view raw text
LEXINGTONS GALA RACING ALLURING OFFERING Ninth Running of Ben Ali Handn cap Tops Card. K More Interest in Secondary At-; tractions, in Which Kentucky Derby Candidates Clash. LEXINGTON, Ky., April 25. By far the best program of the current Kentucky meet- : ing, and one of the most attractive at this early date in several years has been arranged for presentation here tomorrow. It is an offering which brings much important racing, particularly so by reason of. the large number of Kentucky Derby candidates , scheduled for racing. Then, too, a renewal : of the Ben Ali Handicap holds a place on . the card, which, as per recent custom here, embraces eight races. The Ben Ali coming up for the ninth time and for three-year-olds and upward at one mile and a sixteenth, carries ,000 added, . but with such of the Derby hopefuls as Dedicate, Breezing Thru, Buckeye Poet, Syd- ney. Busy, Ray Blades, Uncle Matt and Dick OHara meeting in the Hotel Lafayette Purse at one mile, interest in the latter contest ; will undoubtedly surpass that in the stake feature. Additionally, E. F. Prichards Tannery, an- . other ranking eligible for the Churchill Downs "classic," is to make his first start of the. year ; in contest with Alvin Ranshaw, also named for the Derby; Judge Hay, Blot, Honey Lo- cust and Donnez Moi in the Spring Station Purse, and extremely closely matched fields are to meet in the less important races. DEBUT FOR SEVERAL. Of the star three-year-olds meeting in the Lafayette mile. Dedicate, Uncle Matt, Busy and Ray Blades have been seen under colors : during the meeting, while Breezing Thru. Buckeye Poet, Sydney and Dick OHara will . be making their debuts as three-year-olds before those of the great throng the brilliant -program is certain to bring to the historic . course. Dedicate, among the Derby choices, and : victorious on the occasion of his only start . this year, is conceded a slight advantage in the point of condition, but Sydney has demonstrated in private trials that he is in -sterling form, and Buckeye Poet and Breezing -Thru are reported to have worked fast in rehearsals oyer their owners private course at his adjacent Idle Hour Farm. Busy, Ray Blades and Uncle Matt showed to adantage under colors during the first week of the current meeting, and Dick OHara impressively accomplished all that was asked in his preparation .for a resumption of racing. J. S. Ward, part owner and trainer of Dedicate, today revealed that Danny Mc-Auliffe, the veteran rider, who will pilot the colt in the Kentucky Derby, will be here in time to guide him in tomorrows race. McAuliffe is en route from New York. D. E. Stewart, trainer of the Camden horses, en- gaged C. Landolt, another saddle artist of wide experience, to handle Sydney, and it . is not unlikely that he will be astride the Craigangower gelding in most of his subsequent engagements. TANNERY TO START. Busy, Uncle Matt and Alvin Ranshaw are . among the acceptances for the Ben Ali, and while the former pair may contest the stake, the latter is expected to accept for the sprint, in which Tannery is among his five opponents. Tannery, this morning had his final preparation for his first race of the year, when he ran three-eighths in :36, the quarter in :23. The rangy son of Ballot and -Blemished was kopt well in hand and his good move convinced .of his possession of. his best "foot" for the race over the futurity course. J. R. Devereauxs Uncle Matt, another Derby nominee getting into action tomorrow, was sent a half mile in :50, while Jean Lafitte and Silver Cord, the Keeneland Studs eligibles for the Louisville fixture, were timed in :1973 and :49, respectively, for half-mile moves. Such a program for Saturday, regardless of weather and racing conditions is certain to bring out the largest attendance of the year, and it is not improbable that the patronage may verge upon record proportions for the track. L. Stivers Uncle Luther, a Kentucky Derby nominee, was on the track shortly before the first race Thursday and worked a mile in 1 :4C. He went the half mile in :50Vand and the three-quarters in 1 :17ts.
