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- I Here and There on the Turf Derby Trainers Sure of Fitness Change in Weather Helps Today Enters Calculations ; Smith Ducks Three-Year-Olds , i Trainers of Kentucky Derby candidates at Churchill Downs, where the big three-year-old special is to be renewed two weeks from today, received their long awaited break in the weather during the past few days and they pounced upon their opportunity with their split-second watches moving in high gear. After taking advantage of the chance to work their charges under favorable conditions for the first time in weeks, the handlers of Derby candidates, ruminating on what they have been able to do and what must be done during the next fortnight, generally reached the conclusion they could have their three-year-old- stars fit and ready for the gruelling mile and a quarter grind. All, however, would have preferred the recent advent of mild weather had occurred several weeks earlier. Apparently the most advanced of the Derby hopefuls doing their conditioning at Churchill Downs, is Weston, from the Braedalbane Stable of Jouett Shouse. This lightly campaigned son of Sun Flag and Madcap Princess, which in three starts last season included the Cincinnati Trophy among his victories, has been a mile in 1:41; this being the fastest trial at Louisville up to the time it was made. Weston was only breezing and in doing so he appeared much more impressive than his work mate, the capable four-year-old filly Fiji. On the same morning, Chance Sun, future book favorite for the Derby, went over the same distance in 1:41, but was being extended more. St. Bernard, another leading eligible, established at Churchill, was breezed three-quarters in 1:15 and galloped out to the mile in 1:42. The next workouts on the schedule of these horses very probably will be over longer distances or at greater speed and they, may occur before this is read. Even though Louisville weather opened up long enough during the middle of this week, prospects for a continuance of good training conditions are not as bright as the trainers would like to have them. Regardless of what the weather may be, the handlers of Chance Sun, St. Bernard, Weston, Chance-view, Shoeless Joe and the other Derby eligi-bles at Louisville can be expected to follow schedule as near as possible. They realize more than any one that no time can be lost, which undoubtedly is causing the horsemen much anxiety. Over at Lexington, where Boxthorn has been training at Idle Hour JTarm and Nellie Flag at Calumet Farm, reports are to the effect both of these may be regarded as Derby starters, barring accidents. Trainer H. J. Thompson, who in preparing four previous winners of the Churchill Downs classic has learned something about how to get them ready, emphatically says Boxthorn will be a starter. He made the claim in the same breath in which he mentioned that the Bradley colt had been compelled to do practically all of his speed work over a muddy track. He hopes to meet with good training conditions at Idle Hour for a few - days " before transferring Boxthorn tc Chtirchill Downs, which is planned for the middle of the coming week. While activity in -Kentucky was perking Up, V. Whitney served notice on other owners of good three-year-old prospects that he hstdi a colt of fine promise in, Today, a son of Whichone and Afternoon. Today did the bulk of his spring -training at the Whitney farm in Kentucky, where he was seldom able to use the track, but trainer Thomas J. Healey evidently was able to do something with the colt. At the first asking, Today stepped six furlongs in 1:12 at Havre de Grace to defeat the speedy Nautch and other capable members of the division. Nautch had the benefit of seasoning. Assuming that Today was no further advanced in his training when he left the Blue Grass a couple of weeks ago than his contemporaries in that section, then the latter cannot be in such a sorry plight. Regardless of whether he is a starter in the Chesapeake Stakes this afternoon, Today appears headed for the Wood Memorial next Saturday and then the Derby. He has a real chance. Preston Burch had better be casting about for another rider for Commonwealth, as "Sonny" Workman will be busy with Today. In the arrangements of the dozen stakes to be offered at the twenty-nine day meeting starting May .15 and closing June 17 at Rockingham Park, impresario Lou Smith wisely has refrained from offering a distance event for three-year-olds. The only stake solely for horses of this age is the Harvard Handicap, at six furlongs. The New Hampshire promoter evidently reached the conclusion that a race calculated to draw a representative field of three-year-olds would have to have a very large purse, because of the presence already on the racing calendar during this period of so many other such contests, and that his program would be better off if it specialized in stakes for horses of other divisions. To that end, Smith has arranged a pair of 0,000 added handicaps, the first to be at a mile and one-sixteenth on Decoration Day, and the other, at a mile and a furlong, on June 15. The second of these two handicaps, titled the Rockingham Park, especially should draw a noteworthy field, because it comes time enough after the Suburban Handicap to attract the leading participants in that historic special. These horses then may return to Long Island, if they wish, to make a bid for the Brooklyn Handicap. Each of these races, like-the two big handicaps at Rockingham, carries an added value of 0,-000. They add. further emphasis to the fact that members of the handicap division are confronted by their greatest season in many years. With, the exception of an outstanding three-year.-old. affair, Smith, has worked out a well balanced group of stakes supporting his two principal features, although he failed to include a single distance event ; on the program, sprinters and middle" distance performers being principally ; catered to. - h
