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RETROSPECT OF DERBY CANDIDATES ! NO WINTER THREAT High Foot Only Real Development of the Cold Months. Qualification of Most Prominent Candidates for Churchill Downs "Classic." Now that the winter meetings have ended and the winter Derbys been decided, it is safe to assert without fear of contradiction that, with the possible exception of High Foot, no three-year-old development of the winter racing season need be given more than ordinary consideration for the 1930 Kentucky Derby. The winners of the Agua Caliente and Florida Derbys, Greyola and Titus, respectively, are not eligible for the Churchill Downs "classic" and. though Michigan Boy, winner of the Louisiana Derby, is among the entries, a muddy or heavy track will have to prevail on May 17 for this gelded son of On Watch to be rated with more than an outsiders chance to duplicate Black Golds feat of 1924. With eight weeks intervening before the running of the Kentucky Derby, little or no line on the prospective contestants in the fifty-sixth running of the famous race may be had at this time. One thing is certain that it is many a year since the Derby has been considered such an "open" race as it appears right now. Not only do "future book" quotations reveal such to be the case, but there is a wide divergence of opinion among turf "experts" as to the probable outcome of the big race this year. A number of these are firm in their belief that Flying Heels is the logical choice and the horse to beat. Others are just as confident that Desert Light, Ned O. and Dedicate are second to none among the 150 eligibles for the rich prize. Then again there are a constantly increasing number, particularly in Chicago, who are proclaiming High Foot a star in the embryo, which ,will not only carry off the coveted Kentucky "blue ribband," but likewise be enrolled as the champion three-year-old of the year. It may be interesting to know that a poll among ten expert and well qualified selectors revealed that four favored Flying Heels, two Desert Light, two High Foot, one Ned O. and one Gallant Fox. NO FORECAST ADVANCED. Be that as it may, there is no intention in this article to forecast even the prospective starters, much less the probable winner of the Derby. Mention is only made to call attention to reference made about to what is generally regarded throughout racing circles as the "open status" of this years Churchill Downs racing epic. In connection with the "past performances" of the most prominent candidates for the Derby presented in this edition of Daily Racing Form a retrospect of their qualifications is likewise included. ALCIBIADES. Alcibiades was one of the most brilliant performers in the feminine division of juveniles early in the spring and summer in Kentucky. She twice defeated Lucile, another filly that is eligible for the Derby. She won four races, including the Debutante Stakes, at Churchill Downs, and the Clipsetta Stakes, at Latonia, but one of her outstanding performances was her second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, in which she was beaten only a head by Desert Light. ALL UPSET. All Upsets chief performance, and a very inpressive one it was, was his victory in the Bashford Manor Stakes. In this he" defeated High Foot by a nose and was well ahead of Sydney, Jim Dandy, Gallant Knight and other good ones. He won two other races and was unplaced in his fourth start. BELLSMITII. Bellsmith was a very active two-year-old, and was in the money in his last seven starts of 1929, winning three ol the seven, including the Fort Thomas Handicap, at Latonia. His improvement was very marked as, in his late engagements, he was meeting some of the topnotch two-year-olds of the West. He was third in the Queen City Handicap. BREEZING THRU. Breezing Thru ran one very impressive race -during the Saratoga meeting last year, and two more at Pimlico and Bowie late in the fall. In his Saratoga race he carried 118 pounds and defeated the highly rated Spinach by. a length at three-quarters of a . . mile. In Maryland he had less competition, arid in the two races he won there he led at the end by five lengths. BUSY. Busys best race, although he was not the winner, was in the Breeders Futurity at Lexington. As a long shot he was beaten only by Gallant Knight, finishing in front of Gala-day, Pansy Walker, All Upset, Alcibiades and Playtime. He had previously won a race in less pretentious company. CRACK BRIGADE. Crack Brigade, lightly weighted, won the Colorado Stakes at Jamaica, but a performance fully as meritorious was his second to Mokatam in the Keene Memorial Stakes, in which he carried the top weight of 125 pounds. He had previously beaten Mokatam when weight conditions were reversed, with both in lighter. He followed this up by finishing second to Black Majesty in the Juvenile Stakes, again carrying 125 pounds. Somewhat neglected in the betting in this stake, Crack Brigade made a remarkably game finish to beat Frumper and Sarazen II. CRAZY COOT. Crazy Coots lone stake victory was in the National Stallion Stakes, in which he nosed out Keep On. He was in star company in this race, some of those finishing behind him being Black Majesty, Grattan, Polygamous and Prometheus. He was a starter in the Hudson Stakes, but was never in the running. CROSSBONES. j Crossbones best stake performance was in the Spalding Lowe Jenkins Handicap, in which Ned O. finished first, but was disqualified. Crossbones was in third place, three lengths behind Sun Craig. Previously he had beaten Ned O. by a head in an allowance race at three-quarters of a mile. DARK ENTRY. Dark Entry ran a good race in the Queen City Handicap, although he finished unplaced. He showed some speed in the early part of it, then tired. He had qualified for this by winning a purse race at Latonia in muddy going. DEDICATE. Dedicate helds the proud distinction of having won five successive races, on three different tracks, climaxing his winning streak by taking the valuable Eastern Shore Handicap, which was worth 4,250 to the winner. Carrying 121 pounds, he won by a nose from Hi-Jack, and behind them were some of the greatest in Maryland racing. Dedicate went afterward in the Richard Johnson Stakes and was second choice in the betting, but his showing was a decided disappointment. This race and an early one on a muddy track were the only races which he didnt win, and in both of these he was unplaced. DESERT LIGHT. Desert Light was winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, the winner of which in 1928 won the 1929 Derby. He won five races in sixteen starts, was second in six, third in three and unplaced in two. His best race, next to his Kentucky victory, was his second in the Junior Champion Stakes. He was beaten in this by Gallant Fox. FLYING REELS. Flying Heels four greatest accomplishments in 1929 were his victories in the Tijuana Futurity, Remsen Handicap, Nursery Handicap, Pimlico Futurity, in the order named. And, of course, the greatest of these was the Pimlico Futurity success. He won seven races out of ten and was second in the other three. His seconds were in the Baldwin, Grab Bag and Wakefield Handicaps. Ho earned the immense total of 9,160. GALLANT FOX. Gallant Fox was winner of the Flash Stakes at Saratoga and tlio Junior Champion Stakes at Aqueduct. Ho made seven starts and was unplaced in only one. He was second in the United States Hotel Stakes at Saratoga and third in the Futurity Stakes at Belmont. His earnings amounted to 9,890. GALLANT KNIGHT. Gallant Knight made eighteen starts as a juvenile, winning seven races and getting in the money in five others. He was winner of the Breeders Futurity at Lexington, was second in the Harold Stakes and third in the Chicago Juvenile Handicap and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. His winnings amounted to 9,604. GONE AWAY. Although Gone Away won two races in six starts as a juvenile it was his second in the Champagne Stakes and his third in the Nursery Stakes which entitled him to consideration as a Derby candidate. He was beaten two lengths by Whichone in the j Champagne and at the end was a half length ahead of Boojum, the other Whitney star. GRATTAN. Grattan won for the Rancocas Stable the Great- American and Hudson Stakes. He started eleven times and won four races. He was third in the Sanford Stakes. His total winnings amounted to 5,050. HERETIZ. Heretiz started thirteen times and won four races, but her stake pretensions are not very impressive. She was last in the Autumn Handicap at Hawthorne, but it wasnt a true performance as she had been jumped on while going to the first turn. She has made five starts as a three-year-old without winning. 1IIEOVER. Hieover had a fifty per cent winning average as a juvenile, although he did not fare very- well when in fast company. He, won his last three races of the year at Churchill Downs and Latonia. HIGH FOOT. High Foots single stake performance as a juvenile was in the Bashford Manor Stakes, in which he finished a very close second to All Upset. He won another race and was third in another out of a total of four starts. This year, at New Orleans, he commanded still higher respect, literally running away from some of the best three-year-olds on the winter track. He was an overwhelming favorite in the early prognostications on the Louisiana Derby, but his name was withdrawn. INF1NITUS. Infinitus won half of his races last year and was unplaced in- the other four. He Avon two races while carrying 118 pounds and his performances were regarded as very promising, notwithstanding the fact that he was not against the best in his division. LIGHTNING JONES. Lightning Jones made twenty-two starts in 1929, and so far he has run six races as a three-year-old, maintaining throughout a record of nearly one-third winning races. In all of these races he has been unplaced only five times, a record that at. least proves consistency. . His most conspicuous juvenile performance was his victory in the Idle Hour Stakes at Lexington. He was second in the Autumn Handicap, and third in the Dearborn and Joliet Handicaps. In his last start this spring at New Orleans he was beaten by High Foot and Michigan Boy, the latter tho winner of the Louisiana Derby. LUCILE. Lucile is one of the outstanding filly candidates for the Derby. She started sixteen times as a juvenile, winning six races and finishing second in seven. Two of her victories were in the Hinata Stakes at Lexington and the Debutante Stakes at Washington Park. She won the respectable total of 4,765. MICHIGAN BOY. Michigan Boys southern achievement, that of winning the Louisiana Derby, has given him added prestige, although his juvenile record was an enviable one. He ran with many good juveniles, though not the elite, and won four races in sixteen starts, was second four times and third twice. This spring he won four races out of six starts. NED O. Ned O. several times showed flashes of brilliancy as a two-year-old and became especially known as a fast finisher, if a sluggish beginner. His best victory was in the Walden Handicap at Pimlico. He went to the post favorite in the Endurance Handicap, but made a poor showing. His winning record for the year was six victories in fifteen starts and his money total was 6,600. PARNELL BOUND. Parnell Bound started twenty-two times as a juvenile and won twelve races, one of the largest records of victories made by any .two-year-old. His only stake victory was in one of his early starts, the New Orleans Juvenile Stakes. This spring Parnell Bound started five times and won one race. TETO. Peto won two stakes as a two-year-old, the Albany Handicap and the Wakefield Handicap. He was third in the Saratoga Sales Stakes. In these races he gave high promise, but in his last five starts of 1920 he was unplaced and in most of these races was beaten far off. SAIIAZEX II. Sarazen II. accounted for the Tremont and Youthful Stakes in his juvenile season. He won four races in eleven starts, was third in three and unplaced in four. He was third in the Great American Stakes and Saratoga Special. His winnings amounted to ?2G,500. siixacii. Spinach was a very frequent starter as a juvenile and saw competition with some of the greatest. After a strenuous season, which began none too impressively, he wound up the year going great. After winning two races at Empire City, he finished second to Flying Heels in the Pimlico Futurity, beaten only a nose. This decidedly was his best performance, as Spinach had up 119 pounds, two more than the winner. st. jim. St. Jim had a very poor record as a two-year-old, so far as winning races were concerned, but at Havana this spring he was a stellar performer. There he won five races straight and Avas not pressed in any of them. Later, in Florida, he didnt do so well, though he finished in the money in his last appearance there. ST. MAKCO. St. Marco has started only three times, winning two races in ordinary company, one with 122 pounds up. He has not started as a three-year-old. SWIXFIELD. Swinfield won only two races last year, but he was usually to be found in very select juvenile society, and he was a good many times in the money. Probably his best race t was in the Eastern Shore Handicap, in which he finished third to Dedicate and Hi-Jack. STDJfET. Sydney won five races in nineteen starts as a juvenile, including the Chicago Juvenile Handicap. He was second in four, third in two and unplaced in eight. He was third in the Bashford Manor and Harold Stakes. In the Chicago Juvenile Handicap, he finished ahead of the late Try Too, Gallant Knight, Lightning Jones and many other good ones. TAXXEJtY. Tannery won the Cincinnati Trophy last year. His record was a good one as far as it went, as he won five races in eight, starts and was second once, which was in the Jefferson Hotel Stakes at Fairmount Park. TOTO ROCK. Tonto Rock has started twenty-six times, eighteen times as a juvenile. He won one-third of his races in his first year, and began sensationally at Agua Caliente in the winter but slackened in his winning stride.
