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RENEWAL OF RICH RACE NEAR hB50,000 Added Agua Caliente Handicap Scheduled to Be Run One Week From Sunday. AGUA CALIENTE, Mexico, March 9. With the 1932 Agua- Caliente Derby now history, the attention of the western turf world is centered on the Agua Caliente Handicap, to be run March 20. That event took on added importance when word was received from New Orleans that Spanish Play would be shipped West following his engagement in the New Orleans Handicap and it is probable that should the Knebelkamp and Morris star arrive in good condition, he would be made favorite for the race. At the present writing not one horse in the field stands out as a "solid horse" in the race and prices in the future book are being switched daily. Phar Lap, the mystery horse, became equal favorite with Joe Flores yesterday when considerable play was received on him from San Francisco. Both are 3 to 1, but neither can be regarded as certain to take any part of the money. Phar Lap is an unknown quantity, Joe Flores finished unplaced in the Agua Caliente Derby when he was all but left at the post. Dr. Freeland is said to be favoring his injured leg in training and Reveille Boy, the bad post actor, may or may not leave the barrier. Cabezo lost many friends when, without a mishap, he failed to beat Bahamas in very " slow time. Bahamas can not be regarded as a real top-notcher on his Derby effort, while the others, with the exception of Marine and Seths Hope, are outsiders. Both Marine and Seths Hope are gradually reaching top form for the race and many turfmen are taking small tickets on one or the other. Spanish Play, which a few days ago was . quoted at 50 to 1 in the future book, is. now 6 ta 1. It is said that his owners wagered 00 across the board on him at 50 to 1. Other horses now 6 to 1 are Cabezo, which was boosted from 4 to 1 after his disappointing Derby race; Bahamas, the Derby winner, and Marine. Dr. Freeland and Reveille Boy are 4 to 1, while Seths Hope is 8 to 1. Several horses have been withdrawn from the race since Sunday. Bargello and Jimmy Moran were declared ,put early Monday, while Naishapur and Jim Dandy, the Chaffee Earl pair which are now quartered at Tanforan, were withdrawn today. Although his name still appears on the board, Alexander Pantages will not start. He bowed a tendon in a trial Sunday and it is doubtful if he will ever race again. To get back to the Derby, it was far from being a true race and L. O. Lee, trainer of Joe Flores; is firmly convinced that his star three-year-old would have won with any luck. Zeeke Caress is evidently of the same opinion, as he failed to change the price on the son of Axenstein. Lee regards Joe Flores as a better horse than Cabezo and has no doubt that the colt will give a good account of himself with light weight up in the Agua Caliente Handicap. H. A. Wolfe, the Australian sports writer who recently arrived, had a look at Phar Lap yesterday and stated that the horse seemed a trifle light. However, he regards the son of Night Raid as outstanding and thinks that if he runs his race he will have little trouble in disposing of his opponents. Wolfe seems certain that Phar Lap can beat the three-year-olds that performed in the Derby, which he witnessed Sunday, as one of those three-year-olds is split choice with Phar Lap, it would seem to indicate that he is quite "high" on the horse from down under.
