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INTEREST IN REIGH COUNT Nearly Every Visitor to Churchill Downs Desires to See Colt. ♦ : Mrs. Hertz Derby Hope Making New Friends Daily Who Believe He Will Carry Off the Great Race. LOUISVILLE. Ky.. April 5.— Training operations at Churchill Downs and Douglas Park are now in full swing and the horses are being sent along at a merry clip. Already the back stretch of the Downs is the mecca each morning of several hundred rail-birds who gather to watch the horses work. Their numbers are augmented considerably on Sunday mornings, especially if the weather is fine. Ambitious work on the part of a majority of the thoroughbreds has already given the work watchers much food for thought and stimulated no end of discussion regarding the claims of the various racers of high or low degree. The slow gallops of the early part of the season have been succeeded by fairly fast trials ranging from three-eighths to three-quarters. The chief interest at Churchill Downs naturally centers in the work of Reigh Count. Misstep. Irish Pal. Bar None, Nick Cullop. Sea Rip. Reigh Olga. Mop Up, Dixie Prince and other Derby prospects, although the performances of the younger horses are not allowed to pass unnoticed. The fine appearance of the juveniles in the stables of John E. Madden, J. N. Camden. E. B. McLean. Mose Lowenstein. Rome Respess. Tommie Taylor and W. C. Weant and the manner in which they are taking their training causes no end of favorable comment. Practically every visitor to Churchill Downs is intent upon getting a glimpse of Reigh Count, the outstanding favorite for the Kentucky Derby. The colt, together with the others that Barney Michell is training is quartered in the last barn in the Longwood section of the grounds in a rather secluded location. It is rather difficult for the casual visitor to locate the right barn without proper directions. When they do find the place they are received with courtesy by trainer Michell and given all possible opportunity to view the colt. But after Reigh Count has been put away no pleading can induce the trainer to bring him out of his stall. Full opportunity is afforded the public to watch the colt when he is being walked around the oval cooling out after his morning gallop. Dui ing the past week numerous photographers for news weeklies have "shot" the colt while thus engaged in the cooling out process. Extreme care is being taken by trainer Michell to safeguard Reigh Count and a watchman is on duty at the barn day and night. Since bringing Reigh Count here from the farm Michells daily mail has piled up. and among the letters are communications with unusual requests. Most of the letters Continued on tigbta page. INTEREST IN REIGH COUNT Continued from first page. contain requests for the photo of Reigh Count. A short time ago Michell received a missive from a lady in Brooklyn, N. Y.. asking him to send her a list of the prices he was laying on the Derby eligibles. Another woman wrote from Tacoma, Wash., to inquire if Michell would bet 0 for her on Reigh Count in the future Derby book. The lady, however, failed to enclose the 0. A man in Duluth. Minn., wanted to know what Reigh Count would pay if he won the Derby, and another inquired if it was Mich-ells intention to send the colt to England to start him in the Kpsom Derby. Reigh Count is making many new friends by the steady improvement he is showing in his preparation. Glowing reports from the camps of other potential Derby aspirants do not shake the faith that Reigh Counts legion of admirers are reposing in their favorite. Neither do they disturb the equanimity of Michell. the colts trainer, who is going about his task of preparing his charge for the big race just as though there were no other candidates for the rich prize. The colt continues to train in a fashion that must be the source of much satisfaction, not alone to his owner and trainer, but to the many turf lovers who cherish the belief that the Hertz colt is the greatest three-year-old of the year. Should Reigh Count be defeated in the Kentucky Derby he will disappoint many smart horsemen at Churchill Downs who hold strongly to the belief that he will not only score in the classic, but that he will account for most of the three-year-od stakes of the year. The colt cannot compare with some of his more prominent rivals for size, not having glow a much since last fall, but he has broadened out considerably and, as one horseman aptly expressed it: "He is all horse." He is a colt of beautiful conformation, superb action and impressive carriage. . A .
