has an immensity and at the same time a compactness that does not appall. It is capabb of taking adequate care of tremendous crowds, as was shown when some 90,000 witnessed the Black Gold triumph of Saturday. M. J. Winn, the genial vice president and general manager of the Kentucky Jockey Club, long ago demonstrated that he "was in a class by himself" when it came to race track construction and Churchill Downs is a glorious monument to this genius. But Matt Winn has another genius and that is in surrounding himself with the best cabinet that ever worked with a presiding officer. In colonel Andrew Vennie, the resident manager at Churchill Downs, he has a courteous and hard working lieutenant who never tires of doing all that can be done and then a little more for the patrons of racing. Daniel E. OSullivan fits into that force that comes in the most direct contact with the public and he is another of the family who never fails to make a visit to Churchill Downs always a delightful memory.
