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WORK OUT FOR BIG RACE Principal Contenders for Agua Caliente Prize on Track. ; Spanish Play Canters Over Mexican Course for First Time Blunder May Be a Starter. AGUA CALIENTE, Mexico, March 17. The principal Agua Caliente Handicap contenders were on the track early today. Some were given long gallops, while others did little more than canter by way of retaining present condition. Much interest was displayed when trainer Charlie Gross ordered Spanish Play out of his stall to place his feet on the Mexican course for the first time. Jockey Landolt sent the New Orleans champion along in easy fashion for six furlongs, timed to the half in :50, three-quarters in 1:15. Gross then pulled him up and he cantered slowly to the mile post in 1:43. Gross seemed well satisfied. He considered the work all that Spanish Play requires save a few light gallops and a breeze before Sunday. Bahamas, Agua Caliente Derby winner, was worked over the handicap route. Jockey Longden, in the saddle, worked him under restraint in 2:08, easily, with the intervening distances as follows: :50, 1:16, 1:43. Marine, Canadian champion, ran one mile and an eighth. His effort was colorless in slow time, 1:21 for the three-quarters, 1:47 to the mile and 2:00 for the nine furlongs. Jockey Frankie Mann was up. Phar Lap, on the track before any of his American rivals, was content with a slow three-quarters, timed in 1:20. His Australian trainers admitted no attempt to touch him up for speed would be made between now and race time. Seths Hope, Reveille Boy and Dr. Free-land went for long training gallops, while Blunder was sent half a mile in :50. The report is current today that J. B. McGinn Continued on twenty-first page. WORK OUT FOR BIG RACE Continued from first page. intends to take a long shot chance at the purse with the four-year-old French horse. Benny Creech, owner of Dr. Freeland, arrived today from Belmont Park, New York, after making a quick trip across the continent. Creech came out to give the final touches to Dr. Freeland, preparatory to saddling him. In the 0,000 struggle Sunday. After looking Dr. Freeland over carefully, Creech asserted he has a fine chance to win the race. "You must remember we let up on him for a while," said Creech. "He was not persevered with in his last two races, when beaten, because we did not want to knock him out. I expect him to run a good race. If you want to draw a line on Dr Freeland and Spanish Play turn back to the Southern Maryland Handicap last fall. You will find Dr. Freeland defeating Mate with ease. Mate, on the other hand, beat Spanish Play decisively at Arlington Park." Creech spiked rumors of a change in riders on Dr. Freeland. He said Lafoy Cunningham will be in the saddle when Dr. Freeland makes his Agua Caliente Handicap effort. Jockeys Longden and D. Porter took to the road today on a reducing grind. Longden promises to make ninety-eight pounds for Bahamas, while Porter has the promise of a Caliente mount if he makes 100. Jockey engagements made for the winter feature follow: Cabezo, A. Fischer; Joe Flores, S. Coucci; Dr. Freeland, Lafoy Cunningham; Seths Hope, C. Turk; Phar Lap, W. Elliott; Spanish Play, C. Landolt; Scimi- tar, G. Smith; Bahamas, J. Longden; Marine, F. Mann. Reveille Boy and Good and Hot remain open. Older boys seeking a chance to ride in the battle include Frankie Col-tiletti, Steve ODonnell, Louie Schaefer, Bobbie Jones and D. Dubois. Jones was booked for Alexander Pantages, which bowed in training while Schaefer was supplanted on Marine by jockey Mann.
