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RECORD DERBY FIELD . ♦ ■ ■ Twenty-Six Named to Contest for the 0,000 Prize. Muddy Track Responsible for What May Be Largest Number of Starters in Big Race. ♦ LOUISVILLE, Ky.. May IS.— With twenty-six named through the entry box for the running of the fifty-fourth renewal of the Kentucky Derby, there is every prospect that the greatest Kentucky classic will bring out the biggest field that ever raced for the prize. Such a promised field would bring the race to a gross value of 7,900, and it is fitting that there should be such a value to a contest of its great sporting importance. It is natural to expect sonic withdrawals before post time, but it is just as certain that at post time the field will be cluttered up with many which do not properly belong in such company. But the promised size of the field tells eloquently of the different hopes of siwrtsmen with eligible* and it also is further evidence that there is no three-year-old at this time standing out far enough over his fellows to scare out the others. In such a tremendous field of starters the post positions are of vital importance and in that connection Mrs. John D. Hertz Reigh Count was not exactly fortunate when he drew number five. This colt has never shown alertness at the post and, in the early stages of a race that makes an inside position other than a handicap. He has never shown speed enough to escape early interference and, should as many as twenty go to the post, which is a modest estimate from the number named through the entry box. it is more than likely that the son of Sun-reigh will be in some early difficulty in the running. heigh covin favorite. Horse against horse, Reigh Count would probably whip anything in this big field, but on all past performances he will be outrun in the early racing and that means no end of trouble in weaving through, or going around .such an immense company. Of course, this line on Reigh Count is taken with a memory of his races of last year. He has only started once this year and both Miehell, who has developed him, and "Chick" Lang, who rides him, testify that he has learned early speed this year that he never showed in Ids juvenile season. That being the case, there could be no serious objection to his post position and, as a matter of fact, it would prove more to his advantage. It is by no means a foregone conclusion that Reigh Count is lo carry off the prize. There are those in the company well calculated to give him stern battle and he will have to prove himself every yard of the way to be home the winner. Edward B. McLeans Toro, which, by reason of his close second to Victorian in the running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, must come second in consideration as far as public performance is concerned. This fellow has drawn number ten position and that should be no handicap. Undoubtedly tlvre will be some absentees from the list which have drawn positions inside the McLean colt that will bring him closer to the rail and, in any event, there is nothing to complain of in his placing. Martie Flynn, which races for Stuyvesant toutiuued ou thirteenth l agc.J RECORD DERBY FIELD Continued from first page. Peabody, and accordingly another of the Chicago hopes, is in position eight, and he has speed that is well suited as far as the barrier is concerned. Distraction, Petee-YVrack and Strolling Player, three invaders from the East, have outside positions. Eleventh hour consideration of the Derby-candidates have brought no material changes in the estimates of the various contenders. There has been no Aveakening in the Hertz camp for Reigh Count, while the East is still confident that the triumph of H. P. Whitneys Whiskery will be repeated, while, as usual, Kentucky remains loya4 to its own. No Derby has ever attracted more interest, and no Derby has ever seen so many different confidtnt nominators for the race. The race of Reigh Count last Monday was enough to install him securely with the public, as he has been eer since the publication of the entries, but the confidence of others Avith starters has neAer been shaken. Continued rain to-day leaves little hope for a fast track for the running, but, no matter what weather or track conditions prevail, the fifty-fourth renewal will be a memorable one. The concluding training gallops of the candidates for the Kentucky Derby this morning were over a muddy track and under adverse weather conditions at Churchill Downs. It remained for Max Hircch to send A. H. Cosdens Vito and A. C. Schwartz Sortie over the mile distance. They went easily and were timed in 1 Adii, an excellent work, considering the ease with which they negotiated the muddy going. They went the first »iuar-ter in :25% ; half mile in :t l% and three-quarters in 1 :19%. Hirsch was immensely pleased with the manner in Avhich Vito galloped. Bobashela, the Audley Farm Stables Chesapeake Stakes Avinner. which will race coupled with the Salubria Stables Strolling Player, galloped a half mile in :51. Martie Flynn, the hope of Stuyvesant Pea-body, was out in company with Flat Iron and went a half mile almost without apparent effort in :30/k. The Kenton Farms Typhoon and the Blocmficld Stables Blackwood Avere seen in speed tests. The former worked a half mile in :4S?3 under pressure and easing up five-eighths in 1 :02%. Blackwood Avent the half mile handily in :49% ; the quarter in :23% and Avas pulled up fivTe-eighths in 1 :024/s. Lawley had his final gallop over a distance of five-eighths, which he ran in 1 :03 ; the half mile in :50. The lightly regarded Cartago, which has raced well lor R. E. Leichleiter, was timed in :37 for three-eighths. Th • Longridge Stables Bar None was given an easy half mile in :54. Jack Higgins, W. J. Currans Louisiana Derby winner, closed liis preparation with a half mile in :52. Don Q. Avas sent a like distance in :50. Bonivan galloped three-eighths at a slow pace. PETEE-V* RACK IN LIMELIGHT. With Thursday as the final work day for Saturdays big race, the showing of J. R. Macombers Petee-Wrack is still creating considerable of a sensation. That mile turned in by the son of Wrack and Marguerite certainly gaATe him an altogether new importance in a consideration of the sure starters. When he ran the mile in 1 :41%, he created the sensation of the work hours and, with the promised heavy going, many good judges give him an excellent chance for victory. Muddy or heavy going improves his chances greatly. Then there are others who have closely fol-loAved Petee-Wrack all through last season that do not put as much store in this private showing. It is remembered that Petee-AVrack went right through his tAvo-year-old campaign a maiden. Then this spring he has not taken the place expected of him in the division. His race in the Preakness was not one to enthuse over and he had no excuses in that running. The conviction is just about forced that Petee-Wrack ia not as good a colt in competition as he is in the mornings when there is less at stake. « There was nothing in the final of Reigh Count to change opinion as to his fitness. It was only a mile in 1 :4C%, but it was accomplished in a breezing fashion, and he demonstrated in actual contest Monday that Michell has him up to his engagement. Johnny Schorr has not been saying much about Toro, which ran Victorian to a head in the Preakness, but a mile and a quarter in 2:12*s Thursday was accomplished in a manner to indicate that Mr. McLeans hope is at least a good colt as he was at Pimlico. When the rain came up Wednesday night and continued through Thursday, Bob Smith was one trainer with an eligible which did not show any concern over the promise of heavy going Saturday. He said that mud would not stop Strolling Player, the English colt which is to bear the Salubria Stable silks of Adm. Gary T. Grayson. Asked if he had been en hand to see Reigh Count perform last Monday, he said : "No, I did not see that race, and I guess he is a good colt, but everyone he beat would be 100 to 1 in the Derby. They will have to run all the way tomorrow." Smith Avas in no sense boastful about the chances of Strolling Player in the Derby, but he called attention to the fact that the outlander was unfortunate in the running of the Preakness and, considering the interference he suffered in the race, his iace Avas an excellent one. , Strolling Player still has something to learn about American courses and American racing, but the half-brother to Call Boy has accomplished enough to convince that he is a first-class colt. With the coming of the rain and the promise for heavy or muddy going Saturday, there came a study of the mud-running quality of the various candidates and the conclusion was reached that such a trade would not necessarily reduce the number of starters. In fact, there are many of the sure starters which are distinctly benefited should the mud prevail. Of the Eastern contingent, both Petee-Wrack and Distraction are decidedly benefited. Strolling Player finds mud no handicap. Jack Higgins is a rare mud runner. Toro has performed well in muddy going. Sun Beau is reputed to be a real madder, though he has not been credited with much since his arrival from Pimlico. Mud is no handicap to Typhoon, unless his form has changed completely. Frederick Johnsons Replevin gallops strongly through a soft track. Dodgson, which may not go to the post, is always greately benefited in muddy or heavy going. Vito, Max Hindis hope, that he will saddle for A. II. Cosden, did not impress in his final, but muddy going should not keep him from the post. Bobashela, which will bo coupled with Strolling Player, is another of mud-running quality. Then of the others Reigh Count and Reigh Olga can both race through muddy going, while there is a doubt about both Misstep and Martie Flynn showing to advantage through such a track surface. But, sizing up the whole field, it deos not seem that any condition of track Avill materially reduce the number of starters. Continued on twenty -first page RECORD DERBY FIELD Continued from thirteenth page. Then, after all, the threat of muddy going, it may so happen that no such condition will exist for the running of the Derby. Few tracks dry out as rapidly as does Churchill Downs. It is remembered that on frequent occasions that, with water standing on the track in the forenoon, dust would be flying before the fifth race was run. That might he repeated tomorrow, so that all the calculation of mud running goes for naught, but whether wet or dry, there seems to be small chanca for manv withdrawals from the announced list of starters. With many of the Derby special trains from various cities already on hand, the eve of the big classic sees Louisville absolutely horse crazy. The crowd came earlier this year than has bc-en the usual rule and all week one could hear nothing but horse and the merits ot this or that candidate for the great prize. The hotel lobbies have been veritable bedlams of sportsmen from every point of the compass and from early morning until late night all has been thoroughbred horse. The streets have b?en thronged with those from far and near until the citizen has been utterly submerged and crowded out by those the city is entertaining. Many other eleventh hour specials will pull in during the morning and not a few of these will carry back thousands that only make one day of the big annual celebration. Long since it has been utterly impossible to o~btain hotel accommodations of any description, and, as usual, the visitors on various excursion specials are quartered in their cars. Others not so fortunate are found snoozing in hctel easy-chairs with realty no prospect of a bed for the night, but not a one is found that quarrels with the discomfort. They arv in Louisville and the Derby is to be run tomorrow. That is enough and some of them would probably take the place of the god that is poised on the top of a flagpole rather than miss the great race. The Derby is more than a race — it is an institution with them and discomfort can never be weighed against seeing the running. Right up to the eleventh hour there is a world of speculation on the renewal and there have appeared on the scene some unknown layers who have been brave enough to quote 4 to 1 against the chances of Mrsr John D. Hertz Reigh Count. Doubtless such a price has attracted some play, but the canny ones — and there are many — that have not been tempted for the reason that the price is so far out of line that no confidence is had in such a layer "paying off." The man with a car is reaping a useful harvest. The streets are thronged with cars that have been pressed into service for the accommodation and the annual plucking of the visitors. From the humble "Lizzie" to the high-powered seven-passenger limousine, it is possible to wiggle along to the track, or in fact, anywhere else, after the races, that may suit the fancy. There is the usual boxing show tonight on Derby eve, and a dozen other of the amusements and entertainments that always seek to reap a harvest from the big Derby throng, and there is no chance for a dull moment — no hope for a quiet moment — in all the delightful city. There is good reason for all these bids for patronage. It is a crowd that spends its money freely and a crowd that wants to be entertained. From early morning, when some of the more hardy have been out at Churchill Downs watching the candidates in their preparation during the week, until almost daylight the next morning, this joyous crowd is milling about and Louisville at 3 oclock any morning during the week has been a livelier Louisville than at midday of any other season of the year. As much as 00 has been asked and paid for the use of a suitable car and chauffeur to and from the course on Derby Day and it has been argued successfully that the charge is legitimate when the car is tied up for the whola afternoon. There is the usual loyalty to section, but the Chicagoans have the edge on all the others, and the fame of Reigh Count is more loudly extolled than any other of the eligibles. Chicagos delegation is a particularly large and particulary cocky one by reason of Mrs. Hertz great colt and there is no one in the Hertz camp that will admit of the possibility of the son of Sun Reigh being beaten tomorrow or, in fact, in any other engagement that he has during the year. But the confidence is in no sense restricted to the Hertz colors and Chicago. While New York hr.s boasted of more famous candidates on vaiious runnings of the Derby and while frequently the New Yorkers have had the edge on other sections on the eve of the great classic, they still express a confidence that Reigh Count will be whipped and that the prize will be taken back .to the East. It is generally regretted that the H. P. Whitney silks will not be shown. That has been decided ever since the running of the Preakness and the victory of Victorian. When the son of Whisk Broom II. was shipped back to New York from Pimlico it was merely following the program of last year, when both Bostonian and Whiskery were returned from Pimlico to Belmont, to be shipped from there to Churchill Downs. For that reason the announcement that the stable was not to be represented was taken with a grain of salt. And there was also disappointment that Harry F. Sinclairs Rancocas Stable was not to have a starter. These two big racing establishments are so often depended upon to uphold the prestige of New York and the East that their elimination detracted from the New York interest, but there still remain several that will battle with Kentucky and Illinois for Derby fame. And it is more of the East against the West than New York against Kentucky, for the eastern division may prove to be stronger from other sections than New York itself. Numerically they exceed. J. R. Maeombers Petee-Wrack belongs to Boston, but New York will claim the honor for anything he may accomplish, and Boba-shela is also of the list of invaders, though a Virginian rather than a New Yorker. Admiral Carey T. Grayson and Jefferson Livingston were among the arrivals during the afternoon.
