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= - .6 Pittsburgher Impressively » Retains His Place as Most Prominent Western-Owned Candidate for Derby * Scores by Length From Spanish Play in Seelbach Hotel Purse — Bargello Triumphant in Clark Handicap — Churchill Downs Gala Inauguration. • LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 2. — Pittsburgher, Theodore E. Muellers three-year-old son of In Memoriam and Wistaria, retained his place as the foremost of the western-owned candidates for the approaching fifty-seventh running of the Kentucky Derby, when he defeated a large band of eligibles for that fixture in the Seelbach Hotel Purse, companion feature of the 0,000 added Clark Handicap on the brilliant program that ushered in the spring meeting at picturesque Churchill Downs this afternoon. Pittsburgher met his highly regarded company at six and a half furlongs and running the distance in 1:17%, within one-fifth of a second of the track record, won by a length from Spanish Play. The latter, winner of the Louisiana Derby, was five lengths in front of Don Leon, and Blind Bowboy, the only non-eligible for the Derby among the eleven three-year-olds that started, was fourth, a half length away. Back of the latter and rather well separated were Boys Howdy, Sweep All, Ma-tadi Insco, Harvest Sun, Conscience and Up, and they raced to the finish in the order named. Insco and Don Leon, the latter very successful in his juvenile campaign, were the chief disappointments and while the latter came through with a creditable performance, Insco was always widely outrun and unable to rally his true speed at any stage of the dash. Both colts were making their first starts of the year. From a start in which Blind Bowboy appeared to have a slight advantage, that Bradley racer went out to make the pace with Pittsburgher second and Don Leon third. Boys Howdy was fourth in the straight run down the back stretch but had only a small advantage over Sweep All and Spanish Play approaching the turn in sixth position. At the close of a quarter Blind Bowboy was three lengths clear of the destined winner but. after holding the advantage to the stretch, weakened badly, and Pittsburgher soon raced around him. Spanish Play, racing well out in the track, began moving up at the stretch turn, and an eighth closer to the finish loomed a real threat as he narrowed the victors lead to a length. In the subsequent drive of the leaders Pittsburgher held his margin, while Don Leon outfinished the rapidly retiring Blind Bowboy by a length. Pittsburgher triumphed before one of the largest opening day crowds in the record of racing at the course, but many in the Co?itinued on twenty-first page. PITTSBURGHER IMPRESSIVELY Continued from first page. throng refused to take him seriously, and his success, like that in the Prospect Purse at Lexington a week ago, occasioned wide surprise. In the Clark Handicap, which followed immediately after the Derby trial, there was another unexpected result when C. V. Whitneys Bargello, ridden by Kenneth Russell, galloped off with the feature, which had a net value of 0,325, by five lengths over Royal Julian. Play Time finished the one mile and one-sixteenth in third place, and Lady Broadcast came through with the best showing of the others, which included the rank offending Tannery, winner of the Ben Ali and Camden Handicaps at Lexington. Tannery failed to figure prominently at any stage while, aside from early speed exhibited by Prince D Amour, Bargello had the running all to himself. He disposed of the J. Leiter three-year-old after a half mile and, drawing into a long lead, won well in hand. He carried 110 pounds and ran the distance over the fast track in 1:44%. Bargellos victory marked the second of the afternoon for the Whitney colors. The running was the fifty-seventh renewal of the Clark Handicap, which had its inception in 1875. Last year Mrs. Payne Whitney furnished the winner of the fixture in Stars and Bars. Matinee Girl, a daughter of Dis Done and Matinee, carried the C. V. Whitney colors to victory in the opening race, for maiden juvenile fillies over the four and one-half furlongs distance. She was good enough to lead from the end of the first sixteenth, but K. Russell rode her out in brisk order and she had little left in leading Chu Chu by two and one-half lengths. Scotland Blues accounted for third place in a close finish with Lady Superior and the two were at Chu Chus withers. The winner was making her first start and was saddled by Mose Goldblatt. On the strength of fast trials she received strong backing, as did Chu Chu.
